A 2003 newsletter from the Regional Commission on Airport Affairs (RCAA) criticizes the Port of Seattle for claiming credit on aircraft noise reduction at Sea-Tac Airport without actually implementing the key recommendations—such as building a hush house for engine run-up noise—that its own Part 150 community committee proposed. The newsletter also highlights the Port's contradictory positions, including claiming the Third Runway would boost economic capacity while simultaneously arguing it would add no new flights and therefore require no noise mitigation. Critics argue these tactics allowed the Port to satisfy regional planning requirements on paper while avoiding real environmental costs.Open full document
Notes
The Regional Commission on Airport Affairs (RCAA) critiques the Puget Sound Regional Council for claiming progress on aircraft noise reduction at Sea-Tac Airport despite the Port of Seattle Commission rejecting nearly all recommendations from the Part 150 Noise Planning Committee, including a hush house for engine run-up noise. The newsletter also covers a September 2003 piece on the Port’s contradictory ‘two-fer’ positions regarding wetlands and runway capacity impacts.