|
|||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|||
|
NATA Concerned With Environmental Group's Actions On Avgas By Mike Mitchell |
||||
 |
May 15, 2011 - This week, the Center for Environmental
Health (CEH), an environmental group located in San
Francisco, CA, has charged numerous aviation businesses
in California, including aviation fuel suppliers and
fixed base operators, with violating California state
law for selling aviation gasoline, which contains lead.
The notices indicate CEH?s intention to file a lawsuit
under state law, and also include a proposed settlement
to stop the lawsuit that includes halting the sale of
aviation gasoline and payment, to CEH, of 25% of any
?civil penalty,? of up to $ 2.7 million, assessed.
The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) is very concerned about this attempt to use California state law to shut down the entire piston-engine general aviation industry in California through a suit that involves a private organization seeking monetary damages. |
|||
|
General aviation is a national resource that provides economic
growth and jobs in thousands of California communities. This
growth and these jobs are now endangered by one organization?s
threat of a lawsuit and demands for monetary damages and an end
to the sale of leaded aviation gasoline.
Any environmental concerns arising from the sale and use of
aviation gasoline belong under the purview of the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA). Currently, both of these agencies, along
with numerous industry stakeholders, are engaged in a
collaborative process to address the issues arising from the use
of leaded aviation gasoline.
?NATA takes environmental concerns very seriously,? said NATA
President James K. Coyne, ?but a single organization suing for
monetary damages cannot be allowed to threaten an entire
industry. NATA will continue its cooperative work with the EPA
and FAA on addressing the long-term future of aviation gasoline
in the United States and will support the general aviation
industry in California against this attack.? CEH contends that residents near the airports are exposed to lead through air pollution from planes using leaded avgas, and in the case of seven of the airports, through nearby drinking water sources that are polluted by lead from avgas. |
||||
