A new law that proposes to cut airplane noise and lead pollution at Colorado’s smallest airports cleared its first big legislative hurdle last week and is headed for a hearing in the State Senate on Tuesday.
The bill – HB24-1235 – is scheduled to be heard at 2 p.m. April 23, before the State Senate Finance Committee. The hearing will be held in room SCR 357.
The legislation would help aircraft owners phase out lead fuel and ensure Coloradans living near smaller, commuter airports are represented on the Colorado Aeronautical Board, said Rep. Shannon Bird, sponsor of HB24-1235.
“As our state’s population grows, smaller airports are seeing more traffic than ever before, which means increased noise and air pollution in our communities,” said Bird via a news release. “There are no safe levels of lead exposure for our children, and this bill works to clean up our air while prioritizing the health of our neighbors.”
The bill passed the State House last week by a 43-18 margin. Residents who live near the airports – including Centennial Airport in Arapahoe County and Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport in Broomfield – are lobbying heavily for the bill’s passage.
They say lead fuel used by piston-powered aircraft taking off and landing at the airports is being dropped over their homes while incessant noise from flight operations is causing health problems.
Supporters of the airports say they are working with residents to answer concerns over noise and that it takes time to convert to unleaded fuel in aircraft.
Quiet Skies over Arapahoe County, a group of airport critics, is asking for a big turnout to speak out in favor of HB24-1235.
“This is our best chance to be heard and a strong showing from our side will be important, as we’re sure the opposition will be well represented,” stated as Quiet Skies over Arapahoe County email.
Quiet Skies is also asking supporters to sign a petition to force local officials to take legal action to curtail touch-and-go operations at Centennial Airport. Superior and Boulder County have sued Jefferson County to prompt Rocky Mountain Regional Airport to scale back its operations, as well.
Specifically, according to the news release, HB24-1235 would:
- Incentivize aircraft owners to transition their planes from using fuel containing lead to unleaded fuel by providing a refundable income tax credit for qualified expenses.
- Ensure that at least 10% or all State Aviation System grant funding or $1.5 million annually goes toward the transition to unleaded aviation gasoline. It would also require grant recipients to adopt a plan to phase out the sales of leaded gasoline by 2030 and to enforce a noise abatement plan.
- Add two residents of communities affected by aviation as members to the Colorado Aeronautical Board.
- Requires the Division of Aeronautics to work with the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment to evaluate, educate, and provide technical assistance to airports regarding the impacts of aircraft noise and leaded aviation fuel.