In 2001, environmental groups prevailed in their challenge to the adequacy of the Port of Oakland’s EIR for a large expansion of Oakland International Airport. Specifically, the Court of Appeal ruled that the EIR failed to adequately analyze the project’s noise impacts from planned additional nighttime flights; erred in using outdated information in calculating the emission of toxic air contaminants (TAC) from jet aircraft; failed to support its decision not to assess the health risks associated with TAC emissions; and improperly deferred devising a mitigation plan for the western burrowing owl.
The case was eventually settled, with the airport required to address these concerns. In 2024, the Port approved another large expansion of the airport to meet the increase in passenger and cargo demand projected over the next two decades. Communities for a Better Environment filed a CEQA suit, arguing that the EIR failed to analyze the public health impacts of the project, which will disproportionately affect low-income neighborhoods of East Oakland that already suffer the health effects of the current airport operations. In addition, the suit argued that the Port failed to properly analyze or mitigate the project’s significant greenhouse gas emissions and noise impacts. The case is pending.