Former King County International Airport (BFI) Noise Officer Sharyn Parker's prepared notes for a GAO interview outline significant concerns about FAA regulatory failures and Sea-Tac Airport's inadequate noise mitigation practices in the Seattle region. Parker argues that the FAA has consistently failed to require Sea-Tac to update noise exposure maps, enforce timely sound mitigation programs, or conduct meaningful public outreach — particularly for minority communities disproportionately affected by flight path changes like the Greener Skies/RNP initiative. The notes also highlight contradictions between Sea-Tac's deliberately low flight-operation projections in its Part 150 noise studies and the far higher growth figures used in its capital development plans.Open full document
Notes
Detailed notes prepared by former BFI Noise Officer Sharyn Parker for a General Accounting Office (GAO) interview covering factors contributing to public aviation noise perceptions, FAA’s evaluation and mitigation of noise impacts from performance-based navigation changes, and FAA’s public outreach practices. Includes specific criticisms of Sea-Tac’s Part 150 studies and regulatory oversight issues.