Seal Beach board asks Huntington Beach for clearer Pacific Air Show EIR, votes to send six-point comment letter

The Seal Beach Environmental Quality Control Board on March 19 reviewed the draft environmental impact report (EIR) for the Pacific Air Show/Huntington Beach project and voted unanimously to have staff prepare a comment letter highlighting gaps and proposed mitigations.

Board members said the EIR’s project description and analysis are incomplete, and raised particular concern about biological impacts to Bolsa Chica, the proposed use of a temporary landing strip on the beach, unassessed streamer/pyrotechnic debris, and flight-related noise — including planned nighttime flyovers tied to an evening concert that could continue until 11 p.m. The board asked Huntington Beach to provide clearer itineraries, a defined flight path, and explicit descriptions of what the EIR means by “pyrotechnics.”

Why it matters: board members said the combination of extended event days and flight activity increases the likelihood of repeated disturbance to birds, greater noise exposure for residents and pets, and new hazards associated with aircraft operations on the beach. The board’s comments will become part of the public record for Huntington Beach to address in the final EIR; the public comment period in the draft EIR runs through April 7.

Board concerns and requested clarifications - Project description and scope: The board said the EIR repeatedly limited impacts analysis to the show center area but omitted the flight path and aerial activity footprint; members asked that the project area be defined to include flight corridors, streamer dispersal zones and any beach runway or landing area. The board requested a clear daily itinerary that explains which days will include aircraft demonstrations versus on-shore activities.

- Biological impacts and monitoring: Members said the draft EIR did not adequately analyze effects on birds using the Bolsa Chica wetlands and other off-shore or near-shore habitat. The board cited past events in which low, noisy flights flushed birds. Members asked for expanded biological assessment, on-site monitoring in the flight path and Bolsa Chica (not only at the show center), and at least daily biological monitoring when beach landings or low-altitude operations are planned.

- Hazards from beach operations and streamers: The board objected to the plan for short takeoff/landing operations on a temporary beach runway without robust bird-avoidance procedures. Members also asked the EIR to analyze risks from streamers or other devices dropped from aircraft, request retrieval plans, and evaluate fire or entanglement hazards if debris lands on equipment, wetlands or in the ocean.

- Noise from aircraft and evening activities: Board members noted that the EIR focused on concert noise but largely omitted aircraft noise impacts on neighborhoods such as Seal Beach. The board highlighted that planned evening activities and flyovers tied to concerts that could run until 11 p.m. would increase exposure, and asked the city to assess flight noise, compare it to local exterior noise limits and propose feasible mitigations (for example restricting flight operations to Friday–Sunday, limiting night flights, or restricting flight paths over residential areas).

- Event duration and alternatives: Members questioned the EIR’s dismissal of the 2023-style, three-day air show alternative (referenced in the draft EIR as the 2023 air show alternative). The board requested that Huntington Beach re-evaluate that alternative under CEQA standards because board members judged it likely to meet most project objectives while causing fewer environmental and community impacts.

- Public-health and community mitigations: The board requested practical mitigation ideas such as public warnings about high noise levels, encouraging or providing hearing protection for long-exposure attendees, and clearer outreach on impacts to pets and residents who work or attend school during weekday events.

Votes at a glance - Motion to approve the meeting agenda: approved, 4–0. - Motion to approve minutes from the Feb. 19, 2025 EQCB meeting: approved, 4–0. - Motion directing staff to draft a comment letter on the Pacific Air Show/Huntington Beach draft EIR with the board’s six core comments (project scope clarity; noise analysis including flight noise; event duration and weekday impacts; Bolsa Chica biological impacts and mitigation; reconsidering the 2023 three-day alternative; and biological monitoring for beach landings): approved, 4–0. The roll-call during that vote recorded aye votes from Board Member Villanueva, Board Member Depew, Chair Perrault, and Board Member Horning.

Process and next steps Staff said the board’s consolidated comments will be used to prepare a draft letter; the board may review the letter for copy edits but cannot add substantive items after the meeting without risking a Brown Act serial-meeting violation. The draft EIR’s public comment period closes April 7; the board’s comments will be part of the record the lead agency must respond to in the final EIR. The board also instructed staff to place a separate requested agenda item to consider changing the board’s regular meeting time (discussion to be noticed and voted at a future meeting).

Other staff updates At the end of the meeting staff said the city’s housing element EIR remains in internal review and is expected to be released in the coming months. Board members also suggested inviting Orange County environmental health or related agencies to brief the board on the downtown G & M site risk assessment, and highlighted an upcoming Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority workshop that may be of interest.

The board’s letter will be drafted by staff and circulated for non-substantive edits before submission to Huntington Beach.