El Toro airport far from in the...

El Toro airport far

from in the grave

Despite recent newspaper reports to the contrary, it looks like

the El Toro airport issue is not going away. Recently the Daily Pilot

printed letters from seven readers who come from Newport Beach, Costa

Mesa and Huntington Beach, all affirming their support for an airport

at the closed Marine Corps Air Station El Toro.

The Airport Working Group and the Orange County Regional Airport

Authority settled a lawsuit with the city of Irvine. Irvine agreed to

make improvements in its plans for disposal of toxic wastes in its

environmental impact report. Recently, the Airport Working Group

settled another lawsuit with the Navy Department that stipulated that

the Navy had to clean up the toxic plumes in three of four parcels on

the base and under the runways. Both of these settlements served to

protect the environment for Orange County residents. If either the

Navy or Irvine fail to live up to the requirements of the legal

settlements, there can be further litigation. Orange County residents

owe a great debt of gratitude to the Airport Working Group for

forcing these environmental protections.

The El Toro airport issue is not over and done with since the need

for the airport becomes more apparent with time. The presence or

absence of that airport affects not only Orange County but the whole

Southern California region. One writer, Steven P. Erie, author of

“Global L.A.: Trade, Infrastructure and Regional Development”

anticipates up to a 50% shortfall in regional airport capacity in 20

years. This issue should be decided by the larger community, not just

a group of nine South Orange County cities.

SHIRLEY A. CONGER

Corona del Mar

Maybe ‘The O.C.’ would

slip past South County

Re: Should the battle for an airport at El Toro end:

Sure! Just as long as Nimby Norby [Supervisor Chris Norby] gets

his wish to rename John Wayne Airport to “The O.C.” and they move the

whole shebang to the Great Pork ... er ... Park.

LINDA NEWMAN

Costa Mesa

A private airport,

but just how big?

I think that Donald Bren and Peter Ueberroth should buy the Marine

Corps Station at El Toro and make it a private airport. What do you

think of that?

JOSEPH GROTHUS

Newport Beach

No on St. Andrew’s, for sure

I do not want the St. Andrews Church to be allowed to expand.

Repeat: I do not think they should have a permission to expand the

church.

BRUCE TROTTER

Newport Beach