Victory! The public safety concerns of Pacoima residents were heard!

When people talk about Pacoima, they might bring up mural mile or the Hanson Dam Aquatic Center as highlights of living in town. But what people might not know, for that the last 3 years Pacoima residents have been living in fear of airplanes falling out of the sky and burning up in their front yards, following consecutive accidents that have occurred with flights originating from Whiteman Airport. After months of deliberation and public comment, the concerns of Pacoima residents were heard.

Prioritizing the public safety of Pacoima residents.

On Thursday, February 23, 2023, Pacoima residents' generational call to Shutdown Whiteman Airport was heard when the Re-envision Whiteman Airport Community Advisory Committee (CAC) voted at their final meeting to recommend the LA County Board of Supervisors pursue the closure of Whiteman Airport and immediately implement mitigation measures to prioritize public health and safety in the time leading up to airport closure.

A motion protecting Pacoima residents. Several steps taken in the right direction.

This recommendation addresses the various community concerns surrounding the operations at Whiteman Airport including ending the sale and use of leaded aviation gas and implementing a flight curfew at Whiteman Airport. LA County Public Works will provide a completed report including the CAC recommendations to the LA County Board of Supervisors in mid-March. The full report will include an overview of the CAC process, community feedback, and outcomes.  

A fight for clean air in Pacoima, the building blocks to our advocacy.

Although the fight to close Whiteman Airport continues, we celebrate this victory on our path to justice. We would like to thank everyone who took part in this process and your leadership that brought community voices to the forefront of the campaign. Following a fatal accident that occurred in the residential area across the street from Whiteman’s runway in 2020, Pacoima Beautiful along with community members reignited the call for Los Angeles County and the Federal Aviation Administration to Shutdown Whiteman Airport and prioritize the public safety of Pacoima residents living under the flightpath.

Moving forward, past the CAC, we are excited to have the opportunity to put energy into finding solutions with community members about the future of Whiteman Airport. Pacoima Beautiful and community members encourage continue to spread word and help keep the momentum going by following our social media and sharing our petition to stay up to date with our community efforts. 

Sign and share the petition to shutdown Whiteman Airport

Associated Program: Shutdown Whiteman Airport