ETRPA sent the following letter to all residents of Anaheim Hills and to elected officials throughout Orange County.  The June 4-5 demonstration flights including some that were disturbing to residents of Anaheim Hills.

June 14, 1999

Dear Neighbor:

On June 4th and 5th the County of Orange conducted flight "demonstrations" at El Toro Marine Corps Air Station.  This air show cost Orange County taxpayers $1.3 million and had no scientific value.  More importantly, this "show" fueled renewed community opposition to the proposed El Toro airport. The Orange County Register reported a near-record 140 letters over the weekend. Only seven letters were in support of an airport.  What is more disturbing is that the County did not provide phone coverage to collect citizens' comments during the demonstration period.  "Sorry the mailbox is full" was the taped message played to hundreds of callers.

The Orange County Board of Supervisors received hundreds of e-mails protesting these demonstrations.  While the County has desperately tried to downplay the flood of negative letters, concerned citizens who value their quality of life learned a chilling lesson.  The computer models forecasting noise impacts were dead wrong even with a fleet of lightly loaded "quiet" commercial aircraft.  To his credit, Orange County's Board Chairman Chuck Smith acknowledged that the planes were noisier than had been anticipated. He said that "noise mitigation measures" might be required for some homes.

If an airport is built, we will forever lose the quality of life we share. Despite the County's public relations blitz, complaints were generated from all over the County - north, south, east and west.  Just imagine how many more complaints would have been logged if the County's flight demonstration had arrivals and departures of jumbo jets between midnight and 6:00 a.m.!

Despite the county's pro-airport boosterism, these flights have drawn communities together who are geographically separated by city boundaries. The El Toro Reuse Planning Authority (ETRPA) and the eight cities it represents believe these flight demonstrations will unify our County to oppose the blight, pollution and congestion an international commercial airport would bring.  Here are some points to consider:

Over one million residents oppose the proposed El Toro airport.  Why are three County supervisors - Chuck Smith, Cynthia Coad and Jim Silva - imposing their will against the will of the people who have to live with the airport?

Unlike John Wayne's limited passenger facility, the proposed El Toro airport would have nearly 29 million annual passengers and cargo capacity bigger than LAX, Chicago, Kennedy or Newark airports.  Federal regulations will probably prohibit new airports from imposing curfews on flight restrictions.  Flights are scheduled to fly every three minutes, 24-hours a day!

There are existing and planned regional airports elsewhere that desire to provide cargo and passenger service for all of Southern California.

Orange County already has more jobs than housing to accommodate the labor force.  An airport would only increase this housing imbalance.

The idea that every county needs an airport is not practical and ignores the advantages of regional planning.  For example, Ontario Airport is expanding to 23 million annual passengers and is just 12 miles from the Orange County border.  The problem isn't a lack of airports.  We need better transportation to the airports that currently exist.

Most people believe the County will benefit economically with an airport or with the Millennium Plan, the exciting non-aviation reuse proposed for El Toro.  The question is: Do we want to put up with the pollution, noise and congestion of an additional airport when our air transportation needs can be served at other airports? Or, do we want to have the homes, high-paying jobs, education, sports, recreation, parks and open space that the Millennium Plan envisions?

We believe that public funds can be spent for better purposes than an all-out battle between neighbors.  The County has already spent $25 million and can't get El Toro to fly.  Nearly $20 million is budgeted for the upcoming year.  When will County bureaucrats get the message? We need to think about a regional airport plan that does no harm to any resident of Orange County.  Help us to tone down the political rhetoric so that we can find common solutions.  Contact Orange County Supervisor Cynthia Coad at (714) 834-3440 and ask her to stop the airport scheme now.  We are all fighting to preserve and protect our quality of life and economic future. We believe that by working together, we can make a difference for the next generation.

Sincerely,

Paul D. Eckles
Executive Director