At its regular meeting held on 6 June, the Colorado Aeronautical Board (CAB) unanimously approved a $300,000 discretionary aviation grant to support a price subsidy programme for unleaded aviation fuel sales at Denver's Centennial airport (APA). This initiative aims to incentivise the transition from leaded to unleaded aviation fuels and mitigate the higher costs associated with this new fuel.

In May 2023, Centennial became the first airport in Colorado to offer unleaded aviation fuel through the on-airport jetCenters of Colorado FBO. This move marked a critical step towards eliminating leaded fuels for piston aircraft in the state.

In 2023, to help address the higher cost to transition to unleaded aviation fuel, the airport developed and executed an agreement with jetCenters of Colorado to implement a subsidy programme. This programme allows the FBO to provide unleaded aviation fuel at nearly the same price as its low-lead counterpart and then be reimbursed by the airport for the price difference. To date the subsidy programme has shown promise, as over 80 per cent of the training aircraft operating at Centennial have been certified to safely use the currently available 94 octane unleaded aviation fuel. To broaden the programme's success, Centennial airport has allocated $380,000 to support this innovative aviation fuel price subsidy programme.

Approval of the grant comes following Governor Polis' signing of House Bill (HB) 24-1235 on 17 May, 2024. This new legislation is focused on reducing the impacts of aviation on Colorado's communities and facilitating the transition to a safe, fleetwide 100 octane unleaded aviation fuel. Language included in the bill provides that the lesser of $1.5 million or 10 per cent of the annual Colorado Discretionary Aviation Grant programme be allocated to support Colorado public-use airport transition to unleaded aviation fuel. As the only Colorado airport currently offering unleaded aviation fuel, this year's price subsidy funding grant will set the precedent for potential future funding of unleaded aviation fuel subsidy programmes at other Colorado airports beginning with the next grant cycle in early 2025.

CAB chair Kent Holsinger notes: "The CAB and the Division of Aeronautics are excited to help facilitate our industry's transition to a safe, affordable fleetwide unleaded aviation fuel, as those fuels continue to be developed. We are committed to assisting airports with this transition through innovative programmes like this and future Division funding for unleaded fuel infrastructure."

"We are committed to protecting our clean air and keeping Coloradans healthy no matter where they live. This session we took action to keep Coloradans who live near airports safe, and this grant will help Centennial airport continue its work to transition to unleaded fuel, protecting our clean air and environment. I look forward to seeing more airports follow Centennial's lead," says Governor Jared Polis.

"There is no safe level of lead, and HB24-1235 makes transitioning away from leaded aviation fuel a top priority. I applaud the Department of Transportation and the Division of Aeronautics for working to immediately implement this new law," says primary bill sponsor Representative Kyle Brown (HD-12). "With this grant, Centennial airport and Arapahoe County will continue to lead the way in transitioning towards unleaded fuel. I encourage airports across Colorado to follow Centennial's lead in applying for this new funding."

Centennial airport executive director Mike Fronapfel adds: "Centennial airport is committed to being a global leader in sustainability and the transition to unleaded aviation fuel. We were the first airport in Colorado to offer a FAA-approved alternate unleaded fuel to our customers. This happened by listening to our communities' concerns, having a responsive airport board and elected leaders, and leveraging our strong partnerships with jetCenters of Colorado and based flight schools. With the support of the Colorado Aeronautical Board, we can continue to facilitate the transition to unleaded aviation fuel not just at Centennial airport, but across the state."

According to the 2020 Economic Impact Study of Colorado Airports, Centennial is responsible for supporting 10,341 jobs, producing over $593 million in annual payroll, while generating $2.1 billion in overall business revenue.

The Colorado Airport System consists of 76 public use airports that support over 345,000 jobs, provide $16.2 billion in annual payroll and $48.6 billion in total business revenue for the State of Colorado.