The city of El Segundo sued the city of Los Angeles on Monday, claiming that environmental studies completed for a Los Angeles International Airport modernization plan failed to adequately analyze air pollution, traffic, noise and other effects on surrounding communities.
In a 12-page petition, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, El Segundo's attorneys argue that in a rush to approve the $11-billion plan, Los Angeles violated state environmental law.
State law requires airports to complete an environmental impact report, or EIR, with expansion plans to identify measures that will ease the effects on surrounding communities.
"The great quantities of time and money expended by the parties in the LAX Master Plan environmental review process have not resulted in a high-quality, or even an adequate, EIR," the petition filed by San Francisco-based Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger states. "In fact, the environmental documentation leaves many of the public's concerns unaddressed and questions unanswered."
El Segundo's lawsuit is the first of several expected this week from residents and cities near the world's fifth-busiest airport. Under state law, the parties have until Friday to challenge the plan. The Alliance for a Regional Solution to Airport Congestion, a group that represents residents living around LAX, plans to file suit Thursday. Los Angeles County officials said they would file by Friday.
The city of Inglewood has also threatened to sue.
El Segundo's lawsuit against the Los Angeles City Council, Mayor James K. Hahn, Los Angeles World Airports and the Airport Commission, asks the court to order them to conduct an additional environmental review. The suit also requests that the court bar Los Angeles from starting work until it complies with state environmental law.
The City Council last month overwhelmingly approved Hahn's plan to renovate the airport. The proposal, in two phases, calls for a transit hub, an elevated train and a consolidated rental-car center, along with moving the airport's southernmost runway closer to El Segundo. Airport officials hope to start construction on the runway later this year.
Los Angeles officials said the lawsuit came as no surprise and noted that they are continuing to negotiate with El Segundo to limit annual capacity at LAX to 78.9 million passengers, pay for noise mitigation and traffic improvements, and address how to fix the southern runways.
