Category : Correspondence(195)

In a June 2019 letter, Sea-Tac Airport Managing Director Lance Lyttle invited Federal Express to participate in the Late Night Noise Limitation Program, a new initiative designed to reduce aircraft noise between 12:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. The program monitors noise levels using four airport noise monitors, with thresholds set at 91 decibels for departing aircraft and 82–89 decibels for arriving aircraft, and publicly reports quarterly data on airlines that exceed these limits. Airlines are also encouraged to reduce late-night operations, switch to quieter aircraft, or reschedule flights, with noise exceedances factored into Sea-Tac's annual Fly Quiet Awards scoring.

In May 2019, Federal Way Mayor Jim Ferrell and the unanimous City Council wrote to University of Washington researchers requesting an expansion of the MOV-UP study measuring ultrafine particle pollution around Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The letter calls for three key additions: a baseline measurement site unaffected by air traffic, drone-based vertical air sampling before and after aircraft landings at parks, schools, and social justice impact areas, and the design of a permanent 24/7 ultrafine particle monitoring network. The city also offered to support a Port of Seattle grant application to fund the expanded research and pledged to encourage other affected communities to join the effort.

In an April 2019 letter to the Port of Seattle's Executive Director, Alaska Airlines expressed support for SeaTac airport expansion but raised serious concerns about the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP), arguing that the proposed 19-gate north terminal is disconnected from the main terminal, more gates than needed, and would leave 80% of travelers underserved. Alaska's independent consultants concluded that only 10 additional gates are necessary to meet projected 2027 passenger demand, and the airline proposed a phased 10-gate alternative as a less costly and less environmentally impactful solution. The letter urged the Port to include Alaska's alternative in the formal NEPA environmental review process to ensure a more legally defensible and balanced approach to airport development.