Yesterday, I introduced legislation in response to the recent Whiteman Airport accident in Pacoima. My motion calls for a report back on the steps necessary to close Whiteman Airport, with an environmental analysis establishing the toxic nature of Whiteman Airport’s presence and impact on the surrounding Pacoima community as well as an economic analysis for alternative uses for the site.
Whiteman Airport is owned and operated by the County of Los Angeles. The National Transportation Safety Board’s database shows fifteen aviation accidents related to the airport since 2009. Last week I visited the families who live adjacent to the airport and were directly impacted by the most recent accident that tragically claimed the life of the pilot. The families, including the children who are distance learning due to Covid 19, bore witness to this horrific event and are trying to cope with witnessing this traumatic incident. I coordinated with the Mayor’s Crisis Response Team (CRT) to assist the families and provide them with the resources they need to address their collective trauma.
This tragic accident is a reminder of the daily injury Whiteman Airport imposes on the community of Pacoima, a community that services no value from its operation, but is subject to all the negative impacts.
