Avgas Battle Resurfaces with New Lawsuit

Bethany Whitfield

Thursday, March 15, 2012 at 10:21 PM ET

Verified

** Despite the recent lawsuit, industry leaders
say avgas will remain available.**

Key Takeaways:

Friends of the Earth has sued the EPA, alleging the agency failed to properly respond to a 2006 petition to designate leaded aviation fuel (avgas) as a public health danger and regulate it under the Clean Air Act.
The environmental group seeks quicker action from the EPA to establish regulations protecting millions from the toxic effects of lead.
The General Aviation Avgas Coalition reassures that the near-term availability of leaded avgas is not threatened, citing EPA actions since 2006, including emission monitoring, support for unleaded fuel development, and a 93% reduction in lead emissions over the past 30 years.

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A lawsuit filed last week by the environmental protection group Friends of the Earth is drawing renewed attention to the debate over leaded avgas, prompting a number of aviation industry leaders to speak out in defense of the industry’s progress on the issue.

The suit, filed against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), alleges the EPA has not properly responded to a 2006 petition from Friends of the Earth calling for the designation of leaded avgas as a potential danger to public health and the subsequent regulation of the substance under the Clean Air Act.