Airport Site
When I read Jeffrey Perlman’s report “Orange County Is Out as Site for New Airport,” I was thoroughly disgusted with our politicians who are supposed to work for and protect the best interests of the public. Apparently this is not true, as they flagrantly make decisions that cost the taxpayers hundreds of millions--making the same mistakes they overlooked at John Wayne Airport, Los Angeles International and hundreds of others throughout the United States!
Two years ago, the Airport Site Coalition was charged with the responsibility of selecting a site that was centrally located, had rail and freeway access, no noise pollution of residential areas, no obstructions to takeoffs or landings and convenient to the counties of Orange, San Diego, Imperial and Riverside!
The beachfront Las Pulgas site at Camp Pendleton has 100% of all these requirements and, in addition to being the safest, could be rated as a AAA World Class International Airport!
However, the Marine Corps doggedly refuses to give up the small area needed, even when they know the site would not be completed and operational until the year 2010!
It is the only airport site that could take the overload from John Wayne Airport and relieve the residents of Newport Beach from the stress they are now suffering. It could also take a sizable portion of the overload from LAX.
Why does the Marine Corps spitefully ignore the chronic needs of 40 million airline passengers--the predicted shortfall by 2010? Camp Pendleton was labeled “a wartime need” when it was wrested from the Flood family in 1939. Since 1945, a very large part of this acreage is seldom, if ever, used.
OTTO C. KIESSIG
Member, Airport Site Coalition
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