FAA to Evaluate Airport Proposal
The head of the Federal Aviation Administration said Thursday that the agency will perform an independent evaluation of whether a commercial airport is suited for the closed El Toro Marine base.
Jane F. Garvey, the FAA’s administrator, said in an interview that the agency will conduct public hearings in Orange County next year on the environmental impact of an airport on surrounding neighborhoods and will weigh factors such as noise and the availability of other travel options.
The review is separate from environmental studies being conducted by the county and Navy.
“The FAA historically has not been very vocal at these early [planning] stages,” Garvey said during a meeting with Times editors and reporters. “Generally, our role is in technical expertise, [but] some of our environmental folks are getting more involved.”
Garvey pledged that the agency’s review will provide broad leeway for examining the airport’s impact, including safety concerns and worries about jet noise.
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