LOS ANGELES, April 28, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- Mayor Jim Hahn and Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) today released the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) for the modernization of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The Enhanced Safety and Security Plan Alternative D -- the first comprehensive long-range plan in nearly a half-century for improving LAX -- is now ready to begin an extensive approvals process that will come before the City Council for final approval by the end of the summer.
"This is an important step toward bringing LAX into the 21st century," said Mayor Hahn. "Now we need to focus on building consensus and moving forward to make LAX safer and more convenient for passengers."
The plan designs the future airport to accommodate approximately 78.9 million annual passengers and 3.1 million annual tons of cargo. These traffic volumes are consistent with the goals established in the Southern California Association of Governments Regional Transportation Plan to promote growth of underutilized airports in outlying areas.
"Alternative D will ensure that LAX does not shoulder the increased demand for air transportation and has been designed to help disperse air traffic throughout the region," said Mayor Hahn.
Action taken by the City Council will be incorporated into the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for federal review leading to the Record of Decision. The LAX Master Plan was placed on a federal streamlining list in 2003 to help facilitate the environmental review process at the federal level.
"The release of the final report gives us the ability to hold a final round of public hearings on the LAX Master Plan," said LAWA's Deputy Executive Director of Long-Range Planning Jim Ritchie. "After nearly a decade of planning on a wide range of alternatives, we look forward to receiving final approvals so construction can begin soon."
The approximately $9-billion plan will be designed and constructed in phases beginning in 2005 and continuing through 2015. Construction will be financed through a combination of airport funding mechanisms, including revenue bonds, grants, concession revenues, Passenger Facility Charges, leases and landing fees. Mayor Hahn has pledged that no taxpayer dollars would be expended from the City's General Fund for this project.
The plan addresses four crucial areas: (1) airfield, including runway and taxiway safety improvements; (2) ground access (roadways, transit), automobile parking and rental cars; (3) terminal facilities; and (4) security concerns.
The construction of airport improvements suggested in the plan would create nearly 49,000 direct construction-related jobs, pumping millions of dollars into the local economy. Mayor Hahn said it would be the largest public works project in America to require Project Labor Agreements.
The approval process will include at least six public hearings and LAWA today announced plans for a workshop to explain the process and initial public hearings in the next 60 days. Additional public hearings will be announced at least 30 days before they are scheduled.
Background
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and LAWA published the initial Draft EIS/EIR for improvements at LAX on January 18, 2001. In accordance with federal and state requirements, the Draft EIS/EIR was circulated for public review. The review period closed on November 9, 2001.
Nine public hearings were held during the public review period. Subsequent to the close of the public comment period on the Draft EIS/EIR, the FAA and LAWA prepared a Supplement to the Draft EIS/EIR to provide for the Enhanced Safety and Security Alternative (Alternative D).
The Supplement to the Draft EIS/EIR was circulated for public review on July 9, 2003, with the review period closing on November 7, 2003. Twelve public hearings were held during this review period.
As required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the FAA and LAWA jointly prepared responses to all comments received on the Draft EIS/EIR and the Supplement to the Draft EIS/EIR. In accordance with the State CEQA Guidelines, the focus of the responses to comments was on "the disposition of significant environmental issues raised." Detailed responses were not required or provided to comments on the merits of the proposed action or on other topics not related to environmental issues.
About the LAX Master Plan and Related City Planning Documents
The LAX Master Plan is a general description of the projects planned for LAX which, when combined, provide an overview of what LAX will look like at 2015. It contains four "build" alternatives (A, B, C and D) and one "No Action/No Project" alternative. The staff-preferred alternative is Alternative D.
The LAX Plan is separate from the LAX Master Plan. It is a part of the City General Plan that lays out broad, generalized land-use designations, with associated goals, objectives and policies. It provides a guide for the development of the projects described in the LAX Master Plan.
The LAX Plan will replace the LAX Interim Plan approved by the Board of Airport Commissioners and the City Planning Commission on July 2, 1980, and adopted by the City Council on January 12, 1981. It was intended to be used as a short-term, general guide for coordinating the development of airport facilities with that of the surrounding communities. Prior to development of the Interim Plan, the last LAX Plan was developed in the 1950s to prepare the airport for the jet age.
The LAX Specific Plan is a more detailed regulatory instrument that establishes how projects described in the Master Plan and consistent with the LAX Plan is processed for approval. It also establishes more detailed guidelines for development and links projects to various mitigation measures and commitments made in the LAX Master Plan.
The FEIR will be posted on the project website at www.laxmasterplan.org, and all program documents are available for review at the LAX Master Plan Public Reading Room located in the Imperial Terminal/Flight Path Learning Center, Room 10-A, 6661 Imperial Highway, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.