The Boulder County Commissioners agreed to join other local governments in supporting the Environmental Protection Agency’s, or EPA’s, proposed finding that leaded aviation gas endangers public health and welfare.
In Oct. 2022, the EPA published an endangerment finding to review information on air pollutants and sources of air pollution related to leaded fuel used by aircraft.
The EPA stated in its October announcement that leaded gas is primarily used by piston-engine aircraft that carry 2-10 passengers, not jet aircraft used for commercial transport.
Piston-engine aircraft commonly use small airports such as the Boulder Municipal Airport, Vance Brand Municipal Airport and Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport.
According to the EPA, these types of aircraft are the “largest single source of lead emissions to the air in the U.S.,” a news release from the county states.
“Lead air pollution endangers public health and welfare,” said Commissioner Ashley Stolzmann. “We regularly hear from residents about air pollution from aviation and its dangerous impact on our community and specifically children’s health. Leaded aviation gas is a major source of air pollution in Boulder County and in communities across the United States. We applaud this move by the EPA and ask that they move quickly to regulate and ultimately phase out the use of leaded gas in aviation.”
Boulder County is one of several local governments from across the county to show its support for the EPAs proposed finding.
“This proposed endangerment finding will undergo public notice and comment, and after evaluating comments on the proposal, EPA plans to issue any final endangerment finding in 2023,” the statement read.
The proposed finding is the first step in allowing the EPA to gain authority to address lead pollution. If the finding is finalized, the EPA can propose regulatory standards for lead emissions from aircraft engines. The process is similar to when the EPA phased out leaded gasoline for cars and other on-road vehicles.
Studies have shown that any exposure to lead in children can lead to irreversible and life-long health effects.
“Even low levels of lead in blood have been shown to affect IQ, ability to pay attention, and academic achievement,” the EPA states in its announcement.
Adults who have been exposed to lead can see cardiovascular effects, increased blood pressure, incidences of hypertension, decrease kidney function and reproductive issues.
