Rep. Waxman Urges FAA Action on Leaded Avgas

Stephen Pope

Thursday, October 25, 2012 at 08:11 PM ET

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Key Takeaways:

California Rep. Henry A. Waxman urged the FAA to expand the use of unleaded aviation fuel to reduce significant lead emissions from general aviation, particularly near residential areas.
General aviation fuel accounts for half of the lead emissions in the U.S., prompting calls for immediate action to promote already available unleaded alternatives.
The FAA, with EPA input, has committed to developing a replacement for leaded fuel by 2018, but a full phase-in could take another decade or more, leading to pressure from Waxman and environmental groups for quicker solutions.

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California Democrat Rep. Henry A. Waxman sent a letter this week to Michael Huerta, Acting FAA Administrator, urging him to “expand the use of unleaded fuels to reduce toxic lead emissions from general aviation aircraft,” particularly around airports located near residential areas.

With input from the EPA, the FAA has committed to developing a replacement for leaded fuel by 2018, although it could take another decade or longer to fully phase in a new fuel.