00                      HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 29                                                                     
01 Urging federal support for the state's aviation fuel transition.                                                        
02 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                               
03       WHEREAS residents of the state rely heavily on air travel because of the vast                                   
04 expanses of the state, with over 200 communities, constituting 82 percent of the total                                  
05 communities in the state, lacking road connectivity; and                                                                
06       WHEREAS the state, encompassing one-fifth of the land mass of the continental                                   
07 United States, has a geographically dispersed population heavily reliant on piston-driven                               
08 aircraft; and                                                                                                           
09       WHEREAS the proposed transition away from standard leaded aviation fuel by 2030                                 
10 would pose insurmountable challenges to the state's aviation sector, leading to severe and                              
11 unreasonable consequences; and                                                                                          
12 WHEREAS any legislation curtailing access to the sole approved fuel for the state's                                   
13 piston-driven aircraft, both commercial and private, would disproportionately affect already                            
14 disadvantaged communities across the state, particularly those disconnected from the road                               
15 system, as well as the broader general aviation sector; and                                                             
16       WHEREAS the absence of a viable substitute fuel that is readily available and                                   

01 affordable would result in immediate and devastating consequences for the state, particularly                           
02 affecting rural communities; and                                                                                        
03       WHEREAS a truncated timeline for replacing parts or engines to accommodate a new                                
04 fuel type would lead to the collapse of the piston-driven aviation fleet because of exorbitant                          
05 costs, limited availability of equipment, and insufficient time for adaptation; and                                     
06       WHEREAS a 2030 mandate would endanger residents of remote communities of the                                    
07 state that are accessible solely by air by restricting access to food, fuel, emergency medical                          
08 care, education, and other essential needs;                                                                             
09       BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature urges the federal government to                                
10 collaborate with the Alaska Congressional delegation to incorporate into the Federal Aviation                           
11 Administration Reauthorization Act language extending the state's leaded fuel exemption to                              
12 2034 to provide crucial time and support for a smooth transition that would ensure the safety                           
13 and wellbeing of all residents of the state.                                                                            
14       COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Lisa Murkowski and the                                 
15 Honorable Dan Sullivan, U.S. Senators, and the Honorable Mary Peltola, U.S. Representative,                             
16 members of the Alaska delegation in Congress.