Category : Meetings(460)

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport operates a permanent noise monitoring system consisting of 24 monitors placed in surrounding communities and along flight paths north and south of the airport's three runways. Upgraded in 2015 with Larson Davis 831 equipment, the system continuously captures aircraft noise event data for both departures and arrivals. This data is compiled monthly and made publicly available through the Port of Seattle's Noise Programs website.

The October 28, 2020 StART (SEA Stakeholder Advisory Round Table) meeting brought together the Port of Seattle and neighboring communities to discuss aircraft noise monitoring at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Key topics included an overview of SEA's permanent and new temporary noise monitoring systems, a review of late-night noise data showing cargo carriers as the top source of exceedances, and updates from the Federal Policy Working Group on plans to meet virtually with Congressional representatives and FAA leadership. The cities of Des Moines, Burien, and Federal Way also rejoined StART at this meeting, with the next session scheduled for December 9, 2020.

The October 28, 2020 StART (SEA Stakeholder Advisory Round Table) meeting covered updates on federal aviation noise policy advocacy, including plans for virtual meetings with Congressional representatives and FAA leadership. The group also reviewed data on late-night noise complaints, cargo carrier exceedances, and runway usage, and received a detailed presentation on Sea-Tac Airport's permanent noise monitoring system, which uses 24 ground-based monitors and FAA radar data to track and correlate aircraft noise events across surrounding communities.

The SEA Stakeholder Advisory Round Table (StART) Federal Policy Working Group met on October 5, 2020 to discuss congressional updates and aviation noise legislation. Key topics included the Aviation Impacted Communities Act proposed by Rep. Adam Smith, which aims to expand FAA noise impact recognition beyond the current 65 DNL standard and require the FAA to engage directly with affected neighborhoods near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The group also discussed the limited near-term legislative opportunities due to Congress being focused on COVID-19 relief and a Supreme Court nomination ahead of the November 2020 election.

This October 2020 presentation by Vincent Mestre, P.E. provides background information on airport noise monitoring systems for the StART (Sea-Tac Airport Roundtable) group, covering the history of such systems dating back to the late 1960s and early 1970s, including Seattle's own monitoring history. It outlines the international standards that guide best practices, such as IEC and ISO guidelines, and explains the core goals of noise monitoring: tracking aircraft-generated noise levels, comparing them against policy guidelines, and using the data to justify mitigation measures that minimize the impact on nearby communities.

This document summarizes a August 26, 2020 virtual meeting of the StART (SEA Stakeholder Advisory Round Table), a group representing communities, airlines, and the Port of Seattle around Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Key topics included strategies for improving community engagement such as quarterly videos and social media outreach, an update on the Federal Policy Working Group's advocacy priorities including noise insulation funding and supersonic aircraft noise standards, and a report from the Aviation Noise Working Group noting a rise in late-night cargo flights exceeding noise thresholds due to increased e-commerce activity during COVID-19.