Palmdale Airport

Rep. Howard P. “Buck” McKeon’s article, “Commitment Needed for Palmdale Airport Revival to Fly” (Oct. 17), accurately calls for the marketing of Palmdale Airport as a vital part of a regional solution to meeting our future air transportation needs.

The size and geography of Los Angeles County require a regional approach to meeting our future air transportation needs. However, the Los Angeles Airport Commission’s foot-dragging in developing Palmdale Airport, the use of Air Force Plant No. 42’s runways and existing terminal and the expansion of Ontario Airport only add to the increased congestion and pollution at Los Angeles International Airport. The city’s attempt to jam another 30 million passengers into LAX’s 3,500 acres and onto the 405 freeway makes no sense. Like trying to put a size 12 foot into a size 6 shoe, this one-size-fits-all solution of expanding LAX doesn’t fit the facts on how to provide for the regional air transportation needs of Los Angeles County’s 10 million citizens..

The cities of Palmdale and Ontario, as well as their surrounding communities, want to see their facilities developed. Expanding regional air transportation facilities at these airports would ease congestion and reduce pollution at LAX by providing for the transportation needs of the 6.5 million people residing in the San Gabriel, Pomona, Antelope, Santa Clarita and San Fernando valleys as well as our neighbors in San Bernardino, Orange, Riverside, Ventura and Kern counties. Los Angeles city needs to either build Palmdale Airport or sell its property to the city of Palmdale and Los Angeles County so they can build the airport that our region urgently needs.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has supported a regional airport expansion program, as have many of the county’s cities and unincorporated communities. It is time for the city of Los Angeles to move forward in developing these sites.

MICHAEL D. ANTONOVICH

Supervisor, 5th District