Resolution 991 – Support EPA Endangerment Finding on Leaded Aviation Gasoline

WHEREAS In the United States, general aviation piston-driven aircraft are now the largest source of lead emitted to the atmosphere 1, and

WHEREAS researchers found that elevated lead concentrations impair children’s IQ and, even at low levels of lead exposure, the costs associated with direct medical care and potential productivity losses for lead-burdened U.S. children when they become adults amounts to $43 billion annually, which does not include special education costs or the costs of incarceration 2, and

WHEREAS the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency has found that leaded aviation fuels for propeller airplanes comprise 80% of the lead pollution for Pierce, Kitsap, Snohomish, and King counties3, and

WHEREAS the Environmental Protection Agency acknowledges that “lead exposure remains a significant public health concern for some children”, and that “Childhood lead exposure is especially prevalent in many environmental justice (EJ) communities that represent the lowest income, most diverse populations with significant cumulative environmental risk from pollution” 4, and 

WHEREAS a coalition of environmental advocacy organizations have joined forces with California’s Santa Clara County to press the EPA to make an Endangerment Finding, which would classify leaded aviation gasoline air pollution as a danger to public health and the environment, which allow the federal government to propose regulatory standards to address the harm caused by a highly toxic additive in aviation fuel 5,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Washington State Democratic Party calls upon the Environmental Protection Agency to make an Endangerment Finding, which includes a determination that leaded avgas emissions from piston-engine aircraft contribute to air pollution, and that lead air pollution can be reasonably anticipated to endanger the public’s health or welfare, and

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Washington State Democratic Party calls upon the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to regulate and enforce a phase out of leaded aviation fuel and to facilitate the licensing and distribution of lead free fuel such as GAMI GL100UL6, and

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Washington State Democratic Party encourages the legislature to make every effort, including identifying or creating funding, to ensure the dignity and continued prosperity of those workers who may be economically impacted by this change, and

THEREFORE BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that copies of this resolution be sent to the Governor of the State of Washington, Washington State Democratic Congressional members, and all Washington State House and Senate Democrats. And be submitted to the Washington State Democratic Central Committee for consideration at its January 2022 meeting.


References:

1.https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.est.6b02910?fbclid=IwAR2DqnHMOt5O9zO2rvW7l1W05nxVJXyd8_h88CMBFRyyP9UhJws57RjZsxA&

2. https://www.who.int/ceh/publications/leadguidance.pdf

3. Lead Exposure Research Project, PUGET SOUND CLEAN AIR AGENCY, M.Corbin, et al, 6/24/2016

4. https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2018-10/documents/leadpreventionbooklet2018-v11_web.pdf (pg. 3)

5. https://grist.org/regulation/avgas-lead-epa-aviation-san-jose-reid-hillview/

6. Press Release Avfuel July27, 2021. https://www.avfuel.com/Details-Page/ArticleID/597/IsPreview/true/First-Ever-High-Octane-Unleaded-Avgas-Approved-by-FAA

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