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Protect Wisconsin communities from dangerous leaded aviation fuel!

Tell Senator Baldwin that Congress should not interfere with efforts to address lead pollution from aircraft! 

FAA Authorization bills in Congress have provisions that would make efforts to address lead pollution more difficult. These provisions unnecessarily hinder efforts to transition away from leaded airplane fuels and protect public health.

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Leaded aviation gas is the largest source of lead air emissions in Wisconsin with 80% of annual lead air emissions coming from aircraft. Most of this pollution comes from small recreational aircraft that still use leaded fuel, and people living near airports that serve small planes are at highest risk for exposure to lead air pollution. Middleton’s Morey Field, for instance, produces more lead emissions than the much larger General Mitchell airport in Milwaukee. This is because commercial jets don’t use leaded fuel, but most small planes still do. The Town of Middleton has found elevated levels of lead in the air near Morey Field, as well as evidence that lead from the airplane fuel is getting into drinking water supplies.

There is no safe level of lead exposure, which is particularly dangerous for children, causing lifelong health effects. Childhood lead exposure impairs development of the nervous system leading to behavioral problems, learning disabilities, and reduced academic achievement.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is on the verge of finalizing an endangerment finding concluding that emissions from aircraft using leaded fuel are a threat to public health. Once finalized, the EPA can adopt standards to address this largest remaining source of lead air pollution.

However, the Senate Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill (S. 1939) has provisions that would make the transition to unleaded aviation fuels more difficult. Section 620 prevents federally funded airports from having the option of banning leaded fuel and requires that they continue to sell all fuel types they have previously sold, including leaded fuel. These provisions unnecessarily hinder efforts to make the transition to safer fuels that all Wisconsinites deserve.

Unleaded fuels are already available and approved for use by the Federal Aviation Administration.

TAKE ACTION

Use the form below to ask Senator Baldwin, a member of the Senate Transportation Committee, to repeal these provisions and ensure a rapid transition to safer unleaded aviation fuels. You can choose to include a personal message (optional) in the “message body” field.