User:Bnirula/Reid–Hillview Airport

In August 2021, Santa Clara County released a study that found elevated blood lead levels in children living near the airport. On August 16, 2021, airport officials responded to the study by announcing that fixed base operators would switch to unleaded aviation fuel. '''After which Santa Clara County's supervisor, Cindy Chavez, testified at the United States House Oversight Subcommittee on Environment in opposition of the national use of leaded aviation fuel. The hearing resulted in the committee committing to declaring leaded aviation fuel a health hazard by 2023.''' On August 18, the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to close the airport as soon as the FAA approves of its closure, which would be no sooner than January 1, 2022, and mandate the use of unleaded fuel as soon as possible. The board also voted against funding an expansion of San Martin Airport, raising concerns that general aviation traffic would be diverted to San Jose International Airport, which is also capacity-constrained and surrounded by urban development, including the low-income, minority Washington-Guadalupe and Alviso neighborhoods.

Environmental impact
For years, local activists have pushed to close the airport, supported by Santa Clara County Supervisors Blanca Alvarado and Cindy Chavez. Residents and officials have cited the airport's proximity to 21 schools and childcare centers as a concern due to the airport's use of 100LL avgas, which contains lead. '''Activists consider the airport's continued operation to be an eaxample of environmental racism in the United States, arguing that 97% of the adjacent East San Jose neighborhood at risk of lead poisoning identinfies as non white, predominently low-income Latino and Vietnamese-American residents. This study also brought about conversations of the national use of leaded aviation fuel in piston engined aircrafts, which contributes to 70% of airborne lead. '''

A 2021 study by Dr. Sammy Zahran found unsafe levels of lead in the air above the southeastern side of the airport, exceeding the acceptable limit set by the National Ambient Air Quality Standards; in response, that side of the airport was closed to visitors. '''A study commissioned by the county and released in August 2021 found elevated blood lead levels in children living within a 1.5 miles radius of the airport. The study found that children in the affected region experienced blood lead levels of 0.83 micrograms per deciliter. This is nearly double the blood lead levels of children during the Flint water crisis, which were around 0.45 micrograms per deciliter.  Nationally, over 360,000 children live in neighborhoods surround airports which use leaded aviation fuel. '''