Category : Legislation(152)

Title 14 CFR Part 36 sets the federal noise standards that aircraft must meet to receive type and airworthiness certificates from the FAA. It covers a wide range of aircraft, including large commercial jet airplanes, propeller-driven small and commuter planes, helicopters, and tiltrotors, establishing specific noise measurement, evaluation, and limit requirements for each category. These rules are relevant to airports like Sea-Tac because they define the baseline noise performance standards that aircraft operating in the area must satisfy.

The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 (Public Law 118-63) is a comprehensive federal law signed on May 16, 2024, that reauthorizes and updates the Federal Aviation Administration and civil aviation programs across the United States. The Act covers a wide range of topics including aviation safety improvements, aerospace workforce development, cybersecurity, and organizational reforms within the FAA. While the law addresses airport planning and noise compatibility programs, it does not focus specifically on noise policy at individual airports such as Sea-Tac.

The FAA proposed updating its definition of 'aeronautical activity' to include unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), advanced air mobility (AAM), and commercial space launch operations, meaning federally obligated airports must provide non-discriminatory access to these emerging technologies. The policy clarifies that while these new operations qualify for airport access, the FAA retains authority to assess safety risks and set conditions for accommodating them. Recreational UAS, model aircraft, and model rockets are explicitly excluded from the updated definition.

The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-254) is a wide-ranging federal law that funds and reforms Federal Aviation Administration programs, including provisions addressing airport noise, community involvement in NextGen flight path projects, and environmental impacts of aircraft operations. The law includes specific sections on updating airport noise exposure maps, studying health and economic impacts of overflight noise, and requiring regional ombudsmen to address community noise concerns. It is relevant to Sea-Tac Airport noise policy as it shapes the federal framework governing how airports must measure, report, and respond to aircraft noise affecting surrounding communities.

Resolution No. 2943 was adopted by the Port Commission of the Port of Seattle to update the Noise Remedy Program for Sea-Tac International Airport, replacing the earlier noise remedy element from the 1976 Sea-Tac Communities Plan. The resolution authorizes property acquisition in high-noise areas, implementation of nine noise abatement measures, and a Demonstration Project (budgeted at up to $1 million) to test alternatives to acquisition such as noise insulation and transaction assistance for affected homeowners. Priority for remedies is given based on noise intensity, length of residency, and financial hardship, with annual progress reports required to guide ongoing program evaluation.

The Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act of 1979 (Public Law 96-193) requires the U.S. Secretary of Transportation to establish uniform standards for measuring airport noise and its impact on surrounding communities. Airport operators may voluntarily submit noise exposure maps and noise compatibility programs outlining steps to reduce incompatible land uses near airports, such as soundproofing buildings, adjusting flight procedures, or acquiring nearby land. The federal government can fund up to 80% of approved noise compatibility projects, with grants available to airport operators and local government units in affected areas.