The Port of Seattle's Late Night Noise Limitation Program monitors aircraft noise levels at Sea-Tac Airport between midnight and 5am, using SEL noise thresholds measured at four monitor locations for both arrivals and departures. Airlines whose flights exceed these thresholds are notified and face penalties to their Fly Quiet Award scores. All airlines are encouraged to reduce late-night operations or switch to quieter aircraft, with results reported publicly on a regular basis.

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This presentation provides an overview of the Late Night Noise Limitation Program presented at the Sea-Tac Stakeholder Advisory Roundtable. The program focuses on operations between 12am and 5am, establishing SEL noise thresholds at four monitor locations for departures and arrivals. Airlines exceeding thresholds will be notified, face negative impacts to their Fly Quiet Award scores, and will be encouraged to limit late night operations or switch to quieter aircraft.

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As the source for federal transportation grants, the Puget Sound Regional Council was charged with developing a system to meet the growing need for commercial aviation. When the search for a second airport failed, they authorized the Port of Seattle to build the Third Runway, with a mandate to develop a noise abatement and mitigation program. In their effort to stop the Third Runway, the ACC argued over every detail of the Port's efforts--including property buyouts and sound insulation. The dispute was meant to be settled by a three member Expert Arbitration Panel. This is their final report. It finds 2-1, that the Port's program was insufficient in several respects. Despite that, funding for the Third Runway was approved by the PSRC, and the 'Port Package' program, proceeded largely unchanged. Expert Arbitration Panel's final decision finding that the Port of Seattle had not shown sufficient reduction in real on-the-ground noise impacts to satisfy noise reduction conditions required for approval of a third runway at Sea-Tac International Airport. The majority decision concluded the Port's noise abatement programs were insufficient despite being impressive in scope.

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