Long Beach is soaring to new environmental heights with its latest initiative at Long Beach Airport (LGB), where the City Council approved a subsidy program to promote unleaded aviation fuel, a move aimed at tackling the pressing environmental issue of lead pollution. According to Mayor Rex Richardson, the city is proud to play a leading role in enacting change in the aviation industry, in a concerted effort to transition from leaded to unleaded avgas for general aviation that won’t apply to commercial and business jets already using unleaded fuel. Richardson lauded the unanimous decision, hinting at the environmental gains on the horizon for Long Beach, as detailed by longbeach.gov.
Councilwoman Kerr echoed the city's commitment by underscoring the critical health implications, saying, "Taking bold local steps like this helps to realize our goal of lead-free skies" and Councilman Daryl Supernaw pinpointed the program as a significant barrier-removal for the wider adoption of unleaded avgas. This financial incentive, backed by $200,000 from airport revenue, aims to bridge the cost gap between leaded and unleaded fuels, which for consumers can range from $2 to $4 more per gallon, but with the subsidy, fuel providers can now sell unleaded fuel at competitive rates.
LGB's forward-thinking comes amidst other proactive measures taken in recent months, with waived fuel flowage fees for unleaded avgas since December 2022, the first delivery of unleaded avgas in August 2023, and a comprehensive report green-lit in September following a City Council push for anti-pollution tactics. The culmination is the recent Supplemental Type Certificate Fee (STC) reimbursement program, simplifying aircraft owners' bureaucratic trek towards FAA approval for unleaded fuel usage, aligning Long Beach’s local initiatives far ahead of the Federal Aviation Administration's 2030 target for the elimination of leaded aviation fuel.
Airport Director Cynthia Guidry emphasized the city's dedication to environmental leadership and the importance of local actions that are “actively listening to our community”.
