TagBAC(102)

The Burien Airport Committee (BAC) held a revised meeting on July 17, 2018, covering updates on Quiet Skies Coalition activities, a Department of Commerce Impact Study budget proviso, and a StART meeting report. Key agenda items included a 30-minute presentation on Environmental Justice issues related to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport by representatives from the Washington Department of Ecology and the EPA, as well as a discussion on drafting a City Council resolution addressing airport noise impacts. Future agenda items included a Port of Seattle presentation on the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) and a Department of Public Health briefing on health effects from airport proximity.

This June 2018 FAA memorandum clarifies how noise screening assessments should be used in environmental reviews under NEPA. Noise screening tools are meant to determine whether a more detailed noise analysis is needed, and can help decide the appropriate level of environmental review, but they are not a substitute for comprehensive noise modeling. Importantly, the FAA should not report specific noise levels at precise geographic locations based solely on screening results, as these tools use simplified assumptions that tend to overstate impacts and lack the accuracy needed for site-specific conclusions.

The Burien Airport Committee (BAC) met on May 15, 2018 to discuss air quality, FAA updates, and strategies for addressing Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's impact on the Burien community. Key priorities included updating noise contour maps, gathering environmental justice data, reviewing air pollution studies, and identifying economic benefits for Burien from its proximity to the airport. The committee also reviewed draft minutes from its April 17, 2018 meeting, where members were assigned tasks such as drafting a resolution on airport noise and emission concerns.

The Burien Airport Committee (BAC) met on April 17, 2018 to discuss the city's response to Sea-Tac Airport-related concerns, including noise contour maps, air pollution health impacts, and environmental justice issues. The committee reviewed potential priorities such as updating FAA noise contour maps, inventorying air pollution studies, and engaging Port of Seattle commissioners on community concerns. Draft minutes from the March 20, 2018 meeting were also included, documenting the committee's brainstorming of initiatives to better understand airport impacts and advocate for the Burien community.

The Burien Airport Committee (BAC) held meetings in early 2018 to address concerns about Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's growth and its impact on surrounding communities. Key topics included the Port of Seattle's Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) Environmental Impact Statement, an Interlocal Agreement among Burien, Des Moines, Normandy Park, and SeaTac to coordinate responses to airport expansion, and updates on noise-related efforts such as Quiet Skies Burien and the city's petition regarding turbo-prop flights overhead. The committee also discussed participation in regional aviation planning studies led by the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) and the FAA.

The Burien Airport Committee (BAC) met on February 20, 2018 to discuss aviation capacity concerns near Sea-Tac Airport, including responses to Resolution No. 396, which calls for addressing regional aviation capacity needs in western Washington. The agenda covered updates on several airport studies, an interlocal agreement among four cities to jointly respond to the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), and ongoing noise-related efforts such as the Quiet Skies Burien initiative. Draft minutes from October 2017 reflect earlier committee work on scoping questions for the EIS and efforts to coordinate a unified voice among nearby airport-impacted cities.

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and the Port of Seattle support neighboring communities through grant programs, job creation, and noise mitigation efforts. The Port has invested approximately $400 million in noise mitigation for affected communities, completing work on 9,400 single-family homes, 5 condominium complexes, 14 Highline College buildings, and 8 public schools. The airport also drives significant regional economic activity, supporting 151,400 jobs and $22.4 billion in total economic activity.

In an October 2017 email, Burien Advisory Committee member Sharyn writes to council members Nancy Tosta and Debi Wagner to propose revisions to a draft council resolution concerning Sea-Tac Airport noise and growth. She argues that Sea-Tac's 2013-2018 Part 150 Study severely underestimated actual flight operations by 51%, which has minimized noise mitigation efforts for South King County residents. She calls for updated noise modeling, a reduction in operational levels, and an end to flights over Seahurst, warning that without immediate action, residents could face nearly 1,500 additional flights per day by 2025 with no mitigation relief for another decade.

In an October 2017 email to Burien City Council members, resident Sharyn Parker critiques a letter from Port of Seattle Chairman Tom Albro defending Sea-Tac Airport's expansion and noise mitigation efforts. She argues that Albro's response fails to address the real-world impacts of rapidly increasing flight operations—including a 9% annual average flight increase—on surrounding communities, and that the Port's noise modeling data is outdated and understates actual activity by 51%. Parker calls on the Council to challenge what she characterizes as the Port's lack of candor and possible intentional underestimation of flight projections to avoid costly noise and air quality mitigation requirements.

The Burien Airport Committee met on September 19, 2017 to discuss legal updates, regional coordination, and a proposed resolution on airport noise and growth issues. The City Attorney reviewed a potentially favorable court precedent from a Phoenix aviation case, while committee members debated drafting a resolution urging the Burien City Council to pursue a regional solution to air traffic capacity and growth. The committee also discussed possible dissolution at year's end, future agenda topics including health impacts and environmental review, and the scheduling of their next meeting for October 17, 2017.