Most people nationwide are completely unaware of this danger in our environment, yet the harm from leaded aviation fuel (avgas) persists. Lead particles may be invisible to the naked eye–but their harmful effects are clear and evident.

Based on fuel sales from 2024 alone, Front Range communities were exposed to over 10,000 pounds of microparticle-sized lead exhaust, which can pass through the blood-brain barrier and become permanently embedded in the bodies of those unfortunate enough to be located within a two-mile radius of a general aviation (GA) airport. There are five airports in the Denver Metro area alone that have hundreds of thousands of annual operations collectively and impact possibly tens of thousands of people, if not more.

Children are most at risk since they absorb much more lead than adults. Children’s bodies substitute lead for critical components like calcium and iron as they grow. Test results around these GA airports in Colorado show impacts on the children in these communities similar to young people poisoned by the water crisis in Flint, Michigan. These irreversible impacts have lifelong consequences, adversely affecting kids' development, learning, behavior and even lifetime earnings. Even small amounts of exposure can cause permanent cognitive and behavioral issues, including lower IQ, learning disabilities, attention disorders, and impulsivity and aggression.

The conversation consists of presentations from a panel of experts:

Introduction by Ashley Stolzmann, Boulder County Commissioner;
Dr. Bruce Lanphear, a Professor of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia who specializes in early childhood health, environmental neurotoxins, lead poisoning, among other interests;
Colorado District 12 Representative Kyle Brown, primary sponsor of HB24-1235 and representative for many lead-affected communities in the Denver Metro area;
Dave Ulane, Director of the Colorado Division of Aeronautics and
Zach Gabehart, Noise and Environmental Specialist at Centennial, the first and only airport in Colorado to carry 94UL, an unleaded avgas who will be speaking about the state’s required transition away from unleaded fuel.

Why This Issue Matters for Coloradans--and beyond.

The State of Colorado (along with California) is leading the charge to discontinue the use of aviation fuel that contains lead - a well known neurotoxin. Aviation accounts for 73% of all airborne lead emissions in this country--a fact the aviation industry would rather you not know. Deflections, denials, and distractions have kept this issue out of the public consciousness, until concerned citizens and lawmakers in Colorado took a stand and fought back.

In 2024, the State of Colorado passed HB24-1235, the first and only bill of its kind in the country. It declared that lead from aviation fuel is a danger to public health. No other state has formally recognized this fact, indicating just how powerful of a lobby the aviation and oil industries are. This bill also prompted Colorado to phase out the use of leaded fuel by 2030. This is progress, but meaningful change is not guaranteed unless it also occurs at a federal level, and in the meantime, lead exposure is still a considerable harm, especially for children living around these airports.

Aviation supporters, lobbyists, and many others argued that all things aviation belong to the federal government (federal preemption). The state’s attorney general, however, testified on behalf of the bill in the legislature, declaring it legal within the regulations of federal preemption, and asserted his willingness to defend it in court. The bill was signed into law in May 2024, and there have been no legal challenges to date despite continued pushback from aviation interests.

It is becoming clear to many in our communities that making this change at a national level can only succeed if led by community interests. What we’ve achieved in Colorado with this bill and our efforts to bring more awareness around leaded aviation fuel is an example of local efforts coming out ahead against big, well-entrenched and well-resourced interests (like the aviation industry), to the benefit of our communities.

Lead exposure from GA airports is poorly understood by the general public, but nevertheless is a nationwide problem that deserves the spotlight. We are taking the first steps towards more widespread distribution of this vitally important story to illuminate this issue, so that others across the country can be made aware of their exposure to lead fumes from airport operations and push for accountability and solutions in their own communities as well as nationwide.

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