Representative Henry Waxman (D-California) calls on Federal Aviation Administration to speed up use of unleaded fuel for general aviation

Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) this week asked the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to reduce lead emissions from general aviation planes more quickly by stepping up requirements for using unleaded fuels.

Waxman said these planes, which make up a significant portion of U.S. flights and include everything from small planes to corporate jets, have been exempt from Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules on leaded fuel. This exemption means that about half of all lead air emissions in the U.S. come from general aviation planes.

"The devastating health effects of lead are well documented," Waxman wrote to FAA Acting Administrator Michael Huerta on Tuesday. "Lead is a potent neurotoxin that has especially debilitating effects on children, damaging the brain and nervous system and impairing development."

Read more:   http://thehill.com