Proposed O.C. Airport’s Cost Nearly Doubles

The cost of a proposed airport at El Toro has nearly doubled to $2.9 billion, county officials announced Thursday in a long-awaited environmental review, which also acknowledged for the first time that many areas of south Orange County will face significant jet noise.

The report, eagerly anticipated by both sides in the airport fight, also shows that the county has abandoned its promise to pursue a nighttime flight curfew. Instead, officials will try to persuade the airlines and federal government to restrict the loudest jets to daytime flights, something no other airport has accomplished.

With 10,000 pages of documentation addressing everything from the economic impact and safety concerns of the airport to traffic, pollution and noise, county officials laid out the framework for what they hope will become the second-largest commercial airport in Southern California.

County planners continued to insist Thursday that no taxpayer money would be spent on the new airport. The first phase would cost an estimated $993.4 million, with two-thirds of the money coming from bonds sold based on anticipated airport revenues, such as airline landing fees. Of the total, $130 million would come from a fee tacked onto tickets sold at El Toro and John Wayne Airport, according to the county report.

An additional $800 million would be spent in the second phase of construction, also through county revenue bonds.

The overall cost rose to $2.9 billion--nearly double the original estimate--because of added improvements such as off-site road costs, an airport transit system and other items to be privately financed.

But the details of the financial analysis also show that the county will be required to donate some taxpayer money to cover costs, said Supervisor Todd Spitzer, who opposes the airport. The report notes that on July 1, 2001, the airport would need the county to shift $19.3 million in county money to cover debt service requirements and free up that same amount to be available for El Toro, to be called Orange County International Airport.