The airport's runway will be extended to accept landings and takeoffs of jumbo air-cargo jets. New hangars, warehouses, industrial and office buildings, hotels and entertainment complexes will be built. San Diego needs the project, supporters say, because the region is presently sending more than 500,000 tons of heavy cargo to LAX and Ontario International annually. And in years to come tonnage will increase considerably. Not surprisingly, the communities surrounding Brown Field have come out in staunch opposition to the project.
Opponents say promoters have understated the environmental impacts.
Chief among these consequences is the adverse impact the air noise corridors created by jumbo jets would cause on residential, business, commercial center, schools, and hospital buildings. The city of Chula Vista hired experts on the subject, who concluded there would be dramatic noise impacts. The cities of Imperial Beach and Coronado are in agreement, and San Diego residents west of the project make the same claims. Not so, the developers own hired experts say. There will be no adverse noise impacts over the area.