BERMAN URGES FAA TO DELAY AIRPORT-GROWTH DECISION.Byline: Lee Condon Daily News Staff Writer U.S. Rep. Howard Berman Howard Lawrence "Howie" Berman (born April 15 1941) has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1983, representing the 28th District of California (map). asked the Federal Aviation Administration Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), component of the U.S. Department of Transportation that sets standards for the air-worthiness of all civilian aircraft, inspects and licenses them, and regulates civilian and military air traffic through its air traffic control on Wednesday to delay its decision on Burbank Airport expansion plans until local officials settle differences over airport noise. "I strongly urge that the FAA refrain from issuing its record of decision on the environmental impact statement at least until the end of the six-month cooling-off period An interval of time during which no action of a specific type can be taken by either side in a dispute. An automatic delay in certain jurisdictions, apart from ordinary court delays, between the time when Divorce papers are filed and the divorce hearing takes place. ," Berman wrote in a letter to FAA Administrator David Hinson. "A wide gulf still separates proponents and opponents of airport expansion." Last month, the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority's commissioners imposed a cooling-off period that prohibits the panel from making any deals to buy land for an airport expansion for six months. The panel is looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. a mediator mediator n. a person who conducts mediation. A mediator is usually a lawyer, or retired judge, but can be a non-attorney specialist in the subject matter (like child custody) who tries to bring people and their disputes to early resolution through a conference. to help its nine members sort out their differences over expansion plans and figure out how to handle complaints from residents about airport noise. Berman, D-Mission Hills, does not represent the cities that created the Airport Authority, but he represents nearby communities that deal with the effects of airport noise. "In the East Valley, North Hollywood, Valley Village, people are very upset about airport noise," Berman said. The Burbank City Council, which is on record opposing an expansion unless noise can be reduced, also has asked that the FAA delay giving environmental clearance to the expansion plans. Along with the Burbank council members, Berman fears that the cooling-off period would be disrupted dis·rupt tr.v. dis·rupt·ed, dis·rupt·ing, dis·rupts 1. To throw into confusion or disorder: Protesters disrupted the candidate's speech. 2. if the FAA gave its nod to the environmental document. "Any decision would likely prejudice the outcome of negotiations among the three cities The Three Cities is a collective description of the three fortified cities of Cospicua, Vittoriosa, and Senglea on the Island of Malta, which are enclosed by the massive line of fortification created by the Knights of St John, the Cottonera Lines. , making it less likely that a mutually acceptable compromise can be reached," Berman wrote. Under federal rules, Burbank would only have a 60-day period in which to file objections to FAA certification of the environmental documents. The city could end up appealing the FAA decision before the cooling-off period ended. The Airport Authority has been planning an expansion for years and the environmental documents submitted to the FAA are just one part of that process. Airport commissioners recently have clashed, however, over how an expansion would be carried out. Victor Gill gill, in weights and measures gill, in weights and measures: see English units of measurement. , a spokesman for the Airport Authority, said staff members have spent five years preparing for the environmental review of the expansion plan and would not favor any delays in FAA approval |
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