Comments on the FAA EA: SAMP Draft Environmental Assessment (Debi Wagner)

This document presents formal public comments opposing an FAA Environmental Assessment for expansion projects at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The author argues that the stated justification for expansion is misleading, contending that airport growth would not automatically occur without new gates and terminals since FAA safety rules already cap the number of aircraft operations. Additional concerns raised include disproportionate health burdens on nearby communities, unreliable air pollution modeling, inadequate environmental justice analysis, and failure to properly assess cumulative public health and climate impacts.

Notes

Public comments by Debi Wagner opposing approval of the FAA Environmental Assessment for the Sea-Tac Airport Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP). Wagner argues the purpose and need statement is false, citing a 2020 FAA acknowledgment that firm constraints — including lack of gate availability and runway capacity — can preclude operations growth, contradicting the EPA’s 2018 scoping comment that growth would occur with or without the projects. Comments address airport capacity calculations (Sea-Tac operations limits ranging from 430,000 to 630,000 annually), Clean Air Act NAAQS conformity failures, inadequate cumulative impact analysis, missing environmental justice analysis, missing children’s health analysis, and climate impacts. References the 1996 Third Runway EIS, FAA-EPA agreement on North Unit Terminal, Sea-Tac Airport Capacity Profile 2018, and Port of Seattle SAMP target of 540,000 annual operations.

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