INGLEWOOD—Assemblymember Curren Price announces that he has begun issuing letters to groups and parties outlining his long- standing opposition to LAX expansion this week. While the December, 2005, agreement outlined the need for open, community involvement and to move the inner runway closer to the center of the airport, a surprise suggestion from Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) on June 1st of this year describes the “Optimal Option” plan, which would move the future new runway 340 feet north of its original plan. This “Optimal Option” would require the removal of one- third of the Westchester business district as well as many private residential homes and community apartment housing areas.

In his letter, the Assemblyman states: “The proposed expansion will have a detrimental effect across the 51st Assembly District. Not only will Westchester be severely and negatively impacted, but so will the City of Inglewood, the area of Lennox and the other communities that I represent, because we are already directly under, next to, and surrounding the flight path and proposed expansion areas.”

LAWA has argued that safety concerns regarding flight paths of airplanes are the reason for the new proposal. However, Assemblymember Price believes that cited safety studies have been flawed and that alternative paths have not been sufficiently explored. He also points to the health effects of poor air quality when he says that any LAX expansion could cause even more problems to residents in his district.

According to the Environmental Defense Fund, health effects of unclean air include asthma, heart and lung disease, cancer, and bronchitis. Experts point out that persons already suffering from asthma can experience much more severe and longer- lasting attacks when they reside in places with unclean air. Other international studies have focused on the impact of noise pollution both in terms of heart rate, stress, and hearing, but have not been performed in the LAX area.

“I agree that a more comprehensive study must be done to accurately measure the total impact that the proposed expansion will have on our community, including reports that will cover the proposed expansion’s environmental impact as well as how it would affect the health of our residents,” said Assemblymember Price. “I wholeheartedly support the motion requesting that the Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) work with a panel of community representatives to select an objective firm to conduct a more comprehensive study that examines alternatives to runway movement.”