Few Turn Out to Oppose LAX Plan

More empty chairs than occupied ones sat in an El Segundo hotel ballroom Monday as a crowd of about 100 people living near Los Angeles International Airport turned out to voice opposition to the proposed $12-billion airport expansion.

Organizers of the town hall meeting had expected four times as many people to show up for an opportunity to add their comments to a 12,000-page report detailing the expansion’s potential environmental impact.

“It’s extremely important for people to stay involved,” said San Francisco attorney Clem Shute.

Planners believe that over the next 25 years, regional demand will jump to 167 million passenger-trips a year. By restricting the ability of LAX to absorb those passengers, the Southern California Assn. of Governments hopes to force development of regional airports, particularly the building of an airport at the site of the closed El Toro Marine base in Orange County and the expansion of Ontario Airport in San Bernardino County.

Earlier this year, people attending meetings similar to Monday’s in Los Angeles have worn T-shirts that read, “LAX Expansion No! El Toro Yes!”

El Segundo Mayor Mike Gordon said airport officials and the Federal Aviation Administration have scheduled simultaneous hearings on the environmental report June 9 in three cities, in what he called an apparent effort to disperse opponents. The cities are Inglewood, Manhattan Beach and Los Angeles.

“The simple fact is that we cannot let up now,” said Gordon, who chaired the meeting. “I pledge to you that as long as I have a breath I will fight this until it is dead, dead, dead.”

Residents at the meeting were able to dictate their comments on the expansion to a court reporter, who then typed them for the resident to sign so they could become part of the environmental report.

Comments also may be filed with Los Angeles World Airports until July 25, and Gordon told the meeting: “Every one of you needs to respond on how this affects your life.”

Herbert Kelly, a retired union official, stood in line to dictate his comments to the court reporter. Kelly said he has lived in El Segundo 40 years and has observed the air quality growing worse.

“You don’t notice it,” he said. “Then you wonder why you feel bad.”

Kelly said he went to Salt Lake City recently for his granddaughter’s wedding and “suddenly I felt much better. In fact, I was feeling great. Then I came back and started feeling bad again. It feels like the air is closing in. It makes you feel tired and weak.”

An environmental impact report released in January found that the proposed expansion would significantly increase air and noise pollution.