Santa Clara County House Reps React to EPA Endangerment Finding Confirming Leaded Avgas is a Dangerous Pollutant

WASHINGTON, DC – Following a newly-released and finalized endangerment finding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Santa Clara County’s U.S. Representatives in Congress – Ro Khanna (CA-17),  Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Anna G. Eshoo (CA-16), and Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) – issued the below statement that renews their call for a nationwide ban on leaded aviation fuel (avgas):

“The EPA has confirmed what families living in East San Jose sadly know all too well – leaded avgas is a dangerous pollutant. It is poisoning disadvantaged communities of color, specifically children, around the country.

“Santa Clara County is leading the way on this environmental justice issue, with a ban on the sale of leaded avgas at County-operated airports, including Reid-Hillview Airport. Now, Congress must act so other communities adjacent to general aviation airports around the country are free of airborne lead pollution too. 

“We have long-been calling for a national leaded avgas ban and, with this new finding, we renew that call today. Specifically, in Congress, the FAA reauthorization process is ongoing, and we urge our colleagues to join us in working toward an unleaded future. Every major industry other than aviation has fully-realized lead protections, and we must not let a reauthorization bill pass both Houses of Congress that provides a green light for the continued poisoning of children in America.”

Background: Leaded Avgas in Santa Clara County

In 2021, community concerns were spiking near a local airport – Reid-Hillview (RHV) Airport in East San Jose – so the County of Santa Clara, California sponsored a peer-reviewed scientific study on lead exposure. The conclusions were alarming and clear: the airplanes using leaded aviation fuel at the airport were causing significantly elevated blood lead levels in children. The kids living downwind from the airport had lead levels comparable with those detected during the peak of the Flint Water Crisis in Michigan.

Santa Clara County rightfully banned the sale of leaded avgas at County-owned airports. Unfortunately, there were obstacles standing in the way of that necessary ban. Rep. Zoe Lofgren spoke directly with President Joe Biden about the issue and received his support in the fall of 2022. Thereafter, the County has been able to enact their ban to protect East San Jose families from lead poisoning.

Actions by the Representatives 

 Listed in chronological order

• In February 2022, Reps. Khanna, Lofgren, Eshoo, and Panetta sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg calling on the DOT to make the nationwide elimination of leaded aviation gasoline (avgas) a priority to protect vulnerable communities.
  • They wrote, "For the communities suffering daily from lead exposure due to avgas emissions, federal leadership to address this environmental justice crisis is long overdue" and that they "are concerned that the FAA’s actions are hindering local governments’ attempts to discontinue sale of the very fuel that is poisoning disadvantaged communities of color with lead, rather than assisting with efforts to protect these communities from harm."

• In July 2022, Rep. Lofgren spoke at Environment Subcommittee hearing on leaded avgas.
  • She said, "This is an important hearing. The idea that we would continue to poison the children in East San Jose for another five or six years is completely unacceptable."

• In September 2022, Reps. Khanna and Lofgren invited Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to meet and join them at RHV Airport. 
  • They wrote, "You are aware we have serious concerns about the harms of leaded avgas in low-income communities of color surrounding this airport."

• In September 2022, Rep. Lofgren privately spoke with President Joe Biden directly about the FAA’s backward attempt to stop the local governments’ effort to protect low-income communities of color from lead poisoning.
• In October 2022, Reps. Lofgren, Eshoo, Khanna, and Panetta, reacted to the EPA's endangerment finding and invited officials to come to San Jose. 
  • They emphasized that, "the EPA confirmed that leaded avgas is a dangerous pollutant, something our community near Reid-Hillview Airport sadly knows all too well."
• In February 2023, Reps. Khanna, Lofgren, Eshoo, and Panetta, reacted to the MOU between the FAA and Santa Clara County. 
  • They said, "This week’s MOU is welcome news for the families in East San Jose, and it is a small victory for other airport-adjacent communities in America."

• In July 2023, Rep. Lofgren worked with the Ranking Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to secure improvements to the language in the Manager’s Amendment of the House’s FAA reauthorization bill, which should protect Santa Clara County residents from exposure to leaded fuel used by small aircraft.
  • Lofgren also offered an amendment to further improve the related section of the bill, but it was not accepted to be considered for a vote.

• In September 2023, Rep. Lofgren, along with Santa Clara County Supervisors Susan Ellenberg and Cindy Chavez, penned an op-ed in San Jose Spotlight about how the “FAA bill gives lawmakers a chance to prevent poisoning children.”
  • The concluded that, “we must not let the FAA reauthorization provide a green light for the continued poisoning of disadvantaged children across the nation. Instead, let’s work together toward an unleaded future.”

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