TagBAC(100)

The Burien Airport Committee met on May 21, 2019 to discuss several airport-related issues, including updates on the Sea-Tac Airport Master Plan (SAMP) environmental review process, the formation of a coalition of local elected officials to address airport concerns, and research into noise mitigation programs such as the Sound Insulation Program. The committee also reviewed a Federal Way letter to University of Washington professors regarding a study on ultrafine particle pollution from aircraft, and discussed Burien's ongoing participation in the Sea-Tac Airport Roundtable (StART). Draft minutes from the April 16, 2019 meeting reflect earlier discussions on flight curfews, landing fee structures, and airport governance as potential tools for reducing noise impacts on surrounding communities.

The League of Quiet Skies Voters hosted a Town Hall on April 25, 2019, at the Highline Performing Arts Center in Burien, WA, to address concerns about aircraft noise and emissions from Sea-Tac Airport's ongoing expansion. The event featured Congressman Adam Smith and inventor Chris McCann, a former U.S. Air Force pilot and software engineer who created Airnoise.io, a device that automates the filing of aircraft noise complaints directly to airports. The Town Hall aimed to educate voters on health and environmental risks of airport expansion, highlight complaint data collected at 39 airports nationwide, and discuss strategies for engaging policymakers on noise policy reform.

This FAA presentation, delivered to the Santa Clara/Santa Cruz Counties Airport/Community Roundtable in March 2019, explains that addressing aircraft noise impacts requires a collective effort involving airport sponsors, airlines, elected officials, community members, manufacturers, and the FAA. It highlights the Airport/Community Noise Roundtable as an effective mechanism for coordinating that effort. The Western Service Area hosts several such roundtables, including the SEA Stakeholder Advisory Roundtable serving the Seattle area.

The Burien Airport Committee met on January 15, 2019 to review and update three proposed city resolutions addressing growth and safety, noise pollution, and health impacts related to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The committee also discussed a proposed resolution to restructure its own membership by removing the distinction between business and resident members and adding ex-officio seats for representatives from other airport-related groups. Additional agenda items included an update on open applications to fill vacant committee seats.

The Burien Airport Committee met on December 18, 2018 to review three draft resolutions addressing airport growth, noise, and health impacts related to Sea-Tac Airport, and to discuss the committee's composition and purpose. Prior meeting minutes from October and November 2018 were also up for approval, with earlier discussions having covered recommendations from Federal Way's Quiet and Healthy Skies Task Force and scoping comments on Sea-Tac's Sustainable Airport Master Plan Environmental Impact Statement. The committee, made up of city council members, business representatives, and residents, was working to shape Burien's policy response to ongoing airport expansion and its effects on the surrounding community.

The Burien Airport Committee met on November 15, 2018, to discuss potential city council resolutions related to airport noise and impact issues, including ideas drawn from Federal Way's Quiet and Healthy Skies Task Force Report. The committee also reviewed updates on the Sea-Tac Airport Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) Environmental Impact Statement, which was described as being in its early stages. Additional agenda items included an update on the committee's appointment process and approval of minutes from the October 16, 2018 meeting.

The Burien Airport Committee (BAC) met on October 16, 2018 to discuss aviation noise issues related to Sea-Tac Airport, including a review of Federal Way's Quiet and Healthy Skies Task Force recommendations and public comments on the Sea-Tac Airport Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) Environmental Impact Statement. The committee also received updates on the City of Burien's legal petition challenging the FAA's approval of a 250-degree flight heading over Burien, which was described as still in early litigation stages. Additional topics included FAA funding for noise mitigation staff, a Washington State Department of Commerce airport impacts study, and a regional aviation baseline study by the Puget Sound Regional Council.

The Burien Airport Committee met on September 18, 2018 to discuss ongoing efforts to address noise and environmental impacts from Sea-Tac Airport, including a legal challenge to the FAA's approval of a 250-degree flight heading over Burien and community engagement in the airport's Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) environmental review process. The agenda also covered coordination with neighboring cities, a Washington State airport impacts study, and updates on sound insulation programs. Draft minutes from the July 17, 2018 meeting were included, documenting a presentation on environmental justice concerns related to airport noise affecting minority and low-income communities.

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.