Senate Joint Resolution No. 30

Introduced by Senator Lieu

July 3, 2014

Senate Joint Resolution No. 30—Relative to air quality.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SJR 30, as introduced, Lieu. Air quality: leaded aviation fuel.

This measure would support the Federal Aviation Administration’s initiative to certify safe unleaded aviation fuel for piston engine aircraft and would encourage the Federal Aviation Administration and the United States Environmental Protection Agency to prioritize the development and certification of unleaded aviation fuel in advance of 2018.

Fiscal committee: no.

WHEREAS, Aviation gasoline, or avgas as it is commonly
known, is utilized in general aviation aircraft that are powered by
internalcombustion reciprocating piston engines; and

WHEREAS, Avgas is a leaded fuel and its combustion results
in toxic air emissions of lead; and

WHEREAS, According to the United States Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), the operation of general aviation aircraft
is the greatest source of lead emissions in California; and

WHEREAS, Lead that is emitted into the air can be inhaled or,
after it settles out of the air, ingested. Ingestion of lead that has
settled onto surfaces is the main way children are exposed to lead
originally released in the air; and

WHEREAS, Once in the body, lead is rapidly absorbed into the
bloodstream and results in a broad range of health effects. Public
health officials have concluded that there is no safe level of
exposure to lead; and

WHEREAS, Children are especially susceptible to the toxic
effects of lead. Exposure to lead can result in irreversible brain
damage and reduce a person’s cognitive function; and

WHEREAS, Exposure to low levels of lead early in life have
been linked to effects on a person’s intelligence quotient (IQ),
learning, memory, and behavior; and

WHEREAS, Lead has been successfully removed from many
consumer goods, including household paint and toys. Lead was
successfully phased out of automobile gas in California in 1992;
and

WHEREAS, The EPA adopted a similar program that phased
lead out of automobile gasoline nationwide in 1996. However,
despite successes of lead removal programs, avgas remains a public
health threat due to its high lead content and toxic air emissions;
and

WHEREAS, Lead content of avgas is regulated at the federal
level. All fuels for air transportation must be certified as safe by
the Federal Aviation Administration; and

WHEREAS, The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
together with the EPA has developed a goal to identify a viable
unleaded avgas by 2018, which will ultimately eliminate lead
emissions from piston engine aircraft; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate and the Assembly of the State of
California, jointly, That the Legislature supports the FAA’s
initiative to certify safe unleaded aviation fuel for piston engine
aircraft and encourages the FAA and the EPA to prioritize the
development and certification of unleaded aviation fuel in advance
of 2018; and be it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of
this resolution to the Administrator of the Federal Aviation
Administration and to the Secretary of the United States
Environmental Protection Agency and to the author for appropriate
distribution.