Monday, December 25, 1995
Your Dec. 20 editorial on Moffett Field shows a lot of gall. The Mercury
News' brand of regionalism would subject 170,000 citizens in the most densely
populated part of the valley (Mountain View and Sunnyvale) to noise that
is currently banned from San Jose International Airport.
In fact, the reason the mentioned carriers are interested in night cargo
flights into Moffett is only because of the ban on same at SJC. Why does
the Mercury News advocate that additional traffic and intolerable noise
be brought into the densely populated urban regions of the county?
Progressive metropolitan areas around the globe are all planning new major
airport facilities for relatively unpopulated areas such as we still have
in south county. The valley is badly short of land for affordable housing
and the ultimate reconversion of Moffett to help satisfy that basic need
would be of far greater value to the region.
I also resent the ''get used to it'' flavor of your editorial comments.
The Navy long ago moved its jet aircraft wings out of Moffett, with very
minor exceptions, because of the increased urban population density by the
late 1950s.
We all know this is but the opening battle in the eventual disposition of
Moffett Field. The Mercury News should be advocating a truly win-win solution
that benefits the entire region: (1) Outplace much commercial, cargo and
civil aviation to south county (maybe with a light rail extension for passengers);
(2) develop eventual conversion plans for Moffett that will help permit
our children to afford to live in the area, while maintaining our region's
quality of life.
- Jeffrey M. Weiss
Sunnyvale
The voters of Sunnyvale were given an opportunity a few years ago to vote
on whether they wanted to see Moffett Field used for commercial aircraft
and the answer was an overwhelming No. Along comes the Mercury News and
says it is good for the Santa Clara Valley businesses to allow air freight
companies to use Moffett Field during the late night and early morning hours
when it is illegal to use San Jose Airport because of the impact on San
Jose residents. Never mind what the effect is on the people of Mountain
View and Sunnyvale.
There are better ways to use Moffett Field.
- Werner A. Gans
Sunnyvale