Galanter sees airport in AV future

Los Angeles City Department of Airports and city officials revealed the master plan Friday, which calls for spending up to $12 billion expanding the overcrowded terminal by 60%.

"I think it's important that we have a master plan and it's important to modernize and expand aviation in Southern California. I'm not convinced it is appropriate to do that at just one airport," she said.

The councilwoman said she believes the other options need to be fully studied.

"I believe they have been awfully quick to write off Palmdale as an option in view of the fact that we own land there," Galanter said.

In addition to the terminal and facilities the Palmdale Regional Airport has at Air Force Plant 42, there also is a separate 17,000 acres available for development.

But even on the surface of the proposal are inherent problems she said she doesn't believe have been fully considered - like safety and environment.

"Nobody will tell us how many airplanes will be in that space in a 24-hour period. Safety of people on the ground and in the air must be our first consideration," she said.

Traffic congestion on the 405 and 105 freeways leading to the airport already is serious, not to mention the drops of jet fuel that constantly fall over Los Angeles, Galanter said.

"If we have airplanes circling in our airspace and they drop jet fuel all the time, how safe is that?" Galanter asked.

About 58 million people are expected to use the airport this year, well over the 40 million passengers the facilities were designed to handle, officials said.

"The primary issue is the increased demand for air service in the Southern California area," said Jack Driscoll, department of airports executive director.

Dan Garcia, Los Angeles Airport Association president, agreed.

"The bottom line is that if we are unable to meet the capacity of continued growth these planes will go somewhere else," Garcia said.

Lancaster Mayor Frank Roberts said he is angered by the projections in the master plan that claim Palmdale will see a flat 1% growth during the next twenty years.

Roberts and other Antelope Valley leaders have said they believe that high-speed rail will happen before 2010 because of the population boom here, and airport services are a necessary part of that growth.

High-speed rail also could negate arguments that Palmdale is too far - 50 miles away - to help. But the eventual 20-minute trips to and from Palmdale and LAX could come much sooner if a first section of the high-speed-rail systems connected Los Angeles and Palmdale, Roberts said.

But the Lancaster mayor also said access to land really isn't an issue because ticket prices can go up to accommodate the purchase of more land that Los Angeles officials approve.

Roberts might not be wrong.

Debt will be financed through bonds and could be repaid through higher airline landing fees, hikes in rents on terminals and cargo warehouses or surcharges on airline tickets, officials said.

"I don't think that's a good use of taxpayer money to overlook Palmdale," he said.

Los Angeles officials before they approve the plan will have to determine the additional dangers of thousands more aircraft over the city and have a job convincing other communities around LAX to go along with the master plan.

Residents in neighboring communities are expected to oppose the expansion because they are already annoyed by jet noise, fuel odors, and bumper to bumper traffic.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.