Colorado Residents Gain Momentum in Addressing Aviation Noise and Pollution
Measure to Close Boulder Municipal Airport on Ballot
Boulder residents, citing concerns over the adverse impacts the Boulder Municipal Airport has on their community, have successfully gathered enough signatures to put closure of the airport on the ballot.
Below are the opening paragraphs of a 6/13/2024 Boulder Reporting Lab article by John Herrick, Measure to Close Boulder's Airport Qualifies for 2024 Ballot.
City of Boulder voters may soon decide whether to close the municipal airport for the first time in the city's history.
Organizers with the ballot measure committee, Airport Neighborhood Campaign, have gathered enough signatures to place a measure on the November ballot to decommission the Boulder Municipal Airport "as soon as reasonably feasible," city officials confirmed on June 13.
A separate but related measure to redevelop the land into a "sustainable, mixed-use neighborhood" also qualified for the ballot, officials said.
"It's just a wonderful feeling that our hard work paid off," Laura Kaplan, a member of the city's Planning Board and organizer with the ballot measure committee, told Boulder Reporting Lab.
To read the entire article click here.
Bill to Reduce Aviation Noise and Lead Pollution Signed by Governor
On 5/17/2024, Colorado Governor, Jared Polis, signed into law HB24-1235, a legislative approach to reducing noise and lead impacts from Colorado airports.
According to a Colorado House Democrats press release, the new law
- Incentivizes aircraft owners to transition their planes from using leaded to unleaded fuel by providing a refundable income tax credit for qualified expenses
- Ensures that the lesser of 10 percent or $1.5M of State Aviation System grant funding per year goes toward aiding the transition to unleaded aviation gasoline
- Requires grant recipients to both adopt a plan for phasing out sales of leaded gasoline by 2030, and establish a noise abatement plan
- Adds two members to the Colorado Aeronautical Board who are residents of communities affected by aviation
- Requires the Division of Aeronautics to work with the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment to evaluate, educate, and provide technical assistance to airports regarding adverse impacts of aircraft noise and leaded aviation fuel
To read the full text of the press release click here.
To access the text of HB24-1235 click here.
Multiple Aviation Accidents in Colorado
Unfortunately, the adverse impacts of General Aviation (GA) activity are not limited to noise and lead pollution. GA aircraft are notoriously accident prone. According to National Safety and Transportation Board NTSB accident data, there were 1,205 GA accidents in 2022. It is becoming increasingly more common for these crashes to occur in residential neighborhoods and on public highways.
The NTSB accident database lists 53 aviation accidents in U.S. states and territories during the first 17 days of June of this year. Of that number nearly 10% occurred in Colorado within a two week period. These crashes caused multiple injuries and the deaths of three people, ignited several fires on impact, destroyed homes, and subjected residential communities to toxic emissions.
On 6/17/2024, the pilot and passenger of a twin-engine Cessna died when their plane crashed into a mobile home park in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Two structures were destroyed by the fire that ignited upon impact. For additional details click here.
On 6/16/2024, a twin engine aircraft crashed near Lakespur, Colorado. The pilot was seriously injured and the passenger sustained minor injuries. According to a local news report, "Based on the preliminary investigation, officials believe the pilot clipped a sign on the interstate while flying over, causing the plane to crash. The plane flipped over after touching down and was on its top with the wheels sticking up when rescuers got to the crash site." As a result of the crash traffic on I-25 was backed up for miles. For additional details click here.
On 6/16/2024, a Jonker Sailplanes glider was substantially damaged during the landing phase of flight. There were no injuries. For additional details click here.
On 6/7/2024, shortly after take-off from Centennial Airport, a Beechcraft Bonanza with four occupants on board crashed into the front yard of a home in a residential neighborhood in Arvada, Colorado. The aircraft burst into flames upon impact releasing plumes of toxic smoke into the air. One of the passengers died while the other three occupants sustained injuries. For additional details click here.
On 6/4/2024, a Cessna 182 registered to Alpine Flight Training sustained substantial damage when the aircraft made an off-airport emergency landing during an instructional flight. The accident is currently under investigation by NTSB. To download additional information click here.
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