Category : Meetings(460)

The StART Federal Policy Working Group met on August 2, 2021, to review and vote on new federal policy priorities related to aircraft noise and emissions affecting communities around Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The group agreed to add three items to their shared policy agenda: an EPA Environmental Justice Grant Program, key provisions of the American Jobs Plan (including noise insulation funding and sustainable aviation fuel tax credits), and the Sustainable Skies Act. Members also prepared questions for an upcoming FAA presentation on ultrafine particle research and the agency's approach to noise and emissions impacts on community health.

This June 2021 StART (SEA Stakeholder Advisory Round Table) meeting summary covers key discussions between the Port of Seattle and neighboring communities on airport-related health and noise issues. A Seattle-King County Public Health study found that residents within 10 miles of Sea-Tac Airport face greater health disparities, higher poverty rates, and increased exposure to ultrafine particulates, though a direct causal link to airport operations could not be confirmed. The meeting also included updates on noise complaint trends, runway use, the Fly Quiet Award Program, and federal legislation related to airport emissions and sustainable aviation fuel.

The StART (SEA Stakeholder Advisory Round Table) meeting held on June 23, 2021 via Zoom covered several key topics related to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's community impact, including a presentation by Seattle-King County Public Health on the health effects of aviation and an update on the SAMP public process. The agenda also featured updates from the Federal Policy Working Group and the Aviation Noise Working Group, along with a public comment period. StART serves as a forum for fostering cooperation between the Port of Seattle and neighboring communities affected by Sea-Tac Airport operations.

The StART (SEA Stakeholder Advisory Round Table) meeting held on June 23, 2021 via Zoom covered key topics including a Seattle-King County Public Health study on the health impacts of aviation, an update on the SAMP public process, and reports from the Federal Policy Working Group and Aviation Noise Working Group. The meeting was chaired by Lance Lyttle, SEA Managing Director, and facilitated by Brian Scott, with presentations from public health researchers and Port of Seattle staff. A follow-up meeting was tentatively scheduled for August 25, 2021.

This document summarizes a June 14, 2021 meeting of the StART Aviation Noise Working Group, which advises the Port of Seattle on noise issues around Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Key topics included an update on the proposed glideslope angle adjustment for Runway 34R (recommending proceeding with a 3.0-degree change), an analysis of noise abatement departure profiles showing that the Distant NADP currently used by most airlines benefits the majority of affected neighborhoods, and a review of the Late-Night Noise Limitation Program highlighting that FedEx Express, China Airlines Cargo, and Amazon Prime Air had the highest late-night noise exceedances. The group agreed to continue monitoring departure profiles without further action and to pursue renewed outreach to carriers with high late-night noise levels.

The StART Federal Policy Working Group met on June 7, 2021 to discuss three potential federal policy items: a proposed EPA pilot grant program to study aircraft noise and emissions in airport communities, the American Jobs Plan's relevance to StART's policy agenda, and the Sustainable Skies Act's tax credit for sustainable aviation fuel. Members agreed to bring three options for supporting the American Jobs Plan back to their communities for feedback before making a decision at the next meeting. Policy updates were also shared, including a submitted application for a secondary noise insulation pilot program and a planned Port of Seattle grant application partnering with Microsoft to use AI to reduce aircraft emissions and ground noise.

The April 28, 2021 StART (SEA Stakeholder Advisory Round Table) meeting covered air travel recovery forecasts, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's aviation outlook, and updates on the Port of Seattle's Noise Insulation Program, which has spent approximately $400 million on sound insulation and property acquisition since 1985. Key noise-related discussions included progress on a late-night flight limitation program, a potential glideslope adjustment for Runway 34R, and temporary noise monitoring deployments in communities surrounding the airport. Residents and working groups continued to raise concerns about the health impacts of late-night cargo flights, while federal funding opportunities for expanded noise insulation efforts were explored.

This document is the agenda for a StART (SEA Stakeholder Advisory Round Table) meeting held on April 28, 2021, via Zoom, focused on air travel recovery and airport noise issues near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Key topics included a national airline recovery forecast presented by Airlines for America, a local SEA aviation forecast, and an overview of the Port of Seattle's Noise Insulation Program. The meeting also featured updates from the Federal Policy Working Group and the Aviation Noise Working Group, along with a public comment period.

This document summarizes an April 12, 2021 Aviation Noise Working Group meeting held via Zoom, where Port of Seattle representatives provided updates on efforts to reduce aircraft noise around Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Key topics included progress on raising the 34R glideslope angle from 2.75 to 3.1 degrees (complicated by FAA ownership of equipment), a report on late-night flight noise violations by cargo carriers like FedEx and Amazon Prime Air, and a recap of a study comparing close-in versus distant departure procedures. The group also discussed the Port's temporary noise monitoring program, with current deployments in Normandy Park and Vashon Island and a planned deployment in Burien.

This document summarizes a April 5, 2021 meeting of the StART Federal Policy Working Group, which advises on cooperation between the Port of Seattle and communities near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Guest speaker Annie Russo of Airports Council International outlined 2021 legislative opportunities related to aircraft noise and emissions, including the Biden infrastructure plan, annual appropriations earmarks, and the upcoming FAA Reauthorization Act. Port of Seattle staff also provided updates on expanding sound insulation eligibility for pre-1993 residences, a $2.5 million earmark request for re-insulation, and upcoming virtual meetings with congressional staff.