Cost
of reopening RM Airport to night operations will top $200,000,
county report says
Published
Wednesday, October 8, 2003
The
future of night operations at Rancho Murieta Airport is
in doubt following a county report on the environmental
impact of cutting or trimming trees next to the runway.
The
initial environmental report concludes that a full environmental
impact
report is necessary to evaluate the effects of the project
on woodland habitat
between the airport and the Cosumnes River.
Preparation
of the draft EIR is estimated to cost $26,850. The cost
of mitigating trees -- planting and maintaining new trees
-- would range from $200,000 to about $400,000, according
to the report. Among the trees that would be removed are
native oaks and Northern California black walnuts, the latter
tree considered extremely rare.
Other
mitigation measures will be required, carrying additional
costs, the report says. The full range of mitigation won't
be known until a full environmental impact report is done,
it says.
In February,
the airport reluctantly agreed to share the $6,500 cost
of the initial environmental study with the county. Airport
representatives offered to pay the county up to $50,000
for the cost of the entire project in an effort to restore
night operations and attract a buyer for the airport.
The
airport is owned by the estate of businessman Fred Anderson,
who died in 1997.
The
airport's permit for night operations was suspended
by the California Department of Transportation two years
ago because tall trees next to the runway pose a safety
hazard for pilots.
Arthur
J. Negrette, counsel for the airport, told the county Board
of Supervisors in February that the airport had lost a buyer
because the permit was lacking. Representatives of businesses
located at the airport testified at the same meeting about
the economic impact of the loss of night operations.
Calls
to Negrette for comment about the county report were not
returned.
Last
year, the airport cut down about 20 trees on its property
to meet the Federal Aviation Administration requirements.
The remaining trees that must be addressed are on land that
the Pension Trust Fund of the Operating Engineers gave to
the county for a park in exchange for the Yellow Bridge
in 1979.
According
to the report, the trees are part of a riparian forest that
provides "valuable nesting and roosting habitat" for
many species, including more than half a dozen birds protected
by federal or state law -- Swainson's hawk, the barn
owl, great egret and others.
The
report states that, "The proposed project will remove a
substantial portion
of mature riparian forest," creating significant impacts
to the area's biological resources.
The
study was prepared by the county Department of Environmental
Review and Assessment and released in late July. The airport
had 10 days to appeal DERA's conclusions, but did
not, according to a letter that was sent to the supervisors
Sept. 12 by the county parks department.
