Groups Comment On EPA Lead Endangerment Finding

A coalition of seven major aviation groups has submitted its comments on the EPA's endangerment finding on leaded aviation fuel and it's asking the agency not to jump the gun on banning tetrethyl lead. "The coalition urges the EPA, in coordination with the FAA, to ensure that any final finding and follow-on regulatory actions align with the development and deployment of a viable unleaded avgas alternative," the coalition said in a news release on Wednesday. EPA formally proposed the endangerment finding in early October, a couple of weeks after the FAA approved an STC for GAMI's G100UL.

In its comments, the coalition highlighted GAMI's STC and said there were at least three other promising high-octane lead-free fuels in development. It also said it supports separate comments submitted by the Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions (EAGLE) initiative that is working toward the universal availability of approved unleaded avgas by the end of 2030 "without compromising the safe and efficient operation of the general aviation fleet." The coalition is comprised of Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), Helicopter Association International (HAI), National Air Transportation Association (NATA), National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) and American Petroleum Institute (API).