With the House Energy and Commerce Committee mulling its 900-plus-page climate change bill, the Helicopter Association International is warning operators that they could ultimately find themselves facing a stiff carbon tax. Under the House legislation, HAI explained, oil companies would be responsible for the emissions created by the transportation fuels they produce, and those costs would be passed down to aviation entities when they buy aviation fuel. Because the European Union imposed a
cap-and-trade system in 2005 that will include airlines in 2012, the only recourse seemingly open to American carriers and the aviation industry in general appears to be blocking the Europeans through the International Civil Aviation Organization. But according to HAI, “This is not the approach the helicopter industry should take in addressing our concerns over cap-and-trade legislation and associated costs for CO2 emissions by aircraft.” Instead, it is urging operators to tell lawmakers in Congress what they think about the issue and the ultimate financial impact a carbon tax will impose on their helicopter operations.