Story ID: 
NATA Concerned by Climate and Energy Legislation
By: Chad Trautvetter
Caption: The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) is concerned with the “broad framework” of the American Power Act, a bill introduced earlier this month 
Word Count: 191
The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) is concerned with the “broad framework” of the American Power Act, a bill introduced earlier this month by Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, and Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. According to NATA, the bill includes a provision addressing international aviation emissions by requiring that the U.S. actively promote, within the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the development of a global strategy for the regulation of greenhouse gas emissions from civil aircraft. It would also require the EPA and FAA to establish a program to distribute allowances for the greenhouse emissions of the fuel used by air carriers, which NATA said would affect Part 135 operators. The bill ultimately seeks to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 17 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050 compared with current levels. A different carbon payment system is proposed for the transportation industry, allowing Part 121 and 135 operators to purchase permits only on a quarterly basis rather than “speculating their consumption over the course of a year.” The transportation sector would also be prohibited from trading carbon allowances.