Release #: 15.24
June 11, 2015
ALPA Statement on EPA’s Aircraft Greenhouse Gas Emissions Rulemaking
Airline Pilots Continue to Deliver on Long-Held Environmental Commitment
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Capt. Tim Canoll, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), made the following statement regarding the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recent “endangerment finding” and release of an advance notice of proposed rulemaking on aircraft greenhouse gas emissions.
“The Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l is pleased by the Environmental Protection Agency’s commitment to working through the International Civil Aviation Organization [ICAO] process to develop a carbon dioxide certification standard for new aircraft. ALPA supports ICAO’s efforts as another key element that will build on the work that the airline industry and airline pilots are already doing to reduce aviation emissions and safely increase the efficiency of flight operations.
“ALPA will submit comments regarding the proposed rulemaking to EPA when appropriate, but we underscore that U.S. airlines and aircraft operators have improved their fuel efficiency more than 120 percent since 1978. This success is the result of the U.S. airlines’ purchasing cleaner, more fuel-efficient aircraft. Nothing that ICAO or EPA does should interfere with continuing this successful march toward zero emission growth using more advanced technology.
“For years, ALPA and its pilots have worked together with airline managements and regulators to safely enhance the efficiency of flight operations. Through operations such as single-engine taxi, modernized departure and arrival procedures, flying at optimal altitude to limit fuel burn based on aircraft weight, winds, and atmospheric conditions, and using continuous descent arrival and optimized descent procedures, airline pilots are working every day and on every flight to safely enhance efficiency and reduce fuel burn.
“ALPA is part of a global aviation coalition seeking to achieve 1.5 percent annual average fuel efficiency improvements through 2020 and carbon-neutral growth from 2020. Our members will continue to advance new ways to deliver on our union’s long-standing environmental commitment.”
Founded in 1931, ALPA is the largest airline pilot union in the world and represents over 52,000 pilots at 31 U.S. and Canadian airlines. Visit the ALPA website at www.alpa.org or follow us on Twitter @WeAreALPA.
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CONTACT: ALPA Media, 703-481-4440 or Media@alpa.org