Yesterday, it was El Segundo suing Los Angeles over the plan to renovate LAX. (Three more lawsuits are expected this week.) Today, Mayor Hahn reopened the air war between L.A. and Orange County by calling a news conference to ask that the feds lease the former El Toro marine base to Los Angeles for a new regional airport. From his release:

In a letter to Navy Secretary Gordon England, Mayor Hahn urged the negotiation of a long-term lease for the property with LAWA instead of converting it to parkland and non-aviation development. The 3,700-acre property, which closed in 1999, is scheduled to be sold in an on-line auction starting January 5....

"El Toro is a unique solution to Southern California's air transportation needs," Mayor Hahn wrote. "El Toro would balance air service demand and capacity by using appropriate air transportation facilities in an ideal geographic location to serve the most densely populated county in the region."

Airport opponents are at ElToroAirport.org and the El Toro Chronicles.

* Hollow gesture: "His belated pitch met with immediate rejection from federal officials, who dismissed it out of hand..." (LAT)