The Aviation International News reported Monday that the city of Santa Monica has appealed the Federal Aviation Administration’s December determination that requires the city to keep the historic airport open at least through 2023. The ruling, made Dec. 4, hampers the city’s efforts to reduce flight operations now and close the airport in the near future.

The National Business Aviation Association, an organization focusing on the civilian business use of airplanes and helicopters, added that the city requested that the FAA reevaluate and reverse that finding.

The city’s appeal letter issued Monday details that while the city has kept Santa Monica Airport operational, it has been unable to operate it, “…without serious adverse consequences for residents of the densely populated surrounding neighborhood, who are subject to the airport’s noise, pollution and safety hazards. The city has undertaken a number of efforts to alleviate these effects, including imposing noise limits, curfews and banning certain types of aircraft.”

This echoes earlier statements made by Santa Monica elected officials and anti-airport activists made after the December ruling, insisting that the airport can be closed well before 2023 because, they say, all obligations to the federal government already have expired.