Category : Correspondence(309)

The City of SeaTac submitted formal scoping comments to the Port of Seattle in September 2018, raising concerns that the environmental review for the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) was too narrowly focused on 'near term projects' and should be expanded to cover the airport's full long-term growth vision. The city also reminded the Port of binding commitments made in a 2018 Interlocal Agreement and a 2015 Letter of Understanding, including promises to assess transportation impacts, protect nearby wetlands, and mitigate effects on city streets from increased cargo truck and passenger traffic. Key issues flagged include the impact of new cargo facilities, a proposed employee parking lot near wetlands, and the need to account for public transit use by airport workers and travelers.

In September 2018, the cities of SeaTac, Burien, Normandy Park, and Des Moines jointly submitted scoping comments on the Port of Seattle's Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, raising concerns about the growing impacts of airport expansion on their communities. The cities argued that the environmental review must cover the entire SAMP—not just near-term construction projects—to fully account for cumulative impacts including increased aircraft noise, air emissions, and traffic congestion in nearby residential neighborhoods. They also called for a baseline assessment stretching back to 2012 to capture significant growth that has already occurred without adequate environmental review.