COMMUNITY COMMENTARY

Thomas Cole Edwards

Recently the Pilot printed a letter from a South County anti-El Toro

Airport resident, in response to Costa Mesa Councilwoman Heather Somers’

thoughtful piece on the closure and transformation of the El Toro Marine

base to a commercial airport (“Airport column skewed facts,” Dec. 11).

With regard to the points that were made by the writer, I respond as

follows:

1. The majority of Orange County residents have spoken twice on this

issue. The Board of Supervisors did not hijack the planning process for

El Toro. In fact, through two public and countywide elections, the people

of Orange County determined that they wanted a reasonable and equitable

basis for the planning of the closure at El Toro. When invited to

participate, the cities of Irvine and Lake Forest have boycotted the

process. Moreover, some at the federal government level have labeled the

county’s planning process “...the most democratic base closure process in

the United States...”

2. There is an incredible demand for more air capacity in the region. The

demand for increased air traffic capacity is not a figment of anyone’s

imagination. Regional demand will be 23 million passengers annually by

the year 2010, 55 million passengers annually by the year 2020. This may

be more than can be handled by El Toro and John Wayne combined. These

figures have been supported by every regional study done in the last 15

years. These figures and their analysis are supported by the FAA, as well

as Southern California Assn. of Governments (SCAG), as well as P & D

Technologies. Presently, 46% of Orange County passengers must use

facilities other than JWA. By the year 2010 that figure will be 72%.

Additionally, 96% of all cargo must be processed outside the county. That

is money out of the pockets of Orange County businesses.

3. There is no plan for 824 flights a day, 24 hours per day at El Toro. I

emphasize again, there are no plans, for 824 flights, 24 hours per day at

El Toro. In fact, there are no plans whatsoever with regards to El Toro.

At present, all that is being prepared is the necessary environmental

documentation pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Affairs

Act, which I might add, is being highly scrutinized by South County to

determine what the effects of various scenarios would be on El Toro.

4. The sole reason for the initiative proposed by South County is to

derail the needed airport at El Toro. The sole purpose proposed for the

March 7 ballot initiative is to subvert the planning process presently in

place and approved by the electorate in two general countywide elections.

Moreover, if the comments of their supporters are any indication, it is

their attempt, to shut down the current planning process and expand John

Wayne Airport.

Take a look at what is being proposed in a positive attempt by different

community leaders in the county and recently adopted unanimously by the

Board of Directors of the Orange County Regional Airport Authority. These

are the representatives of the cities of Anaheim, Garden Grove, Newport

Beach, Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Cypress, Fullerton, Los Alamitos, Orange,

Placentia, Seal Beach, Stanton, Tustin, Villa Park and Yorba Linda. An

organization which represents approximately 1.2 million people in Orange

County.

1. Orange County should have a dual airport system utilizing John Wayne

and El Toro.

2. John Wayne will serve 9 million annual passengers on its 490 acres;

and

3. El Toro will serve 18 million annual passengers on its 4,700-acre

facility and its surrounding 14,000-acre no-home zone in 2010.

4. El Toro will be modeled after John Wayne and contain the same noise

mitigation measures currently in place at John Wayne.

It appears that now is the time for the leaders in the county to come

together and lead this process into the new millennium. Now is not the

time for more divisive tactics and misinformation and political

posturing. As evidenced by the 15 cities of the airport authority, they

have shown their good faith. Now is the time for the people of South

County to show their good faith in dealing with an issue that affects the

entire region.

THOMAS COLE EDWARDS is a Newport Beach resident, longtime airport

activist and a former mayor.