Category : Correspondence(309)

A 1996 City of Burien memorandum outlines preliminary findings from a regional study on the socio-economic and environmental impacts of Sea-Tac Airport's proposed expansion and third runway. Estimated mitigation costs for five South King County cities totaled $3.05 billion over twenty years, with Burien alone facing roughly $800 million in costs and over $190 million in single-family property value losses by 2020. The study argues that because the airport's benefits are spread across the broader Puget Sound region while its costs—including noise, traffic, and a reduced tax base—fall disproportionately on a handful of nearby communities, targeted mitigation funding is both an equity issue and a necessity.

In August 1996, community groups CASE and RCAA formally appealed the Port of Seattle's Resolution No. 3212, which approved construction of a third runway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The appeal argued that newer navigation technologies such as Localizer Directional Aid (LDA) and GPS, combined with demand management strategies, could provide equivalent airport capacity at far lower cost and with less environmental harm. The groups requested a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement to evaluate these technology-based alternatives and reconsider the third runway decision.

In this 1996 testimony to the Aviation Subcommittee, economist Dr. Lynn O. Michaelis argues that the proposed third runway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is economically unjustified, citing flawed pricing schemes that fail to account for peak-hour demand and encourage inefficient small-plane operations. He contends that federal funding is being used to bypass local accountability, masking the project's poor return on investment — estimated at less than 1% on a $500 million expenditure. Michaelis also criticizes the airline industry's exemption from pollution-related cost corrections that apply to other industries, arguing that nearby residents bear a disproportionate share of the environmental costs.

A 1995 letter from Allan M. Furney to Chester Beattie of the Airport Communities Coalition summarizes a 1974 settlement agreement between King County, the Washington State Highway Commission, and local citizens regarding flooding and drainage problems in the Miller Creek watershed. The settlement requires King County to improve water quality, prevent excess stormwater runoff into Miller Creek, and construct appropriate drainage facilities, while prohibiting full channelization of the creek. The letter raises concerns that proposed SeaTac Airport third-runway expansion plans, as outlined in the Draft EIS, would violate these settlement provisions by significantly increasing impervious surface area and stormwater flows into the Miller Creek drainage basin.

A 1993 letter from the Port of Seattle to a Des Moines resident explains that airline deicing at Sea-Tac Airport uses only FAA-approved ethylene or propylene glycol, and that wastewater from deicing drains to the airport's treatment system before being discharged to Puget Sound — not to Miller or Des Moines Creeks. The Port acknowledged its treatment plant was not designed to handle glycols and was evaluating upgrades. A follow-up 1996 letter challenges a contradictory statement in the airport's Final Environmental Impact Statement, which claimed most deicing fluids were contained and treated by the Port's Industrial Wastewater System.

A March 1993 letter from the RCAA (Regional Commission on Airport Affairs) Executive Board addressed to John Sandelius of Seattle, thanking him for his time, energy, and wisdom contributed to the organization's efforts regarding Sea-Tac Airport noise issues. The letter expresses well-wishes for his recovery and notes that his work was valued whenever the community needed him. The document is endorsed by a wide coalition of over 50 community organizations, city governments, and civic groups from the greater Seattle and South King County area opposing airport noise expansion.

A January 28, 1993 letter from James T. Murphy of the Regional Commission on Airport Affairs (RCAA) to the Transportation Policy and Executive Board, presenting independent consultant research on air capacity options for the Puget Sound region. The letter notes that RCAA had delivered three volumes of material over three weeks, with a final compilation to follow, aimed at helping the Board make informed decisions about managing airport capacity. The RCAA, backed by dozens of community organizations and cities including Burien, Des Moines, Normandy Park, and Tukwila, framed its work as an alternative voice on Sea-Tac Airport expansion and noise policy.

A January 13, 1993 memo from Janet O'Donnell to Jim Murphy, President of the Regional Commission on Airport Affairs (RCAA), requests $150.00 to obtain a bulk mail postal permit — $75.00 for the annual fee and $75.00 for the setup fee — to support distribution of materials related to Sea-Tac Airport noise issues. The memo outlines the process for obtaining the permit through the Seattle Post Office and coordinating with a volunteer to finalize mailing logistics. The document is endorsed by a broad coalition of community organizations, city governments, and civic groups opposed to Sea-Tac Airport expansion and aircraft noise.