City subsidies aren’t moving the needle on unleaded fuel use at Long Beach Airport
As a result, residents who live beneath the flight path argue they’ve been left vulnerable to lead-related illnesses.
In August 2023, city and airport officials gathered around a small airplane parked on the tarmac outside Signature Aviation at Long Beach Airport to celebrate the introduction of unleaded fuel at the airfield, which included photo ops of the mayor pumping fuel and speeches boasting about the health benefits of the cleaner burning gas.
But one year later, barely any of the fuel has been used despite city officials’ implementation of reimbursement and subsidy programs funded through airport operating revenue from airline fees, parking, concessions and ground leases.
