August 25, 2021July 31, 2026

StART SAMP briefing

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Port of Seattle

This August 2021 Port of Seattle briefing outlines the planning status of the Sea-Tac Airport Master Plan (SAMP), covering topics such as existing facilities, long-term vision, and near-term projects. A key focus is the environmental review process: the Port and FAA were working to publish a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) by the third quarter of 2021, with a standard 30-day public comment period, though a 60-day extension had been requested. The Port committed to providing at least 30 days' advance notice before the public comment period began.

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A Port of Seattle briefing presented to StART on August 25, 2021, covering the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP). Topics include the environmental review schedule, project planning process, existing facilities, long-term vision, near-term projects, and projects requiring preliminary design. The briefing notes that scoping occurred in 2018 and the FAA is working toward a third-quarter publication of the draft Environmental Assessment.

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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