Capistrano Unified School District

WHEREAS, the Marine Corps Air Station El Toro is scheduled for closure by the year 1999; and

WHEREAS, the Orange County Board of Supervisors has certified an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) in December 1996 for the development of a commercial passenger and cargo airport at the site of the MCAS El Toro; and

WHEREAS, the Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD) serves over 38,000 kindergarten through twelfth grade students at thirty-nine school sites located in the cities of Dana Point, Laguna Niguel, Mission Viejo, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano and in multiple communities located in unincorporated areas of south Orange County that will be impacted by the proposed airport; and

WHEREAS, 6357 students attend Moulton, Wood Canyon, Oak Grove, and Foxborough Elementary Schools, Aliso Viejo Middle School and Aliso Niguel High School which are located in the proposed flight pattern and on or near the border of the 85 dBA Single Event Noise Exposure Level Contours maps of the EIR; and

WHEREAS, according to the EIR, aircraft will pass over these CUSD Schools twenty times per hour; and

WHEREAS, the negative environmental impacts of noise and air pollution of the proposed airport on the health and learning of the 38,000 students in CUSD and the 6357 students who attend schools located in the flight pattern have not fully been disclosed or analyzed in the EIR; and

WHEREAS, according to a new study completed by Cornell University, the environmental impacts of noise are known to have negative effects on the ability of students to learn; and

WHEREAS, the adverse environmental impacts of air pollution on the health of students have been well documented; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of the CUSD is responsible for providing an environment conducive to learning; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of the CUSD is responsible for fostering the safety and security of its students on the school sites;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees of the CUSD strongly opposes the location of a commercial passenger and cargo airport at the present site of the MCAS El Toro and urges the adoption of Reuse Alternatives that will not negatively impact the health and learning of students in the CUSD.

Approved and adopted this 9th day of June, 1997.