Long Island airports likely to shift from leaded fuel used in small planes amid EPA health concerns

By Robert Brodskyrobert.brodsky@newsday.com@BrodskyRobert Updated October 21, 

The Environmental Protection Agency this week announced a significant step toward prohibiting the use of leaded gasoline in piston-engine aircraft, including many that fly in and out of Long Island, concluding that the fuel contributes to air pollution and endangers public health under the federal Clean Air Act.

The determination, announced in the Federal Register on Wednesday, begins a multiyear process of regulating — and likely transitioning away from 100 octane Low Lead fuel — used in small planes that carry two to 10 passengers, the EPA said. Jet aircraft used in commercial transportation do not use leaded fuel, officials said.

“The science is clear: exposure to lead can cause irreversible and lifelong health effects in children,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in a statement. “Aircraft that use leaded fuel are the dominant source of lead emissions in our air.”