Citing Aquifer Cleanup, Airport Raises Parking Fees

The Bob Hope Airport will charge more for parking starting in February as a means to raise money needed to cover costs to clean up a contaminated aquifer. The $1 increase goes into effect Feb. 1 for daily, valet and short term parking at lots operated by the airport. The increase is the first by the airport in four years and the new cost remains competitive with other parking operators near the airport and with other regional airports, said Dan Feger, executive director of the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority. At the three economy lots farthest from the terminal, the maximum daily charge goes to $10 from $9; the economy lot closer to the terminal goes to $12 from $11; the new short term lot fee starts at $3 for the first half hour; the gold valet service goes to $21 from $20; and the platinum valet service to $31 from $30. The authority approved the increase to cover costs associated with a $108 million groundwater cleanup beneath airport property. In July, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency added Bob Hope Airport and a number of other businesses to a list of those who should pay for the cleanup of hazardous chemicals remaining from when the land straddling Burbank and North Hollywood was used by Lockheed Martin for aircraft manufacturing. For more than 20 years the EPA has operated extraction wells to draw out water from the contaminated aquifer. The airport authority purchased the property from Lockheed in 1978 and contends the aerospace giant agreed as part of the sale to defend the authority against any claims related to damages from the company’s operations. That dispute between the airport authority and Lockheed is currently pending in federal court. “The Authority was named solely because it is the current owner of the Airport,” Feger said of the EPA’s list. “The authority did not, and does not, contribute to the causes of this groundwater pollution, and strongly believes that EPA should pursue reimbursement of the costs of cleaning up groundwater in the San Fernando Valley from the parties that caused the contamination in the first place,” Mark R. Madler