Key Study Urges International Airport at El Toro Marine Base

A crucial study on future uses of the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station concludes that converting it into an international airport is the best option--one that would pump nearly $10 billion a year into the area’s economy while reducing noise and air pollution and adding little to traffic woes.

The draft environmental impact report, produced by Orange County staff and outside consultants, was hailed by airport supporters who believe that a major aviation hub will further revitalize the regional economy and open up lucrative business opportunities with the Pacific Rim.

But the report was immediately criticized by some southern Orange County residents who fear that their quality of life will be adversely affected by the base’s transformation into a commercial airport when the military abandons the facility by 1999.

“It’s a totally biased report focused on one solution--an international airport,” said Bill Kogerman, co-chairman of Taxpayers for Responsible Planning.

In preparing the environmental impact report, the county considered three options for future use of the 4,700-acre military base with its two gigantic airstrips:

* An international airport that could serve more than 38 million passengers a year.

* A cargo and general aviation airport.

* Educational and institutional uses, such as a campus, and visitors’ attractions, such as a theme park.

All three options had several common components, including a 1,000-acre habitat reserve, a golf course and recreational facilities, and areas set aside for research and development interests.

The report, made public Thursday at a meeting of the El Toro Citizens Advisory Commission, considered how each option would affect local noise, traffic, and the environment, as well as several financial factors, such as cost and market demands.

According to the report, an international airport landed at the top of nearly all categories.

Such a facility would cost $1.6 billion to build, but much of the cost would be borne by investors, not taxpayers, according to the report.

The report will be presented at public hearings throughout Orange County in coming weeks. The Board of Supervisors ultimately will decide how the land will be used.