Colorado Legislators Introduce Bill to Reduce Aviation Lead Pollution and Noise
"We might be one of the first states to actually take this on as a statewide issue and say we
acknowledge that lead from aviation fuel is harmful...Nobody's trying to shut down the airports and
nobody's trying to take away anybody's freedom to fly. I just think we're asking for some very basic
and reasonable accommodations, and that their freedom to fly doesn't create lifelong learning
disabilities for kids who are under that flight path."
–Bri Lehman, Save Our Skies Alliance
On 2/12/2024 Colorado State Legislators introduced HB24-1235, Reduce Aviation Impacts on Communities.
The excerpts below are from a 2/13/2024 article by Scott Franz from from KUNC's Colorado Center for Investigative Reporting, Coloradans Are on Edge about Airport Noise and Pollution. Lawmakers want to Help.
State lawmakers have introduced a bill aiming to protect residents from noise and potential lead exposure at Colorado's growing general aviation airports.
Rapid growth at several airports, including Rocky Mountain Metropolitan in northern Colorado, has sparked lawsuits, thousands of noise complaints and health concerns about airborne lead pollution in neighboring communities.
"The science is clear: Exposure to lead can cause irreversible and lifelong health effects in children," EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in a statement in October. "Aircraft that use leaded fuel are the dominant source of lead emissions in our air."
Colorado lawmakers are hoping their bill will expedite a transition to unleaded fuel around the state by offering tax credits and financial incentives to pilots and airports making the switch.
The bill would start charging an impact fee of up to 50 cents per gallon on leaded fuel sales beginning in September. Airports could then use that money to pay for fuel tanks and other infrastructure needed to offer an unleaded alternative.
Some airports, including Rocky Mountain Metropolitan, have already announced plans to transition away from leaded fuel before the federal goal to do so by 2030.
Colorado's bill would also require the state health department to install noise monitors at some airports and periodically do blood tests for lead for residents and children living near the runways.
Finally, the bill would aim to eventually stop the state from directing grant funds toward busy regional airports that have not put in place voluntary noise reduction measures and plans to switch to unleaded fuel.
To read the full article click here.
Another key provision of the bill gives impacted communities a place at the table:
"...increases the Colorado aeronautical board (board) from 7 to 9 voting members by requiring the appointment of 2 members who are residents of communities that are affected by general aviation airport traffic or traffic at a commercial airport at which there is significant general aviation activity and makes the executive director of the department of public health and environment (CDPHE), or the executive director's designee, an ex officio nonvoting member of the board."
See Colorado General Assembly bill summary for details.
| © Oregon Aviation Watch | Contact Us |  Jump to Top |