Board of Port commissioners Certifies Oakland International Airport’s EIR and Approves Expansion Plans

Oakland, CA, December 16, 1997 -- The Port of Oakland Board of Port Commissioners today certified Oakland International Airport's Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and approved the airport's expansion program at its bi-monthly Board Meeting.

"We've been working towards this approval for more than five years," said Director of Aviation Steve Grossman. "Today's action by the Board puts us a step closer to building an airport for the new millennium."

The Final EIR, released on December 2, incorporates the modifications and other changes in response to comments received from public agencies and the public on the draft environmental document released in September 1996.

In analyzing the expansion program components and the comments from public agencies and the general public, the document did not indicate any new significant environmental impacts or any new feasible mitigation measures, and did not recommend any other feasible build alternatives.

The expansion program, called the Airport Development Program (ADP), is a group of 18 projects to accommodate anticipated growth in passenger and cargo volume into the next century. The improvements will enable the Airport to handle approximately 13.8 million passengers and one million tons of cargo by the year 2000, increases of 42% and 63% respectively over 1996 volumes. In 1996, the Airport handled 9.7 million passengers and 615,000 tons of cargo.

Among the projects proposed in the ADP are a consolidated two-level terminal building with a common entrance, ticketing area, baggage claim facilities and central concessions court; a double-decked roadway to separate arriving and departing traffic; 12 new aircraft gates; a 6,000-space parking garage; and a new six-lane highway from I-880 at 98th Ave. into the Airport, extending into Alameda's Harbor Bay Island.

"Our airline tenants are anxious for the construction to begin. The expanded facilities will help our tenants remain competitive in the marketplace, and the improvements will make the airport more convenient, a feature demanded by our customers," said Mr. Grossman. "The project will also create 400 construction jobs and when completed, will generate an additional 3,800 permanent jobs at the Airport."

The complete Final EIR is available for review at local public libraries. A copy of the Executive Summary is also available on Oakland International Airportís website at www.oaklandairport.com.