Aviation, travel groups push Congress to ban EU emissions plan

A coalition of aviation and travel industry groups pressed lawmakers Monday to quickly approve a bill that would ban European countries from imposing emission trading requirements on U.S. airlines.

With the House set to vote Monday on the measure, which has been supported by Republicans and Democrats on the transportation committee, the groups said the bill was critical to the American aviation system.

“The EU (emissions trading system) will increase costs in the industry significantly, which will reduce consumer demand, and will hamper airlines’ and other operators’ ability to invest in research and development and in new aircraft and equipment,” the groups said in a letter to members of the House.

{mosads}”The EU ETS is estimated to cost U.S. airlines $3.1 billion between 2012 and 2020,” the letter continued. “All operators and airlines operating to and from the EU will be required to purchase allowances for their emissions regardless of their citizenship. The EU has made no promise to reinvest any revenues from its ETS into aviation research and development, meaning U.S. operators could directly subsidize the coffers of foreign governments. Furthermore, the EU ETS and other planned unilateral schemes and taxes will lead to double, triple or worse charges on the same emissions from aviation.”

Environmentalists have said the bill to block the EU emissions trading would weaken pollution controls around the globe, but House Transportation Committee Chairman Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.) has said the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme Prohibition Act of 2011 was “one of the more bipartisan efforts you’ll ever see in the House of Representatives.”

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Critics have unfavorably compared the emission trading system to cap-and-trade proposals that were once sought by environmentalists and left-leaning Democrats in the U.S.

The aviation groups defended the airline industry’s environmental record.

“Aviation is the only industry in the world that has come together under clearly defined targets to reduce its dependence on oil, and these targets have been hailed by world leaders as the model for all industries,” the letter Monday said. “Fuel is the airlines’ and other operators’ highest and most volatile operating cost, giving us more incentive than any other industry to reduce fuel consumption.”

The letter is signed by the Air Line Pilots Association; Air Transport Association; American Society of Travel Agent; Cargo Airline Association; General Aviation Manufacturers Association; International Air Transport Association; Interactive Travel Services Association; National Air Carrier Association; National Air Transportation Association; National Business Aviation Association; Regional Airline Association and the U.S. Travel Association.

The vote on the bill, which was approved on a voice-vote, could come as early as Monday afternoon. The measure will likely be considered under a suspension of House rules, which requires a two-thirds majority vote.