Bringing Unleaded Aviation Fuel to Hillsboro Airport

The transition from leaded aviation fuel (commonly referred to as avgas) to lead-free fuel presents an opportunity for the general aviation industry to reduce emissions and improve air quality. It’s a transition that the Port of Portland fully supports and advocates for as a partner in the Federal Aviation Administration’s Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions initiative. The work is underway, but making the switch requires changes to both federal regulation and supply chain infrastructure—and those changes take time.

Unleaded Avgas Readiness and Transition Plan (October 2025)

Read the final Unleaded Avgas Plan. Following are two Port-commissioned studies that are referenced in this plan:

• Business Case Assessment to Provide Mogas at Portland-Hillsboro Airport Study
• Lead Emissions from the Hillsboro Airport and Public Health: An Overview of the Issue and Options for Further Characterization of Risks Report

Public Feedback on the Unleaded Avgas Readiness and Transition Plan Discussion Draft (August 2025)

The Port of Portland provided an opportunity for stakeholders to provide feedback on the Unleaded Avgas Readiness and Transition Plan Discussion Draft to ensure that it is clear and useful for understanding the transition. Seventeen people responded to the survey; eleven provided partial responses while six answered every question. 

The following edits were made to the Unleaded Avgas Readiness and Transition Plan for purposes of clarification:

• Added information about unleaded, ethanol-free motor gasoline or “mogas.”
• Edits regarding what the Port can and cannot do to support the transition to unleaded avgas.
• Added a timeframe for engagement with HIO flight school(s).

Other feedback provided is captured below to clarify the Port’s perspective:

• Requests to provide more avgas fuel data (specifically over the past 20 years) as well as interpret/extrapolate the data.  
• The fuel data included in the plan is representational and is intended to describe avgas fuel volumes across Port facilities and to illustrate why we're prioritizing HIO.
• Requests for the Port to collect data regarding the public health impacts from leaded avgas.
• The Port looks to public health agencies, such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Oregon Health Authority and county health departments, as the most appropriate sources for such information. 
• We will monitor public health agency websites for any communications regarding public health impacts from leaded avgas and post any available information on the Port’s website.  
• Requests to share more details on incentives and programs.
• The intent of offering incentives is to help make unleaded fuel more cost-competitive. Although incentives will be offered to all interested businesses, the details of specific combinations of incentives will be informed by 1:1 business conversations. 
• More details about programs will be provided via annual progress updates that will be posted to this website.
• Suggestions that the Port should challenge the FAA’s interpretation of their rules regarding whether or not airports can mandate the use of unleaded fuels and prohibit the sale of leaded avgas.
• The FAA published guidance intended to clarify their rules. A link to this guidance is provided in a footnote of the Applicable Legal Framework section of the Unleaded Avgas Readiness and Transition Plan.
• The Port remains committed to supporting a transition to unleaded fuel, but our ability to ban or restrict sale of leaded avgas is currently prohibited by federal law. 
• The Port acknowledges that the outreach conducted during plan development was limited in scope and reach. While the impacts of leaded aviation fuel are a universal concern, we have found that the groups most consistently engaged in the technical details of a transition to unleaded fuel tend to be specific stakeholders, such as elected officials, pilots, tenants, environmental and public heath interest groups, regional and national aviation users, and immediate neighbors. These groups were represented in our key stakeholder outreach.

Questions or concerns can be directed to unleadedavgas@portofportland.com.