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Health & Fitness

Good and Plenty

There are plenty of good Santa Monica Airport related meetings to attend.

There are plenty of good Santa Monica Airport (SMO)-related meetings for all who are interested, and even one gathering. On Sunday, July 10, 2011, a progress report from the Venice Neighborhood Council’s Santa Monica Airport Committee was on the agenda at the Mar Vista Community Council’s Santa Monica Airport Ad-Hoc Committee. Scheduled for one hour and due to a full agenda, the meeting went on for an extra 45 minutes. Even a resident from Culver City was among the approximate fifteen in attendance. As the Director of Concerned Residents Against Airport Pollution, and a member of both committees, I am very pleased with the progress both committees are making. I would certainly be in favor of future joint meetings of the two committees for at least two reasons; first, because many of the issues concern both Venice and Mar Vista, and second, because I would have just one meeting to attend rather than two.

Speaking of attending meetings, the Santa Monica Airport Commission will have a couple interesting meetings coming up in both September and October, so mark your calendar. Scheduled for the September meeting is a first of its kind “Flight School Workshop”. Here one or more flight school representatives will speak and field questions from those in attendance.  The October meeting will encompass the annual “environmental workshop”. I am interested in hearing how SMO staff will speak about the UCLA study and the South Coast Air Quality Management District’s follow up study. Over the years the workshop presentations pointed out that they could not tell if the pollution was coming from the airport or Bundy Drive, maybe even the 405 and 10 freeways. I urge you to attend both workshops, and come with your questions and comments.

Regarding the one gathering I mentioned in the opening sentence (Again, mark your calendar!): On Wednesday, July 27, 2011, at the Activist Support Circle Public Gathering, the theme will be “Santa Monica Airport Critics Speak Out”. The gathering at the Friends Meeting Hall, 1440 Harvard Street, Santa Monica will begin at 7:00 PM (Refreshments served 6:30PM). Santa Monica and Los Angeles residents, environmental activists, and community group leaders who are critical of SMO and who are speaking out on SMO related concerns such as toxic air pollution, noise pollution, and public safety will be attending the support gathering. Participants will include: Cathy Larson- Chair, Friends of Sunset Park Airport Committee; Laura Silagi- Co-Chair, Venice Neighborhood Council Santa Monica Airport Committee; Bill Koontz- Co-Chair, Mar Vista Community Council Airport Committee; and me, Martin Rubin- Founder and Director of Concerned Residents Against Airport Pollution (CRAAP). The support gathering is free and there is free on-site parking. The Activist Support Circle is an ongoing and open support group for progressive activists that began in February, 2005 to help guard against activist burnout. For further information: Call- 310-399-1000, website- www.ActivistSupportCircle.org.

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To keep up-to-date on these and other meetings and events pertaining to Santa Monica Airport and how the community is coming together to address community concerns, sign up to be on the CRAAP Contact List at www.jetairpollution.com.

 

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