EPA jet rule draws calls for stricter regulation

摘要

EPA's first-ever plan to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from passenger jets draw sharply contrasting reactions at a virtual public hearing this morning. Business representatives urged the agency to accelerate work on the proposed rule to help U.S. companies stay competitive internationally; critics countered that climate concerns and the aviation industry's long-term health demand much stricter standards. Despite the short-term economic damage wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic, "we believe that climate change poses an even greater business risk to U.S. airlines," both "in weather-related safety and operational costs and due to their status as a source of emissions," said Mary Minette, director of shareholder advocacy at Missouribased Mercy Investment Services Inc., which is affiliated with a Catholic religious order. For the industry to meet a 2050 net-zero greenhouse gas emissions goal, Minette said, the standards should both foster technical innovation and achieve "meaningful" reductions.