EPA Proposes a New Deicing Rule ...

... that it expects will impact some 200 primary commercial airports in the U.S. It has sent the rule for publication in the Federal Register, after which industry will be able to comment (visit www.epa.gov/guide/airport). It’s essentially the next step for the Environmental Protection Agency in its effort to control runoff at airports, following the major emphasis on stormwater runoff at airports and tenant operations over the past decade. According to the agency, EPA estimates that six major airports, among the largest users of aircraft deicing fluid, would likely install centralized deicing pads to comply with the proposed requirements. Airports using lesser amounts of deicing fluid would collect 20 percent of the spent fluid with technologies such as glycol recovery vehicles. The estimated 50 airports that currently use urea to deice runways would use more environmentally friendly deicers, or reduce the discharges of ammonia from continued use of urea. It says that a number of airports in the country already comply with the proposed requirements. EPA says the proposed requirements would be incorporated into stormwater permits, and that FAA has signed off on the safety of the proposed rule. It says that it expects compliance with the regulation to reduce the discharge of deicing-related pollutants by some 44.6 million pounds per year. The estimated annual cost to the industry: $ 91.3 million. Thanks for reading. jfi