BILL NUMBER: AJR 41	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Lieu

                        APRIL 20, 2010

   Relative to Santa Monica Airport.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AJR 41, as introduced, Lieu. Santa Monica Airport.
   This measure would memorialize the Federal Aviation
Administration, the federal Environmental Protection Agency, the
federal Department of Transportation, and the members of the
California congressional delegation to work collaboratively to review
noise levels and the safety of flight operations at Santa Monica
Airport, to carefully examine the air pollution impact on the
communities that surround the airport, and to enlist the help of
expert scientists to study the effects of emissions from the airport
and apply that science into remediation efforts, among other things.

   Fiscal committee: no.



   WHEREAS, The Santa Monica Municipal Airport was established in
1917 and is one of the oldest and largest general aviation airports
in the South Coast Air Quality Management District today and located
in the heart of a residential community; and
   WHEREAS, Since the 1980s, a number of changes have taken place
with respect to aircraft operations at Santa Monica Airport,
including the changing of Federal Aviation Administration flight
rules to require jet aircraft to receive permission from air traffic
controllers at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) before taking
off, which has created significant departure delays at Santa Monica
Airport and forced jet aircraft to idle with their engines running
for longer times while awaiting permission from LAX to take off; and
   WHEREAS, More large, high-polluting jet aircraft use Santa Monica
Airport than ever before and, in recent years, the number of jet
aircraft operations at Santa Monica Airport has increased
exponentially, from an annual total of 1,000 in 1984 to tens of
thousands today; and
   WHEREAS, The ocean breezes can carry the jet emissions into the
residential neighborhoods to the east of Santa Monica Airport,
replacing the fresh ocean breezes with the strong odor of jet fuel
that very often enters into homes and infringes upon the right of the
people to breathe clean air; and
   WHEREAS, Residents surrounding Santa Monica Airport experience
negative effects on their health and quality of life from noise and
air pollution, effects that are exacerbated by jet aircraft that idle
for long periods of time; and
   WHEREAS, Numerous studies on, or including, Santa Monica Airport
have indicated the possibility of significant long-term health risk
impacts of toxic and associated pollutants generated from the Santa
Monica Airport, but a lack of data on general aviation emissions has
inhibited more comprehensive studies on the local and short-term
impacts of the airport's pollution on surrounding communities; and
   WHEREAS, Studies also recognize a need to establish at least a
minimum distance between homes and aircraft operations. A recent
study by the University of California at Los Angeles recommends a
minimum distance of at least 660 meters between the aircraft
operations at Santa Monica Airport and the neighboring community; and

   WHEREAS, The existing situation is unacceptable and the federal
government in general, and the Federal Aviation Administration in
particular, must do more to eradicate air and noise pollution
relative to the Santa Monica Airport because the federal government
claims that the City of Santa Monica is preempted from doing more to
address these concerns pursuant to the federal Clean Air Act (42
U.S.C. Sec. 7401 et seq.) and other federal laws; now, therefore, be
it
   Resolved by the Assembly and the Senate of the State of
California, jointly, That the Legislature respectfully memorializes
the Federal Aviation Administration, the federal Environmental
Protection Agency, the federal Department of Transportation, and the
members of our congressional delegation to work collaboratively to
review noise levels, the safety of flight operations at Santa Monica
Airport, and to carefully examine the air pollution impact on the
surrounding communities; and be it further
   Resolved, That the entities memorialized above enlist the help of
expert scientists to study the effects of emissions from Santa Monica
Airport and apply that science into remediation efforts; and be it
further
   Resolved, That the entities memorialized above work together to
develop and offer federally funded and provided relocation assistance
to affected homeowners who desire it; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Legislature strongly urges the Federal Aviation
Administration to honor the decision of the City of Santa Monica to
increase safety precautions at Santa Monica Airport, and restrict the
use of Category C and D aircraft at Santa Monica Airport and limit
the fuel these jets are allowed to carry when taking off from Santa
Monica Airport; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the Administrator of the Federal Aviation
Administration, to the United States Secretary of Transportation, to
the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and to each
Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the
United States.