For Westminster resident Charlene Willey, the sight of an unleaded fuel tanker truck parked near one of the runways at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport was a gratifying sight that鈥檚 been years in the making.
"It's a great step in the right direction," Willey said. 鈥淲e sure would have liked this transition to be even more accelerated, because it鈥檚 doing harm every day that these planes fly鈥� with leaded fuel.
The airport announced Wednesday it鈥檚 speeding up its transition to unleaded aviation fuel following years of complaints from Willey and other northern Colorado residents who say the ongoing use of leaded fuel is a health threat.
Airport Director Paul Anslow said the airport has taken the first step toward offering unleaded fuel by purchasing a $50,000 tanker truck to store it. He said the unleaded fuel is scheduled to be available sometime next year. The goal is to only be using unleaded fuel in two or three years.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to know for a fact that we鈥檙e using a fuel that鈥檚 not damaging the environment that leaded fuel did, not damaging the possible growth of young children,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 think in the end it鈥檚 the right thing to do. It鈥檚 going to be good for everybody.鈥�
Willey said she hopes the airport鈥檚 announcement motivates other airports to take steps to stop using leaded fuel.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a statewide issue. What we鈥檙e really hoping for is that actions like this will unite leadership, political and elected officials across this state and make Colorado a model for change on this and other issues related to regional airports,鈥� Willey said.
Residents in Superior have recently tested their homes for lead and reported positive results.
In 2021, scientists in California
Most smaller, non-commercial planes are still running on leaded fuel.
The health concerns from leaded aviation fuel prompted the town of Superior to ask the airport to stop using it.
Elected officials in Broomfield and Westminster have also recently heard presentations about the potential health impacts of leaded aviation fuel on residents living near runways.
Lafayette resident Bri Lehman, who leads raising concerns about airport operations, said the presentations appear to be having an impact.
鈥淭he political pressure from an increasing group of constituents not only in our communities but across the country probably has created a situation where it鈥檚 untenable to continue to deny the effects of (leaded aviation fuel) any further,鈥� she said. I hope our efforts on education have led to a greater understanding of these harms and acceptance moving forward.鈥�
The FAA has a goal of ending the use of leaded aviation fuel nationwide by 2030.
