TagAIP(57)

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a grant to the Port of Seattle to fund noise mitigation work at Olympic Elementary School near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, with a maximum federal contribution of $3.9 million covering 80% of allowable project costs. The grant (AIP Grant Number 3-53-0062-131-2013) was formally closed out on December 9, 2014, with a final paid amount of $3,879,406 after all work was confirmed satisfactorily completed and costs verified as reasonable and eligible. The Port of Seattle is required to retain all supporting project documentation for a minimum of three years from the final reimbursement request, in accordance with Federal Regulation 49 CFR Part 18.42.

In September 2013, the FAA's Seattle Airports District Office issued a grant offer of $3,900,000 to the Port of Seattle for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport under AIP Project Number 3-53-0062-131-2013. The grant required acceptance by the airport sponsor no later than September 13, 2013, with proper execution of the Grant Agreement by authorized officials and the sponsor's attorney. The fully executed agreement was confirmed and transmitted on September 12, 2013.

In September 2013, the FAA's Seattle Airports District Office issued a $3,900,000 grant offer to the Port of Seattle for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport under AIP Project Number 3-53-0062-131-2013. The grant agreement was fully executed by September 12, 2013, meeting the required acceptance deadline of September 13, 2013. All environmental analysis and approval requirements were fulfilled in accordance with FAA Order 5050.4B, the Airport Environmental Handbook.

This 2013 report from the National Academies provides updated guidelines for airport sound insulation programs (SIPs), helping airport sponsors manage the process of reducing aircraft noise in homes, schools, hospitals, and other noise-sensitive buildings. It covers key topics such as construction contracting, federal funding requirements, and best practices for working with homeowners and contractors on government-funded renovation projects. The guidelines are intended for use by airport staff, consultants, and FAA offices in developing compliant noise compatibility programs.

The Northwest Mountain Regional Airport Plan (RAP) 2012 outlines the FAA's priorities for airport system development across the Northwest Mountain Region, covering safety improvements, runway upgrades, and investment strategies for 136 focus airports. The plan addresses key initiatives such as runway safety areas, wildlife hazard assessments, and preparation for NextGen technologies, with funding decisions guided by a regional Board of Directors overseeing the Airport Improvement Program. Note that this document covers regional airport planning broadly and does not specifically address Sea-Tac Airport noise policy.

The FAA Airport Compliance Manual (Order 5190.6B), effective September 30, 2009, provides guidance to FAA personnel on ensuring that airport sponsors meet their federal obligations when they accept federal funds or property for airport purposes. It analyzes grant assurances, surplus property conditions, and other legal commitments that airports must uphold, and outlines the compliance program's objectives, responsibilities, and enforcement procedures. The manual is administered by the FAA's Airport Compliance Division and serves as the authoritative reference for interpreting and managing airport sponsor obligations nationwide.

The Federal Aviation Administration approved a total grant payment of $4,935,000 to the Port of Seattle for AIP Project Number 3-53-0062-77, covering acoustical insulation work at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Out of $6,476,538.99 in claimed costs, $6,168,750.00 was deemed allowable after disallowing $307,788.99, with the federal share set at 80%. The Port of Seattle submitted closeout documentation in March 2006, though a Circular A-133 audit by Deloitte & Touche and final acoustic test results for Seawind Condominiums were still pending completion at the time of closure.

In September 2003, the Port of Seattle Commission considered authorizing a $3.69 million program to sound-insulate 98 single-family homes near Sea-Tac Airport that fell within the projected 2010 65 DNL noise contour and were built before local noise codes took effect. The project, stemming from a 1997 Environmental Impact Statement related to the airport's third runway, aimed to reduce interior noise levels by at least 5 decibels in eligible homes in Des Moines and unincorporated King County. Funding was to come primarily from federal Airport Improvement Program grants (80%), with the remainder drawn from the Airport Development Fund, and homeowners were required to grant the Port an avigation easement in exchange for the insulation work.

A 1998 U.S. General Accounting Office report examined whether the FAA was required to enforce a policy mandating written declarations of local support before awarding noise mitigation grants to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The report found that while FAA policy called for such written declarations from affected cities and counties, neither federal law nor FAA regulations legally required them. FAA officials maintained they still met the broader statutory requirement of ensuring noise mitigation projects were consistent with local plans.