In October 2012, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved new GPS-based arrival flight paths into Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) under the 'Greener Skies Over Seattle' initiative. The new procedures, developed in partnership with Alaska Airlines, Boeing, and the Port of Seattle, use satellite navigation technology to guide arriving aircraft on more precise, fuel-efficient descent paths from the northwest and southwest. The FAA concluded that the changes would not cause significant environmental harm, issuing a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) alongside its formal approval.Open full document
Notes
This Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact/Record of Decision (FONSI/ROD) documents the FAA’s environmental review and approval for implementing new RNAV/RNP and Optimized Profile Descent procedures at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The proposed action is part of the FAA’s NextGen modernization program, designed to improve safety and efficiency of the SEA airspace using Performance-Based Navigation. The FAA determined that implementation of these procedures would result in no significant environmental impact and no airport-related development.