Airport Expansions Face Local Turbulence
 

Airport expansion in the Los Angeles area faces a new obstacle: "environmental justice."

The issue has emerged in recent months as a critical problem facing regional officials planning the expansion of Los Angeles International Airport. According to a six-year-old federal executive order, airports seeking funding for expansion from the Federal Aviation Administration must consider the health and environmental effects of the expansion on nearby communities -- and ensure that expansion doesn't unduly harm minority areas. Failure to do so could result in the loss of federal funding or lawsuits by airport opponents.

Although the order is years old, LAX officials didn't devote much attention to it until this summer.
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