Officials Want More Time from FAA to Comment on Airport Terminal Project

Los Angeles Councilman Paul Krekorian and L.A. City Attorney Mike Feuer said today that the Federal Aviation Administration is still not giving people in the San Fernando Valley enough time to comment on plans for a terminal replacement project at the Hollywood Burbank Airport.

The airport is owned by the Burbank–Glendale–Pasadena Airport Authority and controlled by the governments of those cities.

Because Los Angeles is not represented on the Airport Authority commission, public comment on airport projects is the only way for L.A. residents to be heard as part of this project’s environmental review process.

The FAA granted a 21-day extension period for public comment on the environmental report for the proposed 14-terminal replacement project. The councilman and city attorney had asked for a 75-day extension.

The public now has until Oct. 27 to comment on a nearly 3,000-page document, Krekorian said.

“The FAA’s extension falls far short of what would be an appropriate amount of time for a project of this magnitude,” Krekorian said. “Regrettably, the FAA has again missed an opportunity to demonstrate good faith to the people of the San Fernando Valley who suffer the consequences of the agency’s decisions.

“Still, this extension does give the public three more weeks to submit comments, and I urge every resident of our community who is impacted by the airport to act swiftly to make their voices heard.”

Krekorian said residents in the San Fernando Valley have already dealt with aircraft noise for years, and most recently the FAA’s NextGen strategy rerouted many flights that residents have said fly over their homes.

“Whether it’s changing flight patterns or building a new 14-gate terminal, what happens at Burbank Airport has huge implications for valley residents’ quality of life,”’ Feuer said. “We pushed the FAA for more days but got just 21. So time is short, and I encourage every resident who cares about this issue to weigh in while you can. This is a major project and it’s
imperative that the FAA hear from you.”

The environmental report addresses a number of potential effects concerning a project that could affect residents and businesses in direct proximity to the project, Feuer said.