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New data, regulations and standards published after the close of comments on the Port of Oakland’s Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) renders the DEIR significantly outdated and insufficient under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). These new developments impose new realities on the Port that fundamentally change the validity of the DEIR’s findings. They show a substantial increase in the proposed project’s environmental impacts, which must be factored into updated analyses and findings in a Revised Environmental Impact Report (REIR).
10/10/24 Aircraft noise and public health expert and community members alerted the Port of Oakland Board of Commissioners to the serious health risks posed by aircraft noise and point out that the proposed OAK airport expansion will certainly exacerbate those risks to communities adjacent to the airport and those living underneath the OAK airport departure and arrival flight paths. The experts described how the increase in flight operations and the planned expanded nighttime hours of operations will put the public at serious risk of negative health effects. Community members described the detrimental aircraft noise impact to those underneath the OAK airport flight paths.
A Health Impact Assessment for the Airport Expansion is vital to the city’s residents. This study would answer questions like how many new asthma cases would result from increased flights? How many lost days of work will occur due to family illness caused by increased air pollution from flights? It is essential that the Port, as an independent department of the City of Oakland, ensure that any modernization/expansion plans are aligned with the City’s environmental and climate goals. Commissioning a Health Impact Assessment by a qualified independent public health expert is an essential first step in doing so.
9/26/24 Faith leaders from Skyline Community Church, Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley, Spiritual Leader of Bay Area Labor Corps, and Green The Church spoke in Open Forum for environmental justice, for being good stewards to the earth, for wildlife, and community health and empowerment. Rev. Marcus Liefert called for a plan to modernize the Airport instead of expanding it to limit the damage to climate and community health. Hear it at minute 32:57 in this video clip.
9/12/24 Members of the group 1,000 Grandmothers gave public comment at the Port of Oakland Board meeting bringing indigenous wisdom and the perspective which comes with age as well as large puppets to help inform the board of the dire consequences of expanding air travel for both the local Oakland environment and the planet overall.
7/25/24 Bay Area scientists gave public comment at the Port of Oakland Board meeting to help inform the board of the dire consequences of expanding air travel for both the local Oakland environment and for climate change overall.
OAKLAND- On May 14 , the City of Oakland’s Community and Economic Development (CED) Committee heard from Oakland’s Urban Promise Academy’s “Warriors for Justice” students, a Youth Vs. Apocalypse club, who are concerned about how the Port of Oakland’s proposed expansion of the Oakland airport, with the addition of a new terminal and 16 new gates, will exacerbate air pollution and entrench current and future climate impacts.
The Oakland City Council’s Community Economic Development (CED) Committee had scheduled a Study Session On Proposed Oakland Airport Expansion at Oakland City Hall in May 2024, but the Port of Oakland declined to attend requesting it be delayed until after The Port has issued the Final Environmental Impact Report. When this is rescheduled please attend in person or on Zoom, to show your opposition to the proposed expansion of the Oakland airport. Come voice your opposition to more air pollution in East Oakland, more climate crisis, and more jet noise.
April 11, 3:30pm: The Port of Oakland Board of Commissioners will be voting on the controversial name change of the “Oakland International Airport” to “San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport” at their meeting April 11th, starting at 3:30pm at 530 Water Street, Oakland. Coalition members will attend the April 11 meeting and speak out against efforts to increase passenger traffic without addressing these health and environmental concerns. Please join us!
April 17, 6:30 pm- The Oakland Airport/Community Noise Forum will meet at 6:30 pm, Port building, 530 Water St. Oakland. You can attend in-person or remotely and sign up for the public comment period, which allows you to speak for 2 minutes. Coalition members will be there, join us!
Feb. 22, 2024: Public comment at the Port of Oakland Commissioners meeting was led by airport workers from United Service Workers West (SEIU-USWW) who spoke about ongoing environmental and occupational health hazards at the Airport and opposition to expansion plans. They were followed by speakers from Communities For a Better Environment (CBE) and other Stop OAK Expansion Coalition members, who commented on the negative impacts expansion would have on health in nearby East Oakland, air quality and California’s ability to address climate change.