Sen. Thune files bill to block EU emissions trading for airlines

{mosads}Thune’s office said participating in the EU trading system would cost airlines $3.1 billion between 2012 and 2020, and cost the industry $40,000 jobs.

Environmentalists have decried the legislative effort to block the emission trading, but the lobbying group for airlines, Airlines for America, hailed Thune for introducing the bill.

“We commend Senator Thune for his leadership in joining the Administration and his colleagues in the House of Representatives in opposing the application of the EU’s ETS to U.S. airlines, as it is both illegal and bad policy,” A4A president Nicholas Calio said in statement. 

“Subjecting airlines to the EU unilateral system will be counterproductive to helping the environment, result in the loss of U.S. jobs, and hamper airlines’ ability to invest in new aircraft and continue their extensive efforts to reduce their environmental impact,” he continued.