A January 2017 legal memorandum from law firm Dentons to the Quiet Skies Coalition outlines potential claims against the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) over a new flight departure route introduced at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in summer 2016. The new route directs aircraft on a fixed low-altitude path over schools, parks, and residential areas in the City of Burien without prior public notice. The memo concludes that the FAA likely violated the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) by failing to conduct or document the required environmental review before implementing the route.Open full document
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A legal memorandum from attorney Matthew Adams of Dentons to the Quiet Skies Coalition summarizing recent changes to north flow departure procedures at Sea-Tac Airport in summer 2016 and their impacts on the City of Burien. The memo analyzes potential NEPA claims against the FAA, arguing the agency failed to conduct required environmental review before implementing the New Route. It evaluates the three NEPA compliance pathways and concludes that none were properly followed, making a NEPA violation claim likely to succeed on the merits.