Oklahoma Sen. James
Inhofe (R) made two major announcements at EAA AirVenture yesterday
morning, one concerning the future of the Washington, D.C., ADIZ, the
other about proposed rules that would require avgas to contain
alternative fuels.
The Washington ADIZ,
created after the 9/11 attacks, has been a major obstacle to general
aviation in the Washington, D.C., area. Yet the controlling agencies
have not justified its continued existence as mandated by the rules
under which it was established.
"Both (EAA
President) Tom Poberezny and (AOPA President) Phil Boyer told me the FAA
and the DOD (Department of Defense) and the DHS (Department of Homeland
Security) refuse to meet with the aviation community (about the ADIZ).
So I’m announcing right now that in my committee room, on September
12, we’re going to have the very top people at the FAA, DOD and
DHS" meet with leaders of GA organizations and discuss the future
of the ADIZ. "I want to meet with EAA and AOPA before that meeting
to see what we want to get out of this," Inhofe said.
The senator also
announced his stance against an amendment to the Clean Air Act that
would require fuel for all motor vehicles, including GA aircraft, to
contain at least 10 percent alternative fuels by 2010.
"For every hour a
general aviation airplane is in the air, it’s something like a million
cars are driving around, so it doesn’t make any sense to subject the
aviation community to this imposition," said Inhofe, who chairs the
Environment and Public Works Committee, which oversees the proposed
legislation. "I announce here, under no circumstances is that bill
going to see the light of day. We’re going to exempt aviation from the
law."
"It looks like there’s
a lot of airplanes here," continued the senator, "but I can
take you to one parking lot in the Pentagon that has twice as many cars.
So there aren’t enough airplanes to make that a problem with air
quality."
Inhofe, a major GA
supporter, is here for his 27th annual AirVenture, along with his sons
James and Perry, who arrived in the family’s RV-7 and Grumman Tiger,
and grandsons Glade and Cole.
The senator also noted
that many other upcoming aviation issues will need input from the
aviation community, such as user fees, and urged general aviation
supporters to stay involved.
"Check with my office in
Washington," Inhofe said. "Ruth Van Mark in my Washington
office knows all the aviation issues. She’ll let them know
everything."
