Runway extension unnecessary, harmful

The Lake County Forest Preserve District is sponsoring a podcast on the “many opportunities locally to mitigate and prevent (climate change)”. Let’s hope the board members listen to their own podcast and reject the Waukegan Airport request for take 52 acres of the Waukegan Savanna for a new, longer runway for highly polluting corporate jets that produce 14 times more air pollution per passenger than commercial passenger jets.

It is simply wrong for the Forest Preserve District to be part of a project that will create more air pollution.

Beyond the impact on climate change, there will also be direct negative environmental impacts on the thousands of children who annually play baseball and soccer at the Waukegan Sports Park and the three schools near the airport. These kids need the Forest Preserve Board Members to protect them.

The current 6,000-foot runway has been serving the needs of Lake County corporations for decades, allowing the current fleet to reach Europe and South America without refueling.

The 1,000-feet-longer runway will simply add more pollution and is only needed to make flights for the corporate executives a bit further. Is this worth the damage to the climate, the school kids and the kids at the Sports Park? Obviously not.

The current runway is safe, based on records, and though it could use a bit of updating, there is no need to add a new 7,000-foot runway as part of a project that will cost $186 million.

Let’s hope the Lake County Forest Preserve board members will listen to their own podcast and reject this plan which is contrary to the message being sent on this wonderful podcast on climate change.

Bill Morris

Lake Forest