NEWS - October 2003
Today's Headlines - click on date for
story
El Toro Info Site, October 31, 2003
AWG wants $270,000 from Department of Defense to settle El Toro lawsuit
El Toro Info Site report, October 30, 2003
Annexation report on LAFCO website
El Toro Info Site, October 30, 2003 - updated
Wrong again
El Toro Info Site, October 28, 2003
SCAG comments on LAX Master Plan and OC demand
El Toro Info Site, October 27, 2003 -updated
El Toro annexation update
LA Times October 26, 2003
[Correction] "FOR THE RECORD"
OC Register, The Orange Grove, October 24, 2003
"Commission plays charades"
"Citing non-existent jet noise, land-use panel blocks development by El Toro"
El Toro Info Site report, October 23, 2003
El Toro foes rally for DeVore
Business Wire, October 22, 2003 websiteposted October 23
SCAG Unveils Sweeping Long-Range Transportation Blueprint
El Toro Info Site report, October 22, 2002
Passenger data withheld, El Toro included, in LAX Master Plan EIR
El Toro Info Site report, October 21, 2003
ALUC does it again
Daily Breeze, October 21, 2003
"Airlines fear LAX cant take new plane"
"Four carriers warn the Airbus A380 will be too large and too heavy for the airport
to handle it."
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, October 20, 2003
"Maglev could ease gridlock"
El Toro Info Site report, October 16, 2003
Website celebrates 7th anniversary
OC Register, October 16, 2003
"Group looks inland for airport solutions"
"Effort appears to acknowledge El Toro is gone as potential site."
El Toro Info Site report, October 15, 2003 - updated
LA pitches new alliance to avoid LAX growth
El Toro Info Site report, October 14, 2003
OCTA stalemates again on selecting SCAG rep
OC Register, October 14, 2003
"Navy delays auction of El Toro land"
Daily Breeze, October 13, 2003
"Labor leader sees no conflict with LAX post"
El Toro Info Site report, October 12, 2003
Smoke and Mirrors at ALUC
San Diego North County Times, October 12, 2003
"San Diego County can expect fight over March airport"
El Toro Info Site report, October 10, 2003
County Counsel justifies ALUC's El Toro position
El Toro Info Site report, October 9, 2003
JWA passengers up, operations down
El Toro Info Site report, October 8, 2003
The Go Slow
OC Register, October 7, 2003
"Tustin ends years of wrangling over former Marine facility in choosing
master builder for 700 acres of land."
Imperial Valley Press, October 4, 2003 posted October 5, 2003
"Valley maintains spot on airport list"
San Diego Union Tribune, October 3, 2003
"Seven sites selected for [San Diego] airport study"
El Toro Info Site report, October 2, 2003 - updated
SCAG reallocates airport service
North County Times, October 1, 2003
"Six members of Congress sign letter opposing airport siting plan"
Click here for previous news stories
El Toro Info Site, October 31, 2003
AWG wants $270,000 from Department of Defense to settle El Toro lawsuit
The Airport Working Group - with OCRAA tagging along - sued the Defense of Department and
its officials in a
failed attempt to slow the sale of the El Toro property. The federal government
agreed to pay up to $270,000 to end the nuisance lawsuit.
Documents from the U.S. Department of Justice reveal the terms of the settlement between
the AWG and the DoD. The parties will ask the US District Court in Santa Ana to approve
the deal at a settlement conference on November 3.
In the settlement, the AWG agrees to not assert any further claims, directly or
indirectly, against the Navy over transfer of the property.
The federal government agrees to carry out its environmental cleanup obligations in
accordance with existing laws and to do a study of the air quality impact from
demolition of the runways after the base is sold.
The government will reimburse the plaintiffs for up to $270,000 of attorney's and
consultants' fees and costs. The City of Newport Beach
fronted this money to the AWG and we hope that the City Council demands its return
to city taxpayers.
We anticipate that airport proponents will attempt to spin this settlement as a
vindication of their position but all the lawsuit did was cost federal and city taxpayers
a lot of money. It did not delay the annexation or sale of the base.
El Toro Info Site report, October 30, 2003
Annexation report on LAFCO website
The Local Agency Formation Commission has posted the documents for the Irvine annexation
of El Toro on the LAFCO website.
LAFCO staff recommends approval of the annexation. A public hearing and commission vote
will be held on November 12.
El Toro Info Site, October 30, 2003 - updated
Wrong again
Former County El Toro Airport program manager Gary Simon popped up to give one more try
for his former project. In a
letter published in several newspapers, Simon suggests that the former Marine base
could have been useful during the current fire emergency.
Fire crews have plenty of runway capacity including three former military bases. The
13,000 foot runway at March is handling the fire support aircraft and San Bernardino
(formerly Norton AFB) is the staging site for the flying water tankers. Even the Southern
California Logistic Airport (formerly George AFB) is providing support. An
expert tells us the key to these three airports is that they are fully rated for
instrument approaches down to almost zero visibility. El Toro could never meet that
requirement due to the mountainous terrain in the flight paths.
Please, "Just the facts" Gary.
P.S. This information was published as a letter in
the Daily Pilot and Simon Turner had his zinger of a response published in the Register.
El Toro Info Site, October 28, 2003
SCAG comments on LAX Master Plan and OC demand
The Southern California Association of Governments recently submitted
its comments on the LAX Master Plan and EIR. SCAG supports LA's proposed 78 MAP
cap on LAX and efforts to distribute aviation capacity throughout the region.
SCAG took exception to one item of interest to OC residents. Referring to a map in the LAX
plan, SCAG writes:
Figure 1.3-2, which shows the concentration of domestic O&D passenger demand throughout the region, appears to be in error. The figure shows that most of Orange County generates lower passenger demand per square mile than central Los Angeles County, which conflicts with SCAG regional demand data. The figure should be qualified by saying that it is based on partial data taken from LAX and Ontario O&D surveys.
Click here for the referenced map from the LAX Master Plan. We think that LA's
consultants got it right. Their demand data refutes political arguments by El Toro
proponents who claim that South Orange County is a major factor driving aviation demand in
the region.
El Toro Info Site, October 27, 2003 - updated
El Toro annexation update
A public hearing by the Local Agency Formation Commission of Orange County will consider
the proposed annexation of MCAS El Toro by the City of Irvine. The hearing will be
held on Wednesday, November 12, 2003 at 9:00 a.m. in the Planning Commission Hearing Room
at the Orange County Hall of Administration, 10 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana.
The Airport Working Group is gathering documents from LAFCO for a lawsuit against the
Irvine environmental impact report used in the annexation process. The Newport Beach group is also soliciting supporters to
weigh in against the annexation at the November hearing.
LA Times October 26, 2003
[Correction] "FOR THE RECORD"
"A Sept. 28 editorial incorrectly said that Caltrans contended that development of
the former El Toro Marine base would generate three times as much traffic as Irvine
planners had predicted. Caltrans agreed with Irvine about the number of trips to be
generated by the base development, but said the city should have included in its traffic
estimate the number of trips generated by other proposed developments nearby."
Website Editor: The misinformation seemingly originated with the Times news reporting.
The Register, and this website, had the facts
straight.
OC Register, The Orange Grove, October 24, 2003
"Commission plays charades"
"Citing non-existent jet noise, land-use panel blocks development by El Toro"
After months of attacking the Orange County Airport Land Use Commission face-to-face and on this website for its refusal to remove
development restrictions around the former El Toro base, website editor Len Kranser caught
a receptive ear at the OC Register.
"For a demonstration of how government agencies waste taxpayer money by following
their own agendas, consider Orange County's Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC)."
reads the op-ed piece.
The Register adds "Orange County's Airport Land Use Commission is thwarting
development on property near the former El Toro air base in service of commission members'
fantasy that a commercial airport may yet be built on the base site." Click here
for the entire article.
El Toro Info Site report, October 23, 2003
El Toro foes rally for DeVore
Veterans of the fight against El Toro airport gathered in Aliso Viejo Wednesday night to
support Chuck DeVore's candidacy for the State Assembly.
Supervisor Chris Norby introduced Irvine resident DeVore as the candidate needed in
Sacramento to forestall any legislative efforts to resurrect the El Toro airport. DeVore
is running in the 70th Assembly District, which surrounds the former base on three sides.
Whoever represents the district has considerable influence on Assembly action affecting
the area.
He will face off in the March Republican primary against Cristi Cristich of Newport Beach.
DeVore accused Cristich of casting off her former pro-El Toro stance
in all parts of the district except Newport Beach where she retains her previous position.
Business Wire, October 22, 2003 websiteposted October 23
SCAG Unveils Sweeping Long-Range Transportation Blueprint
"Destination 2030, [is] the Southern California Association of Governments' (SCAG)
2004 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). SCAG has unveiled the long-range transportation
blueprint for a new round of public input and review."
"By the year 2030, Southern California is projected to have six million new residents
and three million new jobs. Destination 2030 is a comprehensive 25-year action plan for
Southern California's transportation future and includes hundreds of strategic investments
and policy recommendations."
Website Editor: Click here
for the complete announcement. Whereas El Toro airport was an element in SCAG's
2001 RTP, it is dropped from the 2004 plan.
El Toro Info Site report, October 22, 2002
Passenger data withheld, El Toro included, in LAX Master Plan EIR
The extended deadline for filing public comments on the LAX Master Plan EIR is November 7
at 5:00 PM. Click
here for information on how to comment.
The environmental impact report relies on obsolete data and obsolete regional plans. The
EIR should be reworked to replace outdated demand statistics with the passenger data
collected during the 2001 studies conducted at LAX and ONT. This will enable a
more accurate evaluation of the regional impact of capping LAX at 78 MAP.
Los Angeles World Airports has stopped answering when it will release the results of the
surveys. The last response to our Public Records Act requests showed that the contractor
had been paid in June 2003 for finishing the analysis of the data and mapping the results.
The LAX EIR makes frequent mention of a "proposed" airport at El Toro, for
example in sections analyzing Air Transportation in the Los Angeles Region. El Toro
is discussed in Future Airport Scenarios. The EIR should be redone with all
mentions of El Toro removed.
El Toro Info Site report, October 21, 2003
ALUC does it again
The Airport Land Use Commission met last week and rejected two residential developments in
Irvine because they fall within the obsolete El Toro noise footprint for military jets.
The ALUC majority found the Peters Canyon projects to be
not in conformance with the commission's Airport Environs Land Use Plan, AELUP,
which still treats El Toro as a military airport. Some commissioners expressed hope that
the former base would still become a commercial airport.
Daily Breeze, October 21, 2003
"Airlines fear LAX cant take new plane"
"Four carriers warn the Airbus A380 will be too large and too heavy for the airport
to handle it."
"Los Angeles International Airport will be unable to efficiently handle the
worlds biggest commercial jet when it enters service in 2006, which could cause
serious airfield delays, according to
warnings from four airlines that will be among the first carriers to fly the
Airbus A380."
"The double-decker plane, capable of carrying 555 to 800 passengers, is so tall and
heavy and has such a large wingspan that it cannot use two of LAXs four runways,
almost all boarding gates and many taxiways, reports and interviews show."
"Renovations that would allow the airport to smoothly handle the A380 are included in
Mayor James
Hahns $9 billion LAX modernization plan, but many would not begin until 2012
under the proposed construction schedule. In the interim, movements of other jets will be
limited when an A380 is on the airfield, which could lead to substantial departure and
arrival delays."
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, October 20, 2003
"Maglev could ease gridlock"
"Officials will travel to China for firsthand look at futuristic trains"
"This week, [Rialto Councilman Kurt] Wilson and other Americans pondering the
viability of maglev trains, including folks from the Federal Railroad Administration, will
journey to Shanghai to get a firsthand look at the futuristic technology."
"Wilson, who's paying for his trip, will represent the Southern California
Association of Governments, which has been studying the feasibility of constructing an
80-mile maglev system connecting Los
Angeles and the Inland Empire."
"Last year, China unveiled a maglev train that will blast passengers along a 20-mile
stretch of magnetically cushioned guideway between Shanghai and the international airport
in Pudong. The trip takes about eight minutes. While the train is operational, it's not
scheduled to begin ferrying paying passengers until January."
Click
for the article.
El Toro Info Site report, October 16, 2003
Website celebrates 7th anniversary
Seven years ago, we started posting one of the Internet's longest running narratives.
Nowadays, the News section of this site might be called a weblog or blog for
short, trendy terms that had yet to be coined when we began our experiment in public
information.
The El Toro website has evolved into a news and opinion blog mated with a traditional
online library of reference material plus a message board. Click here to access our entire News archive
for a stroll down memory lane.
What better way is there to celebrate the anniversary than to post the Register headline
immediately below. Next year at this time, let's hope the El Toro controversy is settled,
the land is all in private hands, and we can kick back and become a monthly or quarterly ezine
. . . or whatever.
OC Register, October 16, 2003
"Group looks inland for airport solutions"
"Effort appears to acknowledge El Toro is gone as potential site."
"Not an inch of runway has been removed, but the post-El Toro Airport era apparently
began Wednesday."
"Airport executives and officials from Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino
counties gathered to stake out the foundation for a regional airport plan that focuses on
developing former George Air Force Base near Victorville and former Norton Air Force Base
in San Bernardino for civilian uses. The plan includes March Inland Port just east of
Riverside, which remains active as March Air Reserve Base."
"Ontario International Airport also wants to increase its passenger and cargo
traffic."
Click
here for a smattering of articles from local and Inland Empire newspapers on the
story reported here yesterday. A recurring theme is that LAX must be capped in order to
force airlines to use the more remote airbases. Otherwise, the downtown airport will
continue to grow.
OC representatives were not in the delegation to LA City hall but anti-El Toro leaders'
long-time support for the use of Inland Empire airports clearly was the message of the
day.
The AWG, which sees El Toro's close proximity as a way to curtail John Wayne airport, has
consistently denigrated the Inland Empire proposals and was silent yesterday.
El Toro Info Site report, October 15, 2003 - updated
LA pitches new alliance to avoid LAX growth
For years, opponents of El Toro airport, led by the El Toro Reuse Planning Authority,
ETRPA, have quietly supported the use of
the Inland Empire's former military bases as a solution for regional aviation
growth. Construction of a commercial airport at El Toro would divert limited
infrastructure funds and business from the potential Inland Empire airports.
Wednesday, LA Councilmember Cindy Miscikowski and El Segundo Mayor Mike Gordon, take the spotlight at LA City Hall to openly promote an
alliance between opponents of LAX growth and supporters of airports at Ontario, March, San
Bernadino and Victorville. Their position is that:
The Register interviews the Orange County Regional Airport Authority's Jack
Wagner. He claims his pro-El Toro group is now on the same Inland Empire kick with El Toro
foes and LAX expansion foes. However, the increasingly irrelevant OCRAA is the Airport
Working Group's tag-along sidekick in AWG lawsuits against the Navy and Irvine over El
Toro reuse. Anaheim, Placentia, Buena Park and La Habra have quit OCRAA.
El Toro Info Site report, October 14, 2003
OCTA stalemates again on selecting SCAG rep
The Board of the Orange County Transportation Authority failed again today to
select a representative to the Southern California Association of Governments.
Supervisor Bill Campbell was nominated and failed by a 4-5 vote. Supervisor Chuck Smith
was nominated and failed by a 5-4 vote. Six votes are required. The matter is continued to
the next meeting.
It was the third
time that the OCTA divided on whether to select the controversial Smith or go with
Campbell who had cast the deciding vote last month for the authority to join SCAG.
OC Register, October 14, 2003
"Navy delays auction of El Toro land"
This website
reported last month that, "The Navy is putting off auctioning land at the
old El Toro base until early next year, saying it needs time to resolve some
administrative issues and for Irvine to settle remaining litigation."
"Originally, the auction was expected to take place as early as this month."
"Yet to be resolved are two lawsuits, both brought by the Airport Working Group,
which has supported efforts to convert El Toro into a commercial airport. AWG is working
on settlement terms on federal litigation it brought challenging the Navy's environmental
review of the base . . .Resolution of that
suit is probably weeks or months away, but absent an injunction, the sale can
proceed." Click for
the entire article.
"In
a related development, representatives from Los Angeles, Riverside and San
Bernardino counties plan a presentation Wednesday before the Los Angeles City Council on a
regional airport plan that includes the former military airfields in Victorville and San
Bernardino and March Air Reserve Base, now called March
Inland Port, reflecting its potential future civilian use."
Daily Breeze, October 13, 2003
"Labor leader sees no conflict with LAX post"
"Miguel Contreras sits in a position of unusual power."
"He holds a seat on the seven-member commission that runs Los Angeles International
Airport and will pass judgment on Mayor James Hahns $9 billion LAX modernization
proposal. At the same time, he heads the countys most powerful labor organization
one that has an interest in seeing Hahns plan become reality because it means
an estimated 49,000 new construction jobs."
"Contreras has made no pretense of neutrality, instead serving as an enthusiastic
pitchman for Hahns airport plan. But his position on the plan and dual roles as
airport commissioner and labor leader are prompting some people in communities around LAX
to question whether Contreras has a conflict of interest." Click for
the article.
El Toro Info Site report, October 12, 2003 - updated
Smoke and Mirrors at ALUC
The Airport Land Use Commission will meet Thursday to take up the matter of two Irvine
residential apartment projects proposed for Lower Peters Canyon near the former MCAS El
Toro. The site is within the 1981 military noise footprint still embraced by the
commission.
The developer seeks to get around this obsolete barrier by employing smoke and mirrors,
provided by the Mestre Greve firm that did the County's noise reports for a commercial
airport at the site. With apparent tongue in cheek, the consultant writes that "Based
on the aircraft noise contours currently adopted by the Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC)
the project site is exposed to aircraft noise levels exceeding 60 CNEL, but less than 65
CNEL."
However, the letter notes, this nonexistent jet noise will be reduced "as long as
windows remain closed." The consultant says that since the units have air
conditioning, this should be possible. "Therefore, interior noise levels from
aircraft will be below 45 CNEL . . . consistent with the Airport Environs Land Use
Plan."
ALUC staff offers two recommendations. Find the project to be "Inconsistent with the
MCAS El Toro" land use plan. Alternatively, staff recommends granting approval
"subject to the conditions relating to an interior level of 45 CNEL" [i.e.
windows closed against the nonexistent Marine jet noise] and that "a Notice of Airport in Vicinity be given
to future occupants."
In July, the ALUC turned down a residential project in the Irvine Spectrum because it was
in the 72 CNEL zone for El Toro Marine Corps jets. See more below.
San Diego North County Times, October 12, 2003
"San Diego County can expect fight over March airport"
"Riverside ---- If San Diego County thought it could march into Riverside County and
build an international airport without significant opposition, guess again."
"'Go play in your own sand box, San Diego County,' [said] Riverside County Supervisor
Bob Buster last week. The way Buster sees it, this is another in a long string of attempts
by wealthy, elitist coastal counties to push unwanted dumps, jails, traffic and airport
noise into 'the wide open spaces' of the Inland Empire."
"Mayor Pro Tem Frank Schiavone, who represents Riverside's eastern edge, said 'You
can keep your jobs in San Diego, and you can keep all your air pollution generated by
driving to the airport.'"
Riverside County Supervisor Jim Venable [said,] "'Before you go into another
jurisdiction, it's wise to knock on the front door.'" Click for
the entire article.
Website Editor: This sounds like Orange County's
reaction to Los Angeles' secret bid to take over El Toro.
March also is on the
SCAG list of future passenger airports to pick up the load from LAX.
El Toro Info Site report, October 10, 2003
County Counsel justifies ALUC's El Toro position
Responding to Supervisor Tom Wilson's questions regarding the Airport Land Use Commission,
County Counsel Ben De Mayo lent legal justification to the ALUC's position regarding
continued land use restrictions around the former El Toro air base. Wilson wrote,
"It appears to me ALUC may need to change their AELUP [Airport Environs Land Use
Plan]." De Mayo opinioned that the state-mandated ALUC had broad discretion to
set policy as it saw fit.
De Mayo did state that ALUC could end the restrictions, which delay land use in several
cities around El Toro, if it chose to do so. The pro-airport commission majority has
repeatedly refused to take that initiative.
The County's chief lawyer gave credence to pro-El Toro diehards who cling to hopes for a
commercial airport. More than once, he noted lingering uncertainty, caused by recent
actions by the city of Los Angeles in proposing a civilian airport at the former base.
The memo justified ALUC's
continued application of military noise restrictions, put in place in 1981, to the
land outside of the base. An
October 2002 letter from the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy
(Installations & Environment) Mr. Wayne Arny, said that the military restrictions
should not be used. De Mayo gave greater weight to an earlier September 1999 letter from a
Navy lawyer and faulted the Navy for not clarifying with his office whether it had
followed formal procedures to terminate the noise restrictions.
The memo was protected from dissemination by attorney-client privilege.
El Toro Info Site report, October 9, 2003
JWA passengers up, operations down
In September, the John Wayne passenger traffic count was 693,273, an increase of 14.3%
when compared to September 2002. August's count was 845,548.
Total aircraft operations decreased 7.5% in September as compared to the same month last
year, largely as a result of a decline in general aviation.
El Toro Info Site report, October 8, 2003
The Go Slow
A neighbor commented the other day that there wasn't much El Toro news of late. That's
because everything is proceeding at a crawl. Whether it's intentionally or not, we can not
tell.
The settlement
conference - for the AWG's lawsuit against the Navy's environmental impact study -
was scheduled for September 22 but didn't happen. The study must be finished before the
land is sold. It is rumored that they are arguing over how much money Barbara Lichman will
make.
There has been more slippage in the release of the long awaited
passenger studies conducted at LAX and Ontario airports in 2001. Our California
Public Records Act request for the information was never answered and we were stuck having
to either wait or file a lawsuit. The last we heard was "the very end of September or
first week of October."
Answers are promised at any moment from County Counsel to Supervisor Wilson's September 8 memo
regarding the Airport Land Use Commission. The information hopefully might budge the
recalcitrant ALUC towards lifting obsolete military land use restrictions around El Toro.
At this rate answers may arrive too late to make October's agenda.
We hope our new Governor can stand the pace of government.
OC Register, October 7, 2003
"Tustin ends years of wrangling over former Marine facility in choosing
master builder for 700 acres of land."
"Years of wrangling over the former Tustin Marine Corps Air Station came to an end
Monday evening as the City Council decided unanimously on a master developer for about 700
acres of the old base."
"Tustin Legacy Community Partners now will develop specific plans for dwellings, a
business center, a golf village, shops and a hotel. Full build-out of the old base will
take 30 years and will remake Tustin." Click for
article.
Imperial Valley Press, October 4, 2003 posted October 5, 2003
"Valley maintains spot on airport list"
"The San Diego Regional Airport Authority Board with a unanimous vote cut its list of
possible new airport sites to seven Thursday with Imperial County making the
cut."
"Imperial County advocates of a regional international airport in the region took the
vote as a good sign for progress . . . Imperial County stands as the only
non-military site remaining on the list other than Lindbergh."
Local attorney Orlando "Lanny" Foote, who has been a leading voice in Imperial
County's effort to lobby for an international cargo and passenger airport said, "San
Diego officials have two key concerns about building their international airport in
Imperial County a loss of revenue to San Diego and the issue of transportation from
this county to San Diego.
"He said an effective international airport in Imperial County would bring about an
economic benefit to San Diego by increasing activity moving to the coast, plus San Diego
would not have to deal with the air traffic."
Congressman Bob Filner, D-Chula Vista
said Friday that "The people of the Valley would welcome an airport, construction
wouldn't cost anyone their homes and with a high-speed rail connection, the airport would
be accessible from San Diego in less than 30 minutes."
Website Editor: Imperial Valley leaders echo pro-airport sentiments expressed in the
Palmdale area. This should be good news for residents of urbanized area like Orange County
who oppose close-in airport growth. Read the
entire story.
San Diego Union Tribune, October 3, 2003
"Seven sites selected for [San Diego] airport study"
"San Diego's airport agency yesterday selected five
military locations and the Imperial County desert for in-depth analysis as
potential sites for a new regional airport, but said an expanded Lindbergh Field should be
considered as a solution to the county's future needs."
"A cross-border facility that would be tied into Tijuana International Airport and a
proposed "floating airport" in the ocean were dropped as viable choices."
"In its 8-0 vote, the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority board picked
Miramar Marine Corps Air Station, East Miramar, Camp Pendleton, North Island Naval Air
Station, March Air Reserve
Base in Riverside County and the desert site to advance to the next phase of
scrutiny." March also appears on the Los Angeles-based SCAG list for future
passenger service.
The North County Times reports that "The
board's addition Thursday of a Lindbergh expansion to the list of options was unexpected,
because the staff and working group had recommended construction at a new site. But
airport board members noted it is one of the most convenient airports in the country,
being close to downtown, and that it may be difficult to find a new site."
Click
for both papers full reports.
El Toro Info Site report, October 2, 2003 - updated
SCAG reallocates airport service
Today, the Southern California Association of Governments' Transportation &
Communications Committee approved a new airport lineup for 2030. The
"preferred" regional plan removes El Toro from the previous Regional
Transportation Plan. The new forecast will be incorporated into the draft 2004 RTP and
will become the basis for federal funding requests.
It assumes LAX is capped at 78 Million Annual Passengers and John Wayne at 10.8 MAP.
March, Palmdale, and San Bernadino International, each grow to about the size of today's
John Wayne. Ontario is projected to grow from today's 6.5 MAP to 30 MAP.
Maglev high-speed rail takes on the task of getting people and product to the airports.
Links are proposed for West LA to LAX, Ontario to March, Union Station to Central OC, LAX
to Palmdale, LAX to John Wayne and the Irvine Transportation Center, Anaheim to San
Bernadino and Victorville, Victorville to Palmdale, and March Inland Port to San Diego.
The last three are scheduled for after 2030.
Click here for the Times report on other aspects of the $81 billion
transportation plan and its funding.
[San Diego] North County Times, October 1, 2003 - updated
"Six members of Congress sign letter opposing airport siting plan"
"The San Diego County Regional Airport Authority board will consider Thursday which
sites to carry forward for detailed review of their potential to replace Lindbergh Field
or to work in tandem with the cramped airport on San Diego Bay in a two-airport
system."
"Six local members of Congress on Tuesday
signed a letter to the President fo the Regional Airport Authority, calling for
four military bases
in San Diego and Riverside counties to be removed from consideration."
"But Rebecca Rudman, press secretary for [Ken] Calvert, said the Riverside County
congressman is open to exploring joint use at March."
"[Congressman] Hunter, who chairs the powerful House Armed Services Committee, in an
interview, said the study seems to be going in the wrong direction."
"'We need to start on the basis that Lindbergh is considered to be the most
convenient big-city airport in the nation ---- probably in the world,' Hunter said. 'We
should resist the temptation to build a big airport Denver-style, removed from the
population center.'"
Website Editor: Warning. We closely monitor the San Diego site search because some
still eye El Toro as the regional airport solution for Southern California. Click for
the entire article.
Click here for previous news stories