October 17, 2001August 2, 2026

SEPA Determination of Non-Significance (DNS) of Proposed Action: FAA Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) Facility, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

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The Port of Seattle issued a SEPA Determination of Non-Significance (DNS) for a proposed 19-acre site lease to the FAA for construction of a Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facility near Sea-Tac Airport. The proposed facility includes a 2-story 50,000 square foot building, parking, access roads, and related infrastructure, with approximately 10 acres remaining undeveloped as wetlands and buffer. The Port determined that no Environmental Impact Statement was required under Washington State law.

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As the source for federal transportation grants, the Puget Sound Regional Council was charged with developing a system to meet the growing need for commercial aviation. When the search for a second airport failed, they authorized the Port of Seattle to build the Third Runway, with a mandate to develop a noise abatement and mitigation program. In their effort to stop the Third Runway, the ACC argued over every detail of the Port's efforts--including property buyouts and sound insulation. The dispute was meant to be settled by a three member Expert Arbitration Panel. This is their final report. It finds 2-1, that the Port's program was insufficient in several respects. Despite that, funding for the Third Runway was approved by the PSRC, and the 'Port Package' program, proceeded largely unchanged. Expert Arbitration Panel's final decision finding that the Port of Seattle had not shown sufficient reduction in real on-the-ground noise impacts to satisfy noise reduction conditions required for approval of a third runway at Sea-Tac International Airport. The majority decision concluded the Port's noise abatement programs were insufficient despite being impressive in scope.

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