In April 2022, the Port of Seattle Commission considered authorizing a $1.29 million settlement with Wesley Homes to resolve a dispute over an avigation easement and aircraft noise at Wesley's Terrace Building near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Under the agreement, the Port would conduct acoustical testing, pursue FAA funding for noise mitigation, reimburse up to $250,000 of Wesley's legal fees, and commit to a full Part 150 noise study update for SEA Airport. Although the Port denied wrongdoing, it recommended settling to avoid the higher costs of going to trial.

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Port of Seattle Commission agenda item requesting authorization to execute a $1,290,000 settlement agreement with Wesley Homes to resolve disputes over Avigation Easements and damage claims. The settlement includes acoustical testing, noise mitigation funding pursuit, Part 150 update commitment, and attorney fee reimbursement.

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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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