LAX expansion causes outrage

Regional Partnership to eye statement rapping proposal

The Antelope Valley Regional Partnership meets today to mold a policy statement to let department representatives know exactly what the community thinks about extending the airport into the ocean.

The expansion idea was suggested by the Landrum and Brown Inc. consulting firm, which recently completed the first phase of a year-old LAX master plan. The consultant said expansion would double the airport's economic impact to $112 billion and nearly double the number of jobs in the region to 950,000.

Lancaster Mayor George Runner, a member of the local group, said the 17,700 acres of land the airport department owns in Palmdale should be considered before ocean expansion is pursued.

"Obviously, we have concerns. (The airport) has problems all over the place. The airport is in the midst of a populated area. That's why they bought the land out here," Runner said.

Building runways into the ocean isn't a new idea, but it isn't a very good one, said Larry Chimbole, chairman of the Palmdale Regional Airport Advisory Council. Aside from the additional congestion and inconvenience to travelers, it easily could take 15 years to jump the environmental hoops, he said.

"I question the validity of the idea. It would create safety problems and exacerbate the traffic problems," Chimbole said.

The council chairman said development of the Palmdale Airport also could serve Kern and San Bernardino county residents.

Jack Driscoll, Los Angeles Department of Airports general manager, said last month the concept might not be possible, but it is one of the options that is being pursued.

"It doesn't make sense to put all your eggs in one basket when there are other options like Palmdale," said Vern Lawson Jr., Lancaster Economic Development Corp. executive director.

Sherry Lasagna, Antelope Valley deputy to County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich, asked the partnership to talk about a response to the plan.

"I thought someone should take a stance and let them know this is a really bad idea," Lasagna said.

United Express provides daily scheduled flights between Palmdale and LAX, while a number of passenger and cargo companies have inquired about providing service from Palmdale.

About $12 million in improvements are planned this year to make the runways better, including the addition of lights, resurfacing of runways and installation of the latest in fire-fighting training equipment.

The department of airports also has said that, if an air company plans to come to Palmdale, it will complete a multi-million-dollar project to improve the taxiways to and from the terminal so they can handle heavier aircraft.