Port of Portland Announces Series of Roundtables on Transition to Unleaded Aviation Fuel

AvGas Roundtable Session Information and Registration (2/28/2024)

The Port of Portland is committed to responsible environmental leadership and creating benefits for the environment and our community. Our work around Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Shared Prosperity has highlighted the importance of environmental justice and helps us prioritize initiatives to address local public health inequities and mitigate the effects of climate change.

The Port has long been engaged in and advocating for the transition away from the use of leaded fuels (AvGas) in general aviation and we recognize that we have a role to play when it comes to statewide strategy. Unleaded aviation fuels are newer products and there are barriers to overcome regarding production, distribution, cost and aircraft certification before the fuel can be widely adopted. Nonetheless, the Port is committed to working through these issues in partnership with the community and other stakeholders.

All interested community members are invited to engage in a roundtable series that will run throughout 2024. We are especially interested in hearing from community members that live, work, play and/or pray near the Hillsboro airport, aviation professionals, public health professionals, environmental and air quality advocates and/or people with lived experience navigating the health impacts of leaded aviation fuel.

The primary goals for this roundtable series are to:

• Facilitate open and informed discussions about the challenges, opportunities, and implications associated with the use of leaded fuel in general aviation aircraft and its impact on our communities and vulnerable populations including BIPOC, youth, elders, people living with disabilities and low-income communities.
• Serve as a platform to educate participants on the complexities of leaded-fuel usage in general aviation aircraft, as well as the available alternatives and their feasibility.
• Strive to identify feasible strategies, policies, and collaborations that can contribute to the phase-out of leaded aviation fuel and promote cleaner alternatives in aviation statewide.

These discussions will go beyond the challenges and threats of continued use of leaded aviation fuel and focus on partnering to drive actionable change across the state.

The Port of Portland recognizes that attending public meetings may come with challenges or barriers to participation including transportation, childcare needs and/or accessibility. If you would like to request language or disability accommodations to allow for your participation, please let us know. Translated materials and interpretation is available upon request. Stipends to support costs associated with childcare and/or transportation may also be available. Please note that the Brookwood Library Community Room is wheelchair accessible.

The first roundtable "Unleaded AvGas Discovery Session" will be held on February 28th from 4:00pm – 6:00pm at the Brookwood Library Community Room located at 2850 NE Brookwood Pkwy, Hillsboro, OR 97124. If you would like to attend, provide feedback, stay informed, or if you cannot attend, register via the following link by February 21st, 2024 - https://forms.office.com/g/xYHXcCM2cb. Please register early as the room has an 84-seat maximum capacity. If you have any additional questions or concerns please email us at unleadedavgas@portofportland.com.

Lisa Taylor she/her/hers
Senior Administrative Coordinator
Environmental
portofportland.com