EPA denies petition filed by Biogenic CO2 Coalition

The U.S. EPA has denied a petition for reconsideration of its finding that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from aircraft cause or contribute to air pollution that may be reasonably anticipated to endanger public health and welfare. The EPA first issued its determination in mid-2016. The action is an initial step in regulating aircraft GHG emissions. 

In a notice discussing its denial, the agency explains the Biogenic CO2 Coalition submitted a petition in October 2016 asking the EPA to reconsider its findings with respect to the agency’s treatment of biogenic carbon dioxide emissions from short-cycle annual herbaceous crops. According to the EPA, the petition does not meet the criteria for reconsideration under Clean Air Act regulations.

In its petition, the coalition states that biogenic carbon dioxide emissions from agricultural-based feedstocks are carbon neutral or negligible for purposes of emissions accounting under the Clean Air Act, and therefore should be counted as carbon neutral. In addition, the coalition said the EPA’s endangerment finding potentially affects future EPA rulemakings regarding the eligibility of crop-derived feedstocks used to manufacture aircraft fuels.

Additional information is available on the Federal Register website. Full copies of the petition filed by the Biogenic CO2 Coalition and the response letter issued by EPA can be downloaded from www.Regulations.gov under Docket ID: EPA-HQ-OAR-2014-0828