"Court orders halt to use of two runways at Lauderdale airport"

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Hollywood, Dania view court ruling on runways at Lauderdale airport as
victory
By Thomas Monnay 
The Fort Lauderdale (FL) Sun-Sentinel

 
DANIA BEACH -- The Federal Aviation Administration should not land big
planes on the south runway at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International
Airport and stop expanding the use of the crosswind runway until it produces
an environmental impact study, according to a panel of judges from the U.S.
Appeals Court for the District of Columbia.

But for now, the FAA can continue using those runways because the final
judgment will come a week after the 45 days the agency has been given to
seek another hearing from the court, said Kathleen Bergen, an FAA
spokeswoman.
 
The ruling issued last Friday was seen as a victory for Dania Beach and
Hollywood, which took the FAA to court in hopes of restricting its use of
the runways. It also came a few weeks before Broward County commissioners
vote to chose one of several runway expansion options for the airport. The
county's vote is scheduled for June 5.

Dania Beach officials broke the news Tuesday morning at a press conference
held in Mayor Bob Anton's backyard in the presence of city officials and
about two dozen expansion opponents wearing red T-shirts saying: No Airport
Expansion."

Anton, whose Melaleuca Gardens neighborhood would be severely affected by a
proposed south runway expansion, said Dania would keep fighting the project.

"There's also a human side to this. The human side is these homes here," he
said. "There are a lot of people who are affected by this. This is not about
money; this is about people's lives."

Brenda Lee Chalifour, an attorney and consultant hired by Dania Beach, said
it was unclear whether the FAA would comply with the court's decision. But
she said Dania would keep monitoring the use of those runways, the city, if
necessary, would seek a court injunction to stop any further unauthorized
use.

She said the agency has used both runways to reduce delays at the airport by
allowing bigger planes on the south runway and using the crosswind for
purposes other than those it was designed for, such as emergencies and
special events.

"Before you use those runways, you have to do an environmental impact
study," she said.

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