Costs To Airports Underestimated

New standards contained in the U.S. EPA's proposed regulations to address runoff from airport and aircraft deicing operations are not adequately flexible, and will place unnecessary and significant financial burden on the airport industry, according to comments submitted to the EPA by Airports Council International-North America.

In a letter accompanying ACI-NA's comments, ACI-NA President Greg Principato said the proposed rule is "ill advised and will result in significant negative impacts on airports and the National Aviation System, while not generating commensurate environmental benefits."

ACI-NA calls for EPA to revisit the flawed analysis used as the basis for the proposal, which results in a significant underestimation of the rule's associated costs and an overestimation of its environmental benefits. EPA also did not account for the safety and operational impacts of its proposal.

Airports across the U.S. have already invested in programs that help ensure safe and efficient winter operations while minimizing impacts to the environment. EPA's proposed rule, which consists of strict collection and treatment requirements for deicing fluid applied to aircraft, along with an effective ban on the use of urea, a common pavement deicing product, does not adequately account for those investments.  The rule also does not afford the flexibility necessary for airports to meet their site-specific deicing needs.

Specific comments provided by ACI-NA include the need to limit new source standards to new airports, focus the rule on airports where the most aircraft deicing fluid is applied, allow airports to meet their site-specific deicing needs, accurately account for the financial impacts of the proposal, and better encourage pollution prevention practices.

ACI-NA says it has, and will continue to, work with EPA as the Agency refines its approach to this important issue.

FMI: www.aci-na.org