A 1998 U.S. General Accounting Office report examined whether the FAA was required to enforce a policy mandating written declarations of local support before awarding noise mitigation grants to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The report found that while FAA policy called for such written declarations from affected cities and counties, neither federal law nor FAA regulations legally required them. FAA officials maintained they still met the broader statutory requirement of ensuring noise mitigation projects were consistent with local plans.Open full document
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This GAO report examines whether the FAA must enforce a grant assurance requiring airport owners to obtain written declarations of local support for noise mitigation projects. The report focuses on Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, where local groups criticized the airport’s noise mitigation program for lacking required written declarations. GAO found that while FAA policy calls for such declarations, neither federal law nor FAA regulations legally require them.