Read the legal memo here.

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Neighborhoods, towns, and cities across the U.S. are fighting back against the impacts of runaway aviation interests.  Santa Monica did it.  And made a profit.

Hear John Fairweather of the Santa Monica Airport2Park Foundation talk about how Santa Monica citizens wrested back control of 200 acres from the FAA and may use the land to create a Great Park.  John was interviewed on KGNU's Hemispheres on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, 6PM <link here>.   

In 2014 Santa Monica voters passed a measure to acquire local control of the land in order to repurpose it for other uses. They stopped taking binding FAA grant money.  They are on track for the airport to close in 2028.  In the interim they grew airport revenue from in the red to millions of dollars in the black. 

Now in 2026 the city is deciding how to use their regained 200 acres of land.  There is tremendous popular support for a "Great Park" hosting amenities for everyone. 

"A park could provide for recreation and sports; trails and facilities for walking, hiking, jogging, and cycling; playgrounds for children; activities for seniors; artworks, gardens, and the re-creating of natural habitat. Airport buildings on Airport Avenue could become arts and cultural facilities. Buildings north of the runway now used for aircraft operations could become space for tech incubators; the rents to the city for these uses can support park operations. A park will also allow for improvement of north-south street connections to improve traffic circulation."

Here is the Great Park project website.    

Dr. Robert Boutelle is a particle scientist who has authored procedures for working with lead nano materials.  On August 31, 2024, Dr. Boutelle gave a talk about the health impacts of lead in aviation fuel.   Piston engine aircraft, like those using Boulder Airport, burn this fuel.   

In 2022, Boulder Airport sold $110,000 worth of leaded aviation fuel.   This contained 488.4 pounds of lead.   On burning, 95% of the lead in aviation fuel is emitted in the form of dust nanoparticles.

A May 2024 Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment study shows that proximity to an airport has a statistically significant effect on blood lead levels of children.  It says, "results suggest the potential impact on children’s blood lead levels is greatest at distance less than 2 miles from an airport location.”   This talk provide images showing homes, schools, and daycares located within this radius of Boulder Airport.  

Other highlights from the talk: 

• The link between children’s blood lead levels and proximity to airports is clearly established
• There are three risk factors from exposure:
  • duration of exposure,  
  • amount of the toxin to create an impact, and  
  • bodily response 
• Lead from avgas exposure is bad across all three risk factors:  
  • the exposure is continuous,  
  • only a tiny amount causes a negative impact,  
  • it is particularly absorbable by the body and difficult to detoxify 
• Even tiny amounts of lead can permanently impact a child’s ability, potential and future  earnings 
• The risk from an airport can be comparable to and at times worse than the Flint Water Crisis
• Children’s blood lead levels correlate with both fuel sales and proximity to an airport 
• Many Boulder city and county residents live within two miles of Boulder Airport 
• There are schools and childcare centers within two miles of Boulder Airport 
• Due to the constant exposure and tiny particle size, it is very difficult to mitigate for lead emitted from avgas  
• Leaded aviation fuel will not be gone in 2030
• HEPA filters can filter for COVID, but not lead particles from avgas

Boulder City Council Member Matt Benjamin, a pilot and ardent Boulder airport supporter, is entitled to his opinion about the future of the airport site. However, he is not entitled to lie to his constituents, as he did at the August 15, 2024 City Council meeting.

Is Council Member Benjamin trying to distract from the real environmental justice issue happening right now at the Boulder airport?

July 27, 2024

On Friday, 07.26.24 City of Boulder filed a lawsuit against the FAA.  In it the City said it has “stopped accepting grants - and has elected to carry the considerable cost of operating the Airport on it’s own - in order that it may lawfully close the Airport when it’s most recent grant agreement expires in 2040.”   The City claims the FAA’s claim that the airport "must operate in perpetuity" is inconsistent with the grant agreements and a constitutional overreach.   The City asks the court to:

• declare early grant agreements as expired, and the FAA has no continuing interest under them
• declare the FAA's policy as unconstitutional
• render the FAA's position as constitutionally invalid and violation of Due Process

Boulder v. FAA Complaint

July 27, 2024

Here’s something on which both ourselves and airport supporters can agree - EVERYONE is unhappy with the recommendations from the airport financial analysis. 

Both sides feel that further development of the airport in order to meet funding needs is wrong, but for different reasons.  Both sides cite unwanted increases in noise and environmental impacts.  Beyond this, our reasoning differs.

See below for our position, a “Minimal and Safe Airport Until Closure” Scenario, where aviation pays it own way to the extent feasible, " as well as alternative possibilities for funding the airport until closure.

July 25, 2024

With Airport Neighborhood Campaign initiatives to be decided by voters in November, we are grateful that at their Special Meeting on July 25, Boulder City Council deferred the decision on whether the Boulder airport should stay open indefinitely or be decommissioned.

At the meeting the results of the airport financial analysis were discussed.   A consuming issue was years of deferred maintenance at the airport and how to address them.   These exist in spite of airport supporters' assertion that the airport is self-funding.    The tradeoffs and possibilities around increased development, user fees and other revenue strategies were raised.

Get the Lead Out: How Santa Clara County Banned Leaded Aviation Fuel at Reid-Hillview Airport, and Why Boulder Should Do the Same

July 14, 2024

The ANC was privileged to host a webinar on June 12, 2024 with Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez and epidemiologist Dr. Bruce Lamphear. Our guests discussed Santa Clara County's study showing that blood lead levels of children were correleated with living near and downwind of the Reid-Hillview Airport, and Santa Clara County's path to ceasing the sale of leaded aviation fuel.

Watch the video and get the transcript below...

July 7, 2024

We do not love the politicization of emergency response. However, emergency response is rightly part of the conversation around closing the airport and it's important for the public to have factual information.