Sun, Nov 29, 2009
ALPA Takes Stand on Battery Dangers
ALPA ended this week with applause for the US House
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee resistance of pressure
from airlines and battery interests and for their issuing a strong
mandate to fully regulate the shipment of lithium batteries on
airliners in its recently passed version of the Hazardous Material
Transportation Safety Act of 2009 (H.R.4016).
“ALPA has long led the charge to regulate lithium battery
shipments and warned of the dangers they pose to the traveling
public if they are not treated as hazardous materials,” said
Capt. John Prater, ALPA’s president. “It’s
gratifying that Congress has seized this opportunity to better
protect airline passengers, crews, and cargo by calling for fully
regulating lithium battery shipments on airliners. We commend
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman James Oberstar
and Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Jerry Costello for their
outstanding leadership.”
The committee vote to adopt the Hazardous Material
Transportation Safety Act of 2009 with the language in support of
regulatory action came on the heels of a U.S. House Subcommittee on
Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials field hearing in
Baltimore at which First Officer Mark Rogers, director of
ALPA’s Dangerous Goods Programs, testified on November
16.
In addition, Prater sent a letter on November 18 to Congress
pointing out the fire risk that damaged, defective, or improperly
packaged battery shipments can pose. He called for regulating
lithium batteries as a hazardous material and for enhanced
requirements for marking, labeling, testing, packaging, and
notifying the pilot-in-command.
“While we anticipate the pressure will continue from the
airlines, the battery industry, and others to strip out or weaken
these crucial provisions, Congress must not waver from pressing for
the regulations we know are desperately needed to protect the
traveling public,” said Rogers. The Hazardous Material
Transportation Safety Act of 2009 is expected to be considered by
the full U.S. House in the coming weeks.
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