LA World Airports reports progress on Palmdale; supervisor's office criticizes piecemeal environmental review
Loading...
Summary
Los Angeles World Airports told the City Council it has new tenants and studies underway at Palmdale Regional Airport, while a representative for Supervisor Mike Antonovich criticized LAWA's project-by-project environmental approach and urged stronger marketing to attract airlines and cargo carriers.
Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) presented a progress report on development at Palmdale Regional Airport to the Los Angeles City Council, while a representative for Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich urged stronger marketing and criticized LAWA's piecemeal environmental-review approach.
In a statement read to the council, a representative for Supervisor Antonovich said LAWA’s “piecemeal environmental analysis” — approving projects one at a time rather than a cumulative review — was delaying construction of a cargo ramp at Plant 42 and other expansion work. The letter argued that LAWA’s approach could delay projects and urged the agency to “develop effective plans for marketing and expanding regional air services before expanding LAX.” The representative also warned that failure to market Palmdale effectively could jeopardize work tied to the Department of Defense joint strike fighter program, a figure in the letter described as a $750,000,000,000 contract over 20 years and an economic impact on local subcontractors.
Lydia Kennard, executive director of LA World Airports, told the council LAWA had signed a cooperation agreement with the City of Palmdale and had attracted SR Technics (a Swissair subsidiary) to Palmdale as a major tenant. Kennard said the agency is “very, very proud of the progress” and described staff and consultant work in marketing and facilities planning.
Jim Ritchie, LAWA deputy executive director, and Jim Ledford, mayor of Palmdale, described a three-part working-group effort on marketing, facilities and transportation. Ritchie cited a set of near-term investments and studies: a $255,000 public-information/marketing commitment, a $68,000 cargo-facility study and a $360,000 regional airport connectivity study with SCAG. Ritchie said the existing terminal is currently capable of about 800,000 passengers annually and that LAWA has planning to expand capacity as demand grows; he said the cargo ramp under discussion would accommodate aircraft footprints about the size of two DC‑8s and that the agency is negotiating with the Air Force on approvals for joint use.
Council Member Ruth Galanter moved a request that LAWA report on marketing existing facilities at Palmdale and on plans to develop new facilities. The council approved the motion, 11 ayes.
Council members pressed LAWA on whether marketing should be focused beyond the Antelope Valley, and some members urged LAWA to pursue environmental clearance in advance — citing Ontario as a contrasting example where environmental review preceded construction. Kennard and Ledford said LAWA and the Palmdale working group plan continued marketing and coordination with the Air Force and other agencies.
The council did not adopt new policy language at the meeting beyond directing the report; council members said maps, charts and public training materials are being prepared as ordinance language and implementation details are finalized.
