image: Wikimedia
The Center for Environmental Health, which filed a lawsuit in 2011 seeking to prohibit the sale of leaded gasoline in California, has reached a settlement, NATA said on Tuesday. Under the agreement signed last week, FBOs at 23 airports will provide warnings of lead exposure to individuals residing within one kilometer of the airport, will post warning signs at the airports, and will pay about $550,000 in penalties and legal costs. The fuel distributors also agreed to offer for sale the lowest-lead fuel that is commercially available, and to make mogas available to FBOs that request it.
“We are pleased the matter is concluded and that California general aviation and its related businesses are no longer threatened,” said Thomas Hendricks, president of NATA. “100-low-lead avgas is currently the only fuel that allows the entire piston engine fleet to operate safely. We are working closely with the FAA as part of the Piston Aviation Fuels Initiative, and it is entering into an exciting period in the search for an unleaded fuel for general aviation aircraft.” Caroline Cox, director of research for CEH, said the FAA is moving too slowly to find a replacement fuel. “With this settlement today, we expect the aviation industry to move more quickly to towards safer, lead-free fuels,” she said. “We will continue to monitor the industry and keep the pressure on for safer fuels as quickly as possible.”
