ADVOCATING FOR YOU By Cade Clark and Katia Veraza State Legislative Mid-Year Highlights I
T’S BEEN A VERY BUSY YEAR SO FAR for the VAI Government Affairs team. Our comprehen- sive monitoring and advocacy efforts across all
50 states have enabled us to track and engage with significant legislative developments at both the state and federal levels. Below are some recent examples of state issues; for a review of the recent FAA reauthori- zation bill, please see “2024 FAA Reauthorization Impact Summary” on p. 10.
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California In February, California State Sen. Caroline Menjivar (D) introduced Senate Bill (S.B.) 1193, which aimed to restrict the use, sale, or distribution of leaded aviation gas (avgas) by airport operators and aviation retail establishments. The goal for the legislation was to mitigate the pub- lic health and environmental risks linked to the use of leaded avgas at California airports. The bill’s proposed timeline would end the use or availability of leaded avgas in 60% of California’s airports by January 2026. This deviated from the FAA’s established goal of eliminating the use of leaded aviation fuels in piston-engine
aircraft by 2030. VAI held extensive discussions with the California Department of Transportation and Senate Transporta- tion Committee members, and Chuck Street, VAI Western US regional representative, provided testi- mony during the bill’s initial hearing alongside Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) representatives. The California Senate Transportation Committee amended the bill to exempt those airport operators and
8 ROTOR JUNE 2024
aviation retail establishments that have been deter- mined by their county board of supervisors to have no access to commercially available unleaded aviation replacement fuel. Airport operators and aviation retail establishments would be permitted to submit written requests to their county board of supervisors for such determinations. The bill was also amended to exempt airports operating under federal grant assurances until those grant assurances expire. Following approval and amendments in the Transportation Committee, the bill proceeded to the Appropriations Committee, where it remained as this issue went to press. While VAI supports the transition to unleaded fuels, the piston-engine rotorcraft community currently lacks a leaded-fuel alternative that has been approved by the FAA. Adhering to the FAA’s 2030 timeline allows for cer- tification of a safe alternative, as well as the establish- ment of adequate infrastructure and supply chains to facilitate a smooth and efficient transition. VAI is a proud member of the Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions (EAGLE) initiative, the government–industry partnership to end the use of leaded aviation fuel by 2030, and remains committed to a safe and responsible approach to this important goal.
Colorado In February, Colorado State Rep. Kyle Brown (D) intro- duced House Bill (H.B.) 1235. Initially, the bill set condi- tions for state aviation grants in densely populated residential areas, mandating a plan to phase out leaded gasoline, enact sound-mitigation measures, and comply with aviation easements or contracts by January 2026. After extensive industry feedback and testimony, the
bill underwent several amendments. Notably, it now seeks to convey explicit authority in the existing state aviation grant program to fund infrastructure enabling the sale of unleaded aviation gasoline and to subsidize purchases of such fuel at airports with significant gen- eral aviation activity. The bill designates a portion of grants annually to accelerate the transition from leaded to unleaded avgas, prioritizing airports with substantial general aviation traffic in urban and suburban areas.
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