In 1998, SFO reversed a decade of denials and announced it would build runways farther into San Francisco Bay. SFO launched a $75 million public relations campaign to sell the public on the largest proposed Bay fill project since the 1960s.

SFO’s media blitzes and paid opposition research instead strengthened a deep regional consensus against paving over more of our Bay, which has already been shrunk by one-third. In response to growing criticism of the project, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors ordered a management audit of the airport by the City Budget Analyst. The audit confirmed that SFO tried to sell the runways instead of studying alternatives, ignored public input, skirted contracting regulations and let consultants and vendors gorge themselves at the trough. Finally, after four years of intense public scrutiny, and with the airport more than $4 billion in debt, SFO shelved its plans and the Board of Supervisors prohibited any further spending on runway expansion into the Bay.

SFO Director John Martin has said that if air travel rebounds he will resume the runway expansion project, but San Francisco’s new mayor will be representing city residents who have shown they want to protect the Bay. Save The Bay is continuing its work to ensure that any move to pave the Bay will meet vigorous scrutiny from citizens, regulators and public officials, because the Bay Area’s quality of life and economy depend on a healthy and vibrant Bay.