EPA ruling to eliminate lead-based aviation gasoline causes safety concerns

The aviation community is committed to moving away from lead-based airplane fuel, but pointed out many challenges expected – including safety concerns and technical hurdles – that lay ahead and must be addressed and overcome to make this transition.

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and the General Aviation Avgas Coalition responded to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) on leaded aviation gasoline (avgas).

"The entire general aviation community took a very hard look at the data the EPA presented and the questions they asked and concluded that our best input to EPA is to suggest that neither the situation nor their own findings suggest an endangerment finding is warranted,” said AOPA President and CEO Craig L. Fuller.

He called the comments a vital step toward solving the multifaceted puzzle that is unleaded avgas, saying, "My experience in Washington suggests that on complex issues like the ones surrounding aviation fuel, you simply will not reach your destination unless you know how you’re going to get there. The coalition comments highlight the need for sound data and a better understanding of the issue before we can develop an effective, scientifically sound roadmap that puts air safety first and foremost while attempting to address real environmental concerns.”

“The technical challenges of removing lead from aviation gasoline are formidable,” said Rob Hackman, AOPA’s vice president of regulatory affairs and liaison to the General Aviation Avgas coalition. “Given the widespread impact of the actions described in the ANPR – particularly how they might affect the safety of flight – any determination related to lead emissions from piston-engine aircraft must be supported by sound and complete data.”

The ANPR represents the earliest step in an EPA process, which could ultimately result in lead emission standards for general aviation aircraft. In direct response to questions asked in the ANPR, the coalition agreed that more study and research is needed before the EPA can even proceed to the first step in the process: the potential issuance of an endangerment finding.

The coalition concurred with the EPA’s own assessment that there is not currently enough understanding of the impacts of the small amount of avgas used, and that the EPA should continue to gather data, including the monitoring being established as part of the recently-updated National Ambient Air Quality Standard for lead.  The comments note that to date, the limited monitoring completed has not indicated whether or not lead emissions from piston-powered aviation engines exceed the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for lead.

The industry has been and remains committed to the research necessary to find an unleaded fuel for the future.

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