Abstract |
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing effluent limitation guidelines and standards for the Airport Deicing Category. The proposed regulations address primary commercial airports that conduct airfield or aircraft deicing operations and also have 1000 or more jet departures annually. This document discusses environmental impacts associated with deicing operations at these airports and the environmental benefits EPA estimates would result from pollutant discharge reductions under the proposed regulatory options. This document presents information on the environmental impacts airport deicing discharges have caused in the past and on their potential to do so in the future. The proposed regulatory options will reduce the frequency and severity of environmental impacts associated with airport deicing discharges. The regulatory options will primarily benefit surface waters, though soil and groundwater resources could benefit from pollutant discharge reductions, as well. |