Proposed Finding that Lead Emissions from Aircraft Engines That Operate on Leaded Fuel Cause or Contribute to Air Pollution that May Reasonably Be Anticipated to Endanger Public Health and Welfare

• Action Summary
• Public Comments
• Virtual Public Hearing
• Action History
• Additional Resources

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Action Summary

Protecting children’s health and reducing lead exposure are two of EPA’s top priorities. EPA has been investigating emissions of lead from aircraft operating on leaded fuel and the impact of these emissions on lead air pollution, including assessing lead concentrations in air near airports and evaluating the potentially exposed population. The majority of aircraft that operate on leaded fuel are piston-engine aircraft. These are typically small aircraft that carry 2-10 passengers. Jet aircraft used for commercial transport do not operate on a fuel containing lead.

On October 17, 2022, EPA issued a proposed determination that lead emissions from certain aircraft cause or contribute to lead air pollution which may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health and welfare under section 231(a) of the Clean Air Act. For convenience, we refer to this action as the proposed “endangerment finding.” After considering comments on the proposal, we plan to issue any final endangerment finding in 2023.

EPA’s consideration of the endangerment finding is a first step toward the application of EPA’s and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)’s statutory authorities to address lead pollution from aircraft. If EPA makes a final determination that aircraft engine emissions of lead cause or contribute to lead air pollution that may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare, EPA would subsequently propose regulatory standards for lead emissions from aircraft engines. Such a final determination would also trigger the FAA’s statutory mandate to prescribe standards for the composition or chemical or physical properties of an aircraft fuel or fuel additive to control or eliminate aircraft lead emissions.

For information on FAA’s work to safely transition the piston-engine aircraft fleet to unleaded fuel.

• Proposed Finding that Lead Emissions from Aircraft Engines That Operate on Leaded Fuel Cause or Contribute to Air Pollution that May Reasonably Be Anticipated to Endanger Public Health and Welfare (pdf) (626 KB, published October 17, 2022)

Public Comments

The public comment period for this proposed action has closed.

Virtual Public Hearing

EPA held a virtual public hearing on November 1, 2022. The transcript is available immediately below and has also been placed in the docket for this proposed action (Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OAR– 2022–0389).

• Transcript for the Public Hearing on EPA’s Proposed Endangerment Finding that Lead Emissions from Aircraft Engines that Operate on Leaded Fuel Cause or Contribute to Air Pollution that May Reasonably Be Anticipated to Endanger Public Health and Welfare (pdf) (3.15 MB, November 1, 2022)

Action History

• Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Related Materials on Lead Emissions From Piston-Engine Aircraft Using Leaded Aviation Gasoline (April 2010)

Additional Resources

• Fact Sheet: EPA Proposes Endangerment Finding for Lead Emissions from Aircraft that Operate on Leaded Fuel (pdf) (462 KB, October 2022, EPA-420-F-22-022)
• Technical Support Document (TSD) for the EPA’s Proposed Finding that Lead Emissions from Aircraft Engines that Operate on Leaded Fuel Cause or Contribute to Air Pollution that May Reasonably Be Anticipated to Endanger Public Health and Welfare (pdf) (2.8 MB, September 2023, EPA-420-R-23-030)