California Airports Transition to Unleaded Aviation Fuel
Below are the opening paragraphs of an AVweb article by Russ Niles.
California FBOs Told to Start Selling G100UL When It's 'Commercially Available' (Updated)
Lawyers for a California environmental group say most if not all FBOs in California will be required to offer 100LL with General Aviation Modifications Inc.'s (GAMI's) G100UL starting in the first half of 2024 thanks to a nine-year-old court ruling. The consent judgment, issued in favor of the Center for Environmental Health in December of 2014 by the California Superior Court in Alameda, says that as soon as there's an approved commercially available replacement for 100LL, FBOs have to sell [it]. CEH's lawyers say they will be allowed to continue to sell 100LL but will also have to stock unleaded fuel. GAMI disagrees with that interpretation and says the FBOs will be compelled to sell only its fuel or another fuel that has no lead in it. CEH's lawyers have sent notice to all California FBOs to stock G100UL as soon as it becomes commercially available to them. If they don't, they could be found in contempt and face heavy fines.
GAMI head of engineering George Braly said Vitol Aviation, the producer/refiner now licensed to produce G100UL, is scheduled to produce large batches of the fuel later in the spring. Braly said it will "take a few months" to ramp up production and to supply all of the dozens of fuel sellers covered by the order, after which it will be able to maintain a steady supply to them.
To access the full article click here.
AVweb followed up with an article explaining that California's action does not completely ban leaded aviation fuel. Below is an excerpt.
Environmental Group Says California Airports Will Be Able to Continue Selling 100LL
The lawyer for a California environmental group says a court settlement that will mandate the sale of G100UL avgas will not necessarily prevent FBOs from also selling 100LL. Mark Todzo, who represents the Center for Environmental Health, clarified part of his December 2023 letter to FBOs and fuel distributors informing of the imminent commercial availability of G100UL. In that letter Todzo said G100UL "can and should serve as a lower lead replacement for the 100LL fuel you are presently distributing" but told AVweb the agreement does not expressly stop fuel businesses from selling 100LL also. "They just need to make [G100UL] available for sale."
To access the full article click here.
For another article on a related topic by Russ Niles of AVweb, see Avgas Issue Comes to a Head and It's About Time (2/19/2024).
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