A Heavy Subject
A coalition of seven aviation stakeholder organizations comprising the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), the Helicopter Association International (HAI), the National Air Transportation Association (NATA), the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), and the American Petroleum Institute (API) has formally submitted comments pertaining to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed endangerment finding pertaining to lead in aviation gasoline (avgas).
The coalition reaffirmed its support of removing lead from avgas, but decried the consequences of doing so abruptly.
In its comments, the coalition espoused a shared belief that the elimination of lead from avgas benefits both the public and the environmental goods, and outlined the aviation industry’s ongoing efforts to develop lead-free fuels capable of safely powering extant piston-engined general aviation aircraft while meeting both the FAA’s regulatory requirements and the EPA’s stated conservational objectives.
The comments highlighted the progress of four entities currently about the endeavor of developing lead-free high-octane replacement fuels, one of which received FAA Supplemental Type Certification (STC) of its fuel in 2022. The comments underscored the fact that aviation safety is predicated in part on an orderly, nationally synchronized transition to unleaded avgas, and emphasized the dangers inherent the premature or overly-rapid removal of leaded fuels from the market.
The coalition urged the EPA, in coordination with the FAA, to ensure that any final finding and follow-up regulatory actions align with the development and system-wide adoption of a viable unleaded avgas alternative.
Additionally, the coalition supported comments submitted by the Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions (EAGLE) initiative, an industry-FAA partnership working to facilitate the circumspect and safe transition to lead-free avgas by the end of 2030.
To substantiate the legitimacy of its assertions, the coalition made clear that the general aviation industry and related sectors support 1.2-million American jobs and generate an estimated $247-billion in yearly economic output.
“Our nation is served by more than 5,000 public-use airports, more than 13,000 private airports and airstrips, and 5,500 heliports across the country,” the coalition’s statement set forth. “General aviation is an integral part of the transportation system that supports communities across the United States, especially in rural areas, by providing essential air travel options to businesses and the public, forging links between thousands of companies, their suppliers, and their customers.” The statement continued: “General aviation operations include emergency medical personnel and supplies delivery, disaster relief and recovery, search and rescue, agricultural aviation activities, recreational pursuits, and more. General aviation also protects our environment by providing the most efficient and cost-effective way to conduct such activities as wildlife surveys, aerial mapping of wetlands, and detecting pipeline leaks.”
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