The battle over leaded avgas in California took a turn against a coalition of associations representing users, distributors and producers of avgas on October 19 when a U.S. District Court judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by the coalition in an attempt to halt legal action against the use of avgas in the state.
The General Aviation Avgas Coalition filed the lawsuit, which sought an injunction against the Center for Environmental Health (CEH). The CEH filed notices of violation (NOVs) on May 9, warning avgas producers and distributors (including FBOs) that they are violating Proposition 65, the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986. Under Proposition 65, according to the CEH, those companies are required to provide warnings to people living near airports about the risks posed by chemicals used to make avgas. In California, signs containing such warnings are posted in such profusion that they have become widely ignored, part of the background scenery. In fact, a CEH spokeswoman told AIN that she is not aware of any research that has proved whether Proposition 65 has saved any lives or prevented any diseases.
