  
|
Environmental
Emission Reduction Strategies / Air Quality Initiative
The Logan Air Quality Initiative (AQI) is an innovative 15-year program approach developed by Massport in 2001 to address the Authorityb s long-range goal to maintain NOx emissions associated with Logan Airport at or below 1999 modeled levels. The AQI has four primary components that are summarized below with their current status.
- Expand on the emission reduction initiatives already in-place at Logan Airport.
- Retire emissions reduction credits, giving priority to mobile sources. Massport updates the emissions inventory annually. The table below presents the emissions inventory for 1999-2003 and shows that 2005 NOx emissions were below 1999 NOx levels. Accordingly, it was not necessary to retire emission credits due to lower emissions.
- Report the status and progress of the AQI in the Environmental Status and Planning Report (ESPR) or EDR. A detailed discussion of the Logan Air Quality Initiative is presented in the 2005 EDR.
- Continue to work at the international and national levels to decrease air emissions from aviation sources. Massport continues as a member of and participant in the Environmental Protection Agency/ Federal Aviation Administration (EPA/FAA) Stakeholder Process.
As shown in the Figure below, NOx emissions at Logan Airport in 2005 were approximately 662 tons/year less than 1999 levels, a 28 percent decrease. Therefore, there was no need to purchase and retire NOx emissions credits in 2005 to meet the goals of the AQI. Between 1999 and 2005, the greatest reductions of NOx emissions occurred with aircraft, GSE, and with on-airport motor vehicles, a 28 percent and 24 percent reduction respectively.
As part of the reporting process, the AQI called for an itemization of NOx emissions generated by Logan Airport activities associated with each individual airline operator. The following table shows the amounts of NOx air emissions generated by each airline in units of tons per year and tons per Landing and Takeoff Cycle (LTO). Comparison of air quality impacts based solely on LTO operations may not be directly relevant to any assessment of a specific airlines' environmental performance.
Based on the information shown in the table below, international carriers are the higher NOx emitters per LTO because their longer trip lengths require larger aircraft. Carriers with the greatest number of flights tended to emit the highest percentage of NOx emissions.
|
Introduction