Article Summary:
his page hosts information for the King County International Airport Community Coalition (KCIACC), only. For more information about KCIACC please reach out directly to the coalition at KCIACCWA@gmail.com.
King County International Airport Community Coalition (KCIACC) works for health, climate and environmental justice to preserve the history and uplift the long-standing impacted communities in Allentown-Tukwila, South Park, Georgetown, Beacon Hill and Duwamish Valley Neighborhoods from aviation and environmental racism.
KCIACC members include Friends of Georgetown History (FOGHI), Duwamish River Community Coalition, Georgetown Community Council, Beacon Hill Council, 350 Seattle Aviation, Spean Rajana, Climate Leaders, Health and Equity Alliance, Puget SoundKeepers, WA Build Back Black Alliance, Eco Infinity Nation as well as many community advocates!
Join us below and take 2 action steps to support KCIACC efforts!
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Call to Action – Please sign on to HB1554
Reducing public health and environmental impacts from lead by supporting state bill HB 1554.
2. Tell King County to Address Airport Health and Climate Impacts!
King County has re-introduced an ordinance that addresses the health and climate impacts from the county-owned KCIA airport, aka Boeing Field. After many years of advocacy by KCIA Community Coalition, this ordinance must move out of committee this month!
Press Release
February 21, 2023
King County Council legislation elevates the voices of communities impacted by the King County International Airport (KCIA)
Since 2020, Councilmembers Joe McDermott and Girmay Zahilay have worked closely with King County International Airport Community Coalition (KCIACC) to develop and sponsor Ordinance 2023-0053. It aims to strengthen the community and King County International Airport (KCIA) relationship, improve environmental health of highly impacted residents and increase livability of highly impacted neighborhoods. It will bring greater community representation and environmental justice to the KCIA Roundtable.The ordinance currently awaits its first committee review at the King County Government Accountability and Oversight Committee.
“The Community Benefits Agreement will provide residents of our overburdened and vulnerable population a stronger voice as KCIA develops its future master plans” Former Representative Velma Veloria, chair, KCIACC.
Ordinance 2023-0053 calls for:
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Two additional community seats to the existing KCIA Roundtable – Beacon Hill and South Park.
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It calls for the creation of a Roundtable advisory subcommittee to advise and make recommendations to the airport management, county executive, and county council.
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King County, the airport and the subcommittee will co-create and maintain a community benefits agreement addressing the environmental, climate, health, economic and livability concerns of residents and workers in airport-adjacent Duwamish valley neighborhoods, including, but not limited to Georgetown, South Park, Tukwila Allentown and Beacon Hill communities.
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The ordinance also calls for the airport to conduct a comprehensive environmental impact assessment of all aeronautical, land transportation and airport activities at the airport every 10 years.
“Adding two more seats for impacted communities is a big deal and there are other mechanisms in the ordinance to help hold the airport accountable to issues that really affect the communities around the airport.” Holly Krejci, Georgetown resident.
The majority of residents in communities adjacent to the airport are people of color and people with low incomes. Of the 5,600 residents who live in South Park and Georgetown, 70 percent are people of color, 42 percent are foreign-born and 71 percent have an income 200 percent below the federal poverty line.
“When do you ask the neighborhood that you’re in what being a world class airport is to us? How do we co-create that? How might we do it with, not at the expense of the neighbors? How do we do that together?”