House of Representatives Votes to Prolong Public Exposure to Leaded Aviation Fuel
There's Still Time to Urge the Senate to Oppose this FAA Reauthorization Act Provision
The following excerpt is from a petition sponsored by Earthjustice, a non-profit environmental law organization that has long been at the forefront of efforts to remove lead from aviation fuel. Piston-engine aircraft are responsible for 70% of all airborne lead pollution nationwide. Multiple studies have shown that children living in proximity to airports test positive for elevated blood lead levels. A July 20, 2023 Earthjustice press release on this topic, Congress Must Not Enable More Lead Poisoning in Our Communities, is available here.
Congress wants to keep leaded aviation gas around. Tell them to ban it
WHAT'S AT STAKE
There is no safe level of exposure to lead, and it is long overdue that we get lead out of aviation gas ("avgas"). Currently, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing its long-overdue endangerment finding for lead avgas.
Despite this progress, we're concerned that Section 620 of the Senate Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill will make it harder to transition away from leaded aviation fuels. Tell your Congress members today to remove this harmful avgas provision from the bill.
To sign the petition click here.
NPR Article Explains House Vote
A 7/21/2023 NPR KUOW (Puget Sound) article, Congress Moves to Mandate Leaded Fuel Sales, by John Ryan provides additional information on the House vote. Below are the opening paragraphs.
The U.S. House of Representatives voted Thursday to require airports to keep selling leaded aviation fuel indefinitely. The small-plane fuel is the biggest source of airborne lead pollution in Washington and nationwide.
Airport neighbors and activists say the mandate, on page 308 of the 841-page legislation reauthorizing the Federal Aviation Administration, puts children's health at unnecessary risk after the agency approved unleaded fuels for piston-engine planes in 2022. The House provision requires airports to keep selling any fuel they were selling as of 2018. The U.S. Senate version, still under deliberation, mandates the sale of leaded fuel through 2030 or until a replacement is "widely available."
Instead of protecting communities from leaded aviation fuel use, they are opting instead to protect industry from the harmful effects of community activism and organizing," said activist and South Park resident Christian Poulsen with the Duwamish River Community Coalition.
To read the full article click here.
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