Sellers and distributors of avgas in California agreed to settle a dispute with the Center for Environmental Health (CEH), a non-profit anti-toxic chemicals group that earns a portion of penalties assessed under California’s Proposition 65, "The Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986." The assessed penalties and legal costs total $550,000 and will be paid by 30 companies that sell/distribute avgas at 23 California airports. CEH will receive $106,000 while $374,000 will go to Lexington Law Group; the state of California will get the remaining $70,000.
The agreement between the 30 companies and CEH requires the fuel distributors to “warn residents living within one kilometer of the airports where they operate of the lead risk and to post warning signs at the airports.” They also must “offer for sale the lowest-lead fuel that is commercially available in sufficient quantity” and make lead- and ethanol-free autogas (Mogas) available to FBOs that request it, provided there are no issues with liability insurance, Mogas availability or local restrictions.
Affected companies include Chevron, Shell, Air Petro, Eastern Aviation Fuels, Avfuel and many California FBOs. The consent judgment that settles this dispute is not an admission of violation of any laws.