DATE: February 26, 2001

TO: ETRPA Board of Directors
FROM: Paul D. Eckles, Executive Director
SUBJECT: ETRPA policy regarding John Wayne Airport capacity

For the last two years ETRPA has pursued a policy of rapprochement with neighbors of John Wayne Airport, primarily in Newport Beach. ETRPA has offered to assist the City of Newport Beach in its efforts to extend the consent decree imposed limits on John Wayne in exchange for a softening of demands for an airport at El Toro. That policy has failed. This report recommends a modified ETRPA policy regarding the possibility of John Wayne Airport expansion.

BACKGROUND

When Marine Corps Air Station El Toro (MCAS El Toro) appeared on the 1993 military base closure list, an almost immediate cry emanated from Newport Beach that it should become a commercial airport. Since that time, foes of JWA, concentrated principally in Newport Beach, have been on a collision course with neighbors of MCAS El Toro who oppose a commercial airport at that closing Marine base.

The City of Newport Beach municipal government has pursued a very deliberate policy of advocating a major commercial airport at El Toro, and it has financially supported other agencies and even political action committees that are dedicated to that objective. The Orange County Regional Airport Authority has been funded almost entirely by the City of Newport Beach, and its only significant activity has been advocacy of an airport at El Toro. The City also has heavily funded the Airport Working Group and Citizens for Jobs and the Economy (a political action committee).

While all of these groups deny that their true goal is closure of JWA, it is clear that many consider that a desirable and likely outcome. The City’s public justification for its advocacy of an airport at El Toro is the hope of preventing JWA expansion.

The whole subject has greater urgency in Newport Beach today, because of the terms of a 1985 consent decree. Under settlement terms of litigation brought by the City of Newport Beach and the Airport Working Group, JWA is operating under a variety of court-imposed limits. Most importantly, total passengers and flights are limited, and there is a nighttime curfew. This consent decree has a limited term and will expire in 2005.

This possibility of John Wayne Airport (JWA) expansion has been ETRPA’s most difficult policy issue. Should ETRPA advocate expansion of JWA or at least a lifting of the limits imposed by the 1985 consent decree? Or should ETRPA oppose both JWA expansion and a new airport at MCAS El Toro?

Regional Capacity and Demand. The core issue is whether or not more airport capacity is required in Orange County. The case for an airport at El Toro is based upon the argument that Orange County will need more airport capacity in the coming years. In spite of much evidence to the contrary, airport proponents argue that Orange County’s future economic vitality requires a massive increase in airport capacity which can only be satisfied by construction of an airport at El Toro.

ETRPA analysis suggests otherwise. John Wayne Airport is a very good airport, and it has served Orange County well. Served by JWA and surrounding airports, Orange County’s economy is vigorous and strong. For the future, the Greater Los Angeles Metropolitan area is blessed by huge airport capacity. In addition to JWA and LAX, the area is currently served by Long Beach, Burbank, and Ontario airports. Ontario still has much unused capacity, and it is joined by Palmdale Airport and the closing Air Force bases at March, Norton, and George which are available for future expansion. Fortuitously, all of these latter facilities are located close to areas of future population growth. Neighboring communities are also generally supportive of airport growth at these facilities.

Hence, there is a strong argument that additional airport capacity is not needed in Orange County. Proponents of an airport at El Toro have generally argued the contrary thesis that Orange County will need more airport capacity in the future and that it would not be fair to require neighboring counties (i.e. political jurisdictions) to satisfy that need.

John Wayne Airport Capacity for Expansion. The irony in this debate is that El Toro airport proponents are almost all adamantly opposed to John Wayne Airport expansion. If Orange County really will need additional airport capacity, John Wayne is the ready solution. Indeed, the Orange County government already has studied John Wayne Airport expansion options. Orange County EIR 573 analyzed two expansion options, identified as “F” and “G.”

Alternative G would require some physical expansion of John Wayne, but would be much cheaper than building a whole new airport at El Toro. It would raise John Wayne Capacity to more than 22 million passengers per year – about triple the current annual traffic level.

Alternative F would not require any significant physical modification of John Wayne or cost to the taxpayers. The essence of Alternative F is that John Wayne would be used to its current design capacity – about 14 million passengers per year. This option can be implemented immediately when the 1985 court imposed consent decree expires at the end of 2005. If there really is adequate demand to justify such a large airport in Orange County, this is a much more logical answer. In any event, it makes no sense to build a second Orange County airport when one is standing there with large unused capacity.

DISCUSSION

As opponents of an airport at El Toro, ETRPA members have been generally sympathetic to communities surrounding John Wayne Airport. ETRPA has taken the position that Orange County does not need more airport capacity – Orange County does not need an airport at El Toro, and it does not need to expand John Wayne. Over the last two years ETRPA has taken a variety of steps to communicate that policy in the hopes of finding common ground with the other major group of anti-airport residents in Orange County – JWA opponents. Some of the specific steps taken include:

· Letters were sent to most Newport Beach residents and businesses offering to work together to limit John Wayne Airport operations and growth permanently and to find a non-aviation reuse for El Toro.

· ETRPA recommended that the Board of Supervisors eliminate consideration of alternatives F and G for expansion of John Wayne Airport. Newport Beach officials and the Airport Working Group opposed efforts to take these options off of the table.

· ETRPA adopted a resolution opposing expansion of John Wayne Airport.

· In drafting the Safe and Healthy Communities Initiative, ETRPA inserted language intended to protect John Wayne neighbors from an airport expansion that was not supported by two-thirds of Orange County residents. After Measure F passed with more than 67% percent of votes cast, the City of Newport Beach, the Airport Working Group, and Citizens for Jobs and the Economy sued to overturn the initiative.

· When the City of Newport Beach initiated discussions with the County of Orange to extend the consent decree, ETRPA was supportive.

· ETRPA sought and participated in a series of meetings with some Newport Beach officials and offered to assist in their efforts to extend provisions of the consent decree.

Unfortunately, all of these efforts failed to generate a truce in Orange County’s airport wars. Some Newport Beach leaders seemed disposed to work with south county leaders, but they were always overwhelmed by the hard-line proponents of an airport at El Toro.

EXTENSION OF THE JOHN WAYNE AIRPORT CONSENT DECREE

As the 20 year life of the John Wayne consent decree nears its end, the future of this airport becomes more and more urgent. While ETRPA has consistently opposed an airport at El Toro and expansion of John Wayne Airport, the City of Newport Beach and its allies have opposed John Wayne expansion, but have continued to insist that Orange County needs a new airport at El Toro. With negotiations and environmental studies aimed at extending the John Wayne consent decree heating up, ETRPA has an unfortunate dilemma. ETRPA simply cannot afford to continue to support limits on John Wayne Airport, while John Wayne neighbors are actively campaigning for expansion of airport capacity in Orange County – at El Toro. If the debate is about needed airport capacity in Orange County, ETRPA must insist that John Wayne Airport expansion is a cheaper, faster, and more workable solution than building a new airport at El Toro. While a new airport at El Toro is still an issue, ETRPA must ensure that the alternative of John Wayne expansion is preserved.

The facts are clear. When the consent decree expires, substantial additional airport capacity will be readily available at John Wayne. Indeed, the capacity could be increased substantially by simply filling more of the empty seats that fly out of John Wayne every day. If the artificial cap of 8.4 million passengers were lifted, JWA could easily accommodate 12 million passengers per year. This increase could be accomplished with the same number of flights as today and without lifting the current nighttime curfew. Until the El Toro issue is settled, ETRPA must take an active part in opposing extension of the JWA consent decree. The following initial steps are recommended:

1. Take all available legal action to prevent extension of the consent decree. (The particulars of this strategy will be discussed in greater depth in an appropriate executive session.)

2. Actively communicate ETRPA’s position on this matter with members of the Board of Supervisors, the State Legislature and the Congress.

3. Actively oppose extension of provisions of the consent decree with the Federal Aviation Administration and the airline industry.

4. Explain to the Southern California Association of Governments that expansion of JWA is another option for expanding airport capacity in Orange County.

5. Communicate with the general public about the availability of John Wayne Airport if additional airport capacity is needed in Orange County.

6. Continue to advocate and promote the available Inland Empire airports as better alternatives than either El Toro or an expanded JWA to meet regional airport capacity concerns.

RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the ETRPA Board of Directors approve the action program outlined above.

The ETRPA Board of directors adopted the recommendation unanimously at their February 26 meeting.