Letters to the Editor:

Open letter to Governor Schwarzenegger,As we approach Earth Day 2009, it is appropriate and timely to now write this letter to you. After all, you are a champion of fighting global warming, and you would no doubt want your children to inherit a more environmentally friendly Earth. Over the past 25 years thousands of residents living around Santa Monica Airport have undergone a most egregious environmental assault. Their fresh ocean breezes have been transformed into a most foul-smelling and a potentially very toxic mix. Parents worry about letting their children play outdoors, and often have to close the doors and windows to stop the odors from entering their homes. It is only fair to assume that you, as a private jet user of Santa Monica Airport, are not aware of the magnitude of this critical situation. As Governor of the great state of California, who also has the added benefit of tremendous celebrity status, you certainly can influence public awareness about this unconscionable environmental injustice, as well as champion legislative action to stop it.Twenty-five years ago there were about 1,000 jet operations at Santa Monica Airport and residents were concerned then, mostly about the noise. Today jet traffic has grown to about 18,000 operations. One need only to visit the airport’s surrounding neighborhoods to understand the enormousness and extent of the increase in air pollution as well as noise pollution residents have literally had shoved down their ears, noses, and throats. A 1989 Department of Transportation/Federal Aviation Administration memo, regarding the installation of a planned new Instrument Landing System (ILS) at Santa Monica Airport, warns of a Critical Jet Blast Area; stating, “Since prolonged exposure to jet fumes is dangerous to the health of personnel working on the system… Therefore, no jet aircraft shall be permitted to park or hold within 300 feet of the ILS equipment…” I ask why, since 1989, the date of this memo, residents living closer than 300 feet from the jet blast have fallen under the radar with regard to the risk from jet fumes to their health. It is, again, an unconscionable environmental injustice, but one that you can directly help us with.Governor, now that you are aware of the deleterious effect that jet engine exhaust has on human health, I am confident that you will choose not to use Santa Monica Airport when traveling by private jet to and from Sacramento. You can certainly set an example for others to follow. Please, help make it possible for the children to play outdoors again by terminating your use of Santa Monica Airport.Martin RubinDirectorConcerned Residents Against Airport Pollution