ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES RELEASED FOR LAX MODERNIZATION; NO ADDITIONAL RUNWAY IS LAWA STAFF-RECOMMENDED ALTERNATIVE
(Los Angeles, California - January 18, 2001) Backed by a broad coalition of business organizations and organized labor, Los Angeles Mayor Richard J. Riordan and Los Angeles airport officials today released a Joint Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) with accompanying documents, including a Draft LAX Master Plan, to guide the future development of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) for the first 15 years of the new century.
The documents analyze four airport alternatives. These studies were jointly prepared by Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) and the Federal Aviation Administration, along with participation by the Federal Highway Administration. Based on the results of the environmental studies, Los Angeles World Airports staff has formally designated a No Additional Runway option as its recommended alternative.
"LAX is Los Angeles' portal to the world and is absolutely vital to our city's economic health and prosperity," said Mayor Riordan. "Preserving its ability to function smoothly and efficiently -- while still protecting our airport's neighbors -- is as necessary and fundamental as keeping our local roads and water systems in top working order. The modernization of LAX will make our airport an even better experience for the more than 65 million people who travel through it every year."
John J. Agoglia, president of the Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners, said, "The Master Plan includes a complete analysis of regional aviation needs and what part each of the region's airports can play in meeting those needs." He added, "In order to provide a balanced approach, the staff has opted against trying to meet all of the expected demand for air service at LAX and decided to focus on the piece that LAX is uniquely suited for -- its role as one of the nation's three primary international gateways."
Nearly all of the region's major business organizations and labor unions have endorsed the staff-recommended plan, including the Greater Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, the Central City Association, the Los Angeles Visitors and Convention Bureau, the Valley Industry and Commerce Association, and many others.
"Los Angeles is the main entryway for goods sent from the Pacific Rim nations," said Ezunial Burts, president of the Greater Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce. "Without a strong aviation infrastructure here, the entire nation suffers." Burts added, "Southern California is the home to nearly 6,000 export and import businesses which export nearly $110 billion in manufactured goods. The majority of those exporters and importers are small businesses - the heart blood of our economy. Without world-class airports in the Los Angeles region, many of these small businesses will not be able to compete on a world-class level."
Richard Slawson, executive secretary of the Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council, AFL-CIO, added, "The staff-recommended alternative assures that the flying public will benefit, our overall economy will be strengthened, and the working men and women who build the airport will receive good wages and benefits. We look forward to beginning this great project and the labor movement is fully supportive. We have the skilled workers and are very positive about being part of rebuilding this major economic asset for our
city and region."
According to airport officials, by nearly every criterion, the No Additional Runway Alternative performed best in the environmental studies developed during the planning effort. In many important ways, it achieved lesser environmental impacts than the legally mandated No Action/No Project benchmark alternative. The staff-recommended alternative identified in the Draft EIS/EIR and accompanying Draft LAX Master Plan released today:
- Assumes the LAX share of regional passenger service will drop sharply from 75 percent to less than 60 percent, as other airports take on increasing flight loads over the next 15 years.
- Accommodates 90 percent of the passenger demand and 100 percent of the air cargo demand projected for LAX by 2015, while only increasing average daily flights by four percent.
- Significantly reduces the peak-hour traffic gridlock problem in the Central Terminal Area and vastly improves traveler convenience.
- Creates 75,000 new jobs in the region while increasing the regional economic contributions of LAX from $60 billion to $82 billion annually by 2015.
- Includes a congestion relief package for surface streets and freeways that, when completed, will mitigate impacts of the next 15 years of increased airport traffic.
- Accelerates and expands the airport's existing noise mitigation program.
- Analyzes scores of potential air pollution mitigation measures and proposes a list of more than two dozen measures for final consideration.
- Establishes a proactive environmental justice program that will be developed in close collaboration with the low-income and communities of color surrounding the airport.
LAWA Executive Director Lydia H. Kennard said, "This marks a new phase in what has been an extremely thorough public consultation process." She added, "The next step will be an unprecedented 180-day comment period, four times the normal period. We will then respond to comments and make any needed revisions based on the public input. The result will be a Final Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report that we will forward to the Board of Airport Commissioners, the Los Angeles City Planning Commission, and the Los Angeles City Council for review and action."
The plan and environmental studies are the product of six years of public input, planning, and scientific analysis. Airport officials have held more than 400 formal and informal meetings with affected communities and their elected representatives. A team of experts in dozens of environmental and airport planning disciplines participated in developing this blueprint for the future of LAX.
The Joint Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report, including the Draft LAX Master Plan - a full 12,000 pages of documentation -- is available to the public for review in a variety of ways. Copies will be available in 18 local and regional libraries, at the LAX Proud Bird Restaurant, and other locations across the region. The documents can also be viewed on the Internet atwww.laxmasterplan.org or purchased in various formats or CD-ROM by calling Printco Graphics at (323) 727-6868.
Other related documents (in Adobe Acrobat PDF format):
