TagBAC(100)

The Burien Airport Committee held a meeting on December 17, 2024, to discuss topics related to Sea-Tac Airport noise and expansion policy, including a wrap-up of public comments on the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP), a possible multi-city response to the SAMP, and potential state-level mitigation legislation. The committee also considered expanding its membership from five to seven members and reviewed a StART (Sea-Tac Airport Roundtable) committee update. Members of the public were invited to participate in person at Burien City Hall, via Zoom, or by submitting written comments in advance.

The Burien Airport Committee (BAC) recommends capping flights at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, citing unacceptable health burdens from aircraft noise and air pollution on surrounding communities. The committee argues that decades of regional planning studies have failed to identify alternatives to concentrating all air traffic growth at Sea-Tac, and that current expansion plans will likely be insufficient beyond 2025. BAC opposes Sea-Tac's SAMP expansion plan and calls on state and regional officials to identify alternative locations for future air passenger and cargo growth.

The Burien Quiet Skies coalition compiled this document to compare a 1996 expert arbitration panel's noise reduction directives for Sea-Tac Airport with the FAA's 2014 approval of the airport's 2013-2018 noise compatibility program, revealing that many of the same noise abatement and mitigation measures remain unaddressed decades later. Key concerns include hundreds of homes still lacking adequate sound insulation, a 12-year gap in noise modeling data, outdated noise contour maps, and the FAA's failure to hold the Port of Seattle accountable for implementing promised noise reduction procedures. The document argues that regulators and the Port of Seattle have repeatedly failed South King County communities—including economically vulnerable populations—by allowing aircraft noise levels to worsen while meaningful corrective action has been continually delayed since at least 1985.

This document covers Washington State noise regulation exemptions under WAC 173-60-050, listing activities exempt from standard noise limits—such as construction, aircraft flight operations, emergency equipment, hunting, and railroad traffic—along with time-based conditions (e.g., 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.) that apply to some exemptions. It also includes a Growth Management Act county map showing which Washington counties are mandated to plan, opting to plan, or planning only for critical areas and resource lands. Together, these materials provide regulatory context for noise policy and land-use planning relevant to airport-adjacent communities like those near Sea-Tac.

This document profiles multiple community groups across the greater Seattle-Puget Sound region that are actively working to address noise and air pollution caused by increased air traffic around Sea-Tac International Airport. Groups such as the Beacon Hill Community Noise Team, Quiet Skies Coalition, and North End Neighbors Airplane Noise Group document noise levels, engage with federal and local policymakers, and pursue legal and legislative remedies against FAA flight path decisions. Their efforts range from collecting scientific noise data and producing documentary films to filing litigation and advocating for night-time curfews and regional airport alternatives.

This document outlines proposed changes to Washington State legislation governing airport noise mitigation programs, replacing the term 'mitigation equipment' with 'mitigation product' and expanding the definition to include items such as acoustical windows, attic insulation, and air conditioners. It addresses eligibility rules allowing previously treated properties to receive repeat benefits when mitigation products have visibly failed or no longer achieve their intended noise reduction levels, and argues that homeowners should not be penalized by 2015 FAA testing requirement changes that would otherwise disqualify approximately 40% of previously treated residences. The document also recommends that qualified civil or mechanical engineers, rather than general contractors, be enlisted to assess whether product failures have caused additional hazards or structural damage.

This document outlines the step-by-step Sound Insulation Program offered by King County International Airport (KCIA) to eligible homeowners affected by aircraft noise near Sea-Tac Airport. Participation is free and voluntary, involving eight key steps: attending a homeowner briefing, submitting required paperwork, completing assessment visits, approving a scope of work, signing a program contract and avigation easement, coordinating construction, completing a final inspection, and submitting a post-construction survey. Homeowners can contact the program office at 206-205-0668 during business hours for assistance or to make alternative arrangements if they cannot attend scheduled briefings.

This internal audit reviews Sea-Tac Airport's (SEA) Noise Insulation Program from January 2013 to March 2019, comparing its construction and management practices to those of other airports. The audit finds recurring problems with inconsistent workmanship, weak internal accountability, and poor communication between management, contractors, and homeowners dating back to the program's origins in 1985. Key recommendations emphasize the need for more frequent oversight, stronger payment controls, and clearer reporting standards to improve program efficiency and homeowner satisfaction.

This document compares how three major airports — Charlotte-Douglas (NC), Los Angeles (LAX), and Chicago O'Hare — structure their community noise roundtable committees, covering issues such as elected-official membership, public audio-visual recordings, agenda-setting procedures, advance notice requirements, and inclusion of expert witnesses. The comparison was prepared by the BAC (Boeing Airport Committee) to inform the development of Sea-Tac's StART (Sea-Tac Airport Roundtable) process, highlighting where the airport's operating partner (POS) agreed or refused to adopt practices used elsewhere. Key findings show that LAX's model — featuring public recordings, 72-hour advance notices, and two pathways for expert public participation — was rated highest priority for adoption, while POS declined to allow recordings or invite expert witnesses.

A Burien Airport Committee member named Sharyn argues that Sea-Tac Airport's 2013 Part 150 noise study is dangerously outdated, as actual flight operations have been growing at roughly 9% per year — far outpacing the Port's own projections. Her analysis suggests Sea-Tac will reach its 2034 capacity forecast as early as 2020, meaning real noise impacts on surrounding communities like Seahurst are already well beyond what official noise maps show. She calls on the City of Burien to demand that the Port update its noise modeling immediately rather than waiting until after 2021.