Lead Found in Homes Near Colorado Training Airport
The Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (RMMA) is located in Broomfield, Colorado, midway between Denver and Boulder. It is owned and operated by Jefferson County. The majority of operations at this facility are repetitive flight training touch-and-go practice maneuvers.
Below are the opening paragraphs of a Daily Camera article about findings that homes in the vicinity of the airport tested positive for lead. The story was published on 3/14/2023 and updated on 3/15/2023.
Concerned Over Lead Found in Homes, Superior Trustees Point to Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport
by Andrea Grajeda, Prairie Mountain Media
Editor's note: This story has been changed to reflect that of the 18 samples taken from homes in the Rock Creek neighborhood, all tested positive for lead.
The Superior Board of Trustees on Monday night expressed concern over positive lead results from homes in the Rock Creek neighborhood, and the effects lead can have on the town's children.
Trustees fear that the source of the lead is emissions from planes taking off from Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport.
The board, which discussed RMMA leaded fuel emissions, will write a letter to the RMMA director and Jefferson County commissioners asking for the airport to offer unleaded aviation fuel. The board also will consider an education campaign about lead levels in town.
Town Manager Matt Magley said that the town has received many concerns from community members about the use of leaded fuels for aviation at the RMMA and the impact that the lead has on the Rock Creek neighborhood. RMMA, which is owned by and located in Jefferson County, is southeast of Superior. Superior resident Robert Boulette, who has a doctorate in material chemistry from UCLA, spoke to the board about how leaded fuel emissions affect the community.
Boulette said that toxicity has three main factors: how often a person comes into contact with the material; how much material is required to affect a person; and how quickly the toxin affects the body and how quickly the body can detoxify.
He said that RMMA flight patterns cover a third of the Rock Creek neighborhood. Rock Creek represents 70% of Superior. Boulette said that on average, there are 718 flight operations a day. He said that aircraft release 80% of their emissions during take-off and that Rock Creek is in the critical zone needed by RMMA to take-off. He said that the most commonly used aviation fuel has 2.12 grams of lead per gallon.
To access the full article click here.
Like RMMA, Oregon's Hillsboro Airport (HIO) is a flight training facility. One of the biggest tenants at the airport, Hillsboro Aero Academy, profits from encouraging student pilots from across the globe to fly frequently and repetitively over homes, neighborhoods, schools, day care centers, parks, recreational areas, waterways and prime farmlands. ATP and Hagele Aviation also contribute to the noise and pollution burden borne by local residents. The Port of Portland requires all fixed base operators at HIO—Hillsboro Aviation, Aero Air and Global Aviation—to sell aviation gasoline. The Port profits from this arrangement by affixing a flowage fee to every gallon of fuel sold.
Introducing Save Our Skies Alliance (SOS)
Save Our Skies Alliance (SOS) is an excellent source of information on the adverse impacts of Colorado's airports on local residents. Click here for an extensive compilation of articles on the negative effects of leaded aviation fuel.
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