The EPA Will Regulate Emissions From Airplanes

The Environmental Protection Agency will set new rules to regulate emissions from the aviation industry, The New York Times reports today. It's an expected move by the Obama Administration, and part of what could be a big year for setting up new environmental rules:

The announcement represents the latest of Mr. Obama's major initiatives to combat global warming. Next week, the agency is expected to propose new rules on emissions from heavy-duty trucks, and in August it is expected to announce new rules to rein in power plant pollution.

EPA hasn't said what the new regulations will be and when they'll be enforced. Basically, this announcement is the agency telling the world that yes, they're going to write some rules, so get ready.

The Times article contains your typical expected boilerplate responses to this move, with environmental groups praising it and aviation groups saying the industry has already been cutting its fuel usage an emissions without having to be told to do so by the federal government. (After all, fuel is money, and airlines desperately need to save money.)

Whatever EPA decides to do, it had better do it fast.

Aviation accounts for about 2 percent of global emissions, but it is among the fastest-growing sources of global greenhouse gas emissions as air travel becomes more affordable and more people travel around the world.

Source: The New York Times