EPA
US states coalition calls on EPA for stronger aircraft emission standards. Credit: Patrick Tomassovia via flickr.   

A coalition of US states and the District of Columbia has called on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to enhance standards to regulate aircraft greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.   

The attorneys general of California, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Vermont, Washington and Massachusetts joined in filing the comment letter to the EPA.

In July, the EPA proposed emissions standards for commercial aviation and large business jets.

The proposal aims to align US standards with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) set international carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions standards.

In July, the Council of the ICAO took a decision to use 2019 as Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) baseline calculation.

According to the EPA, the proposed requirements would apply to new-type aircraft designs on or after 1 January 2020 and in-production units on or after 1 January 2028.

In 2017, aviation contributed more than 12% of all US transportation-related CO2 emissions and 3% of total domestic emissions.

However, the coalition contends that the EPA proposal is ‘entirely insufficient’ and ‘unlawful’. The group also claims that it will not allow EPA to fulfil obligations under the Clean Air Act.

In the letter, the coalition said that: “EPA can and must adopt effective standards to substantially reduce these emissions, mitigate existing climate harms, and avoid the worst economic and public health outcomes of an unmitigated climate crisis.”

In July, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) urged the International Energy Agency (IEA) to focus its attention on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) investment.