Letters

As a member of the Bridgehampton Civic Association, I attend Wainscott Citizens Advisory Committee meetings when there are regional issues that will affect the Bridgehampton area. Most recently, the East Hampton Town Airport is such an issue, where a draft of a generic environmental impact statement, part of a state environmental quality review application, is before the East Hampton Town Board, the lead agency.

At a recent Wainscott CAC meeting, a board member mentioned that leaded aviation fuel was sold at the airport. If true, I immediately realized that this could be a regional health hazard.

With research on the internet, much to my surprise, I learned that aircraft that operate on leaded aviation gasoline are typically small, older piston-engine aircraft that carry two to 10 passengers. We see them often in our skies. They are used for recreation, agriculture, flight training, pesticide spraying, rescue operations, firefighting, transporting health workers and more.

Their fuel is Avgas (aviation gas) and is available in varying octane ratings and contents of lead (Avgas 100 and Avgas 100LL). The number 100 is the octane rating, and the “LL” is “low lead” (0.56 grams tetraethellead/liter). Avgas 100LL can be compared to the leaded gasoline used in 1973 cars. As of 2022, an unleaded Avgas, G100UL, became available, but it is much more expensive.

The health hazards from leaded gas increase as the distance from the airport decreases, especially for children. For many years, the EPA has acknowledged the dangers presented by the use of leaded fuel in piston-powered aircraft, but the market is small, which has not incentivized research.

With research, again, much to my surprise, I learned how many piston-powered planes fly in and out of our local airports with no action taken in regard to the operation of the East Hampton Town Airport. It is predicted that in 2024, 13,494 piston-powered planes will fly from East Hampton Town Airport; from Montauk, 23,257; and from Gabreski, 10,975.

On Page S-53 of the environmental impact statement for East Hampton Town Airport, the following pollutants are listed: NOx, SOx, PM, VOC, CO, CO2e. There is very little mention of lead.

I realize that my research is limited, but I hope that others can answer the many unanswered questions:

1. Is there a more accurate method of measuring lead exposure in our air?

2. What is the actual type of Avgas sold in our airports?

3. What exposure of airborne lead is dangerous to children and to adults?

4. Should we restrict the use of leaded Avgas?

Julie Burmeister

Bridgehampton Civic Association