Gary Condit: “I rise today to put on record my concerns regarding the Airport Streamling Approval Process Act of 2002 currently under…”

“I rise today to put on record my concerns regarding the Airport Streamling Approval Process Act of 2002 currently under discussion in the House. No one can quarrel with the concept of coordinating the extensive environmental review process required for major infrastructure projects such as the airport construction. Major transportation, education, energy, and other essential infrastructure projects warrant expedited environmental review, as long as the review is thorough and complete. However, it is critical that the same standards of review be used for all such projects. In Northern California there is a very controversial and disputed proposal to expand the runways at San Francisco International Airport by filling in approximately one square mile of San Francisco Bay. For the last several years, I have impressed upon federal and state officials the importance of analyzing this proposal from the perspective of meeting the long-term challenges facing commercial aviation throughout Northern California. The runway expansion and Bay fill proposal is seen as a solution to the problem of too much air traffic and air traffic delays at SFO. But, this solution will only compound the problem of traffic gridlock on our existing freeway and highway system to and from the airport.”