TagBurien Airport Committee(142)

The Burien Airport Committee held a virtual meeting on May 19, 2020, to discuss airport-related policy matters, including a proposed letter to Port Commissioners about a 'new normal' for airport operations, comments on a Department of Commerce report, and a possible invitation to an FAA Community Ombudsperson. Draft minutes from the April 21, 2020 meeting were also reviewed, covering Chair Tosta's Washington, D.C. visit to advocate for a comprehensive cumulative impact assessment of the Port of Seattle's Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP). The meetings, held via Zoom due to COVID-19 restrictions, reflect ongoing community and city council efforts to address noise and environmental concerns related to Sea-Tac Airport.

Two local citizen coalitions — the Burien Quiet Skies Coalition and Quiet Skies Puget Sound — wrote to Port of Seattle leadership in May 2020, urging them to pause and reassess the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) in light of the COVID-19 pandemic's dramatic reduction in air travel demand. The letter argues that the Port's planned $3.4 billion capital investment program relies on outdated pre-pandemic assumptions, and cites concerns raised as early as 2019 by Alaska Airlines about the SAMP's oversized gate count, disconnected north terminal design, and excessive costs. The signatories call on Port Commissioners to revise all passenger and revenue projections before committing public and airline funds to infrastructure that may no longer be justified.

In May 2020, Sharyn Parker of the Quiet Skies Coalition emailed Burien city staff requesting email addresses for local elected officials in DesMoines, Sea-Tac, Normandy Park, and Federal Way, in order to distribute a letter to Port of Seattle Commissioners regarding airport noise. Burien Management Analyst Lori Fleming responded with contact information for city managers, administrators, and mayors of several South King County cities, including SeaTac, Tukwila, Normandy Park, Des Moines, and Federal Way. The exchange was flagged as a public record subject to disclosure under Washington State's public records law, RCW 42.56.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, JetBlue, Spirit, and Delta Airlines submitted requests to the U.S. Department of Transportation seeking permission to suspend flights to dozens of airports, including Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The airlines cited historically low passenger demand, with some flights carrying as few as two passengers on 162-seat aircraft, making continued service financially unsustainable. The requests were part of a broader industry effort to reduce operations despite minimum service requirements tied to CARES Act funding.

The Burien Airport Committee held a virtual meeting on April 21, 2020, discussing key aviation issues including a draft letter to the FAA regarding the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) Environmental Impact Statement and concerns about aircraft flight patterns over Burien. The committee also reviewed updates from a March 2020 Washington, D.C. legislative visit, discussed engagement with the Sea-Tac Stakeholder Advisory Round Table (StART), and considered inviting an FAA Community Ombudsperson to a future meeting. Draft minutes from the February 26, 2020 meeting were also presented for approval, reflecting ongoing efforts by the City of Burien to address cumulative noise and air traffic impacts from Sea-Tac Airport on surrounding communities.

The Burien Airport Committee had a meeting scheduled for March 17, 2020 that was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Key topics on the agenda included a follow-up phone call with the city's FAA lawsuit attorney Matt Adams, an update on a Washington D.C. legislative visit, and discussion of the Port of Seattle's response to community concerns about airport impacts. Draft minutes from the February 26, 2020 meeting document earlier discussions about challenging FAA flight path decisions over Burien and addressing cumulative noise and growth impacts on surrounding communities through the Seattle-Tacoma Airport's Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) Environmental Impact Statement process.

The Burien Airport Committee met in January and February 2020 to address concerns related to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, including efforts to push the FAA to conduct a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) rather than a lesser Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Sustainable Airport Master Plan. The committee also discussed re-engagement with the StART (Sea-Tac Airport Roundtable) process, involving six cities in dialogue with the Port of Seattle, and planned a joint visit to Washington, D.C. in March 2020 to advocate for community interests on airport noise and expansion issues.

In February 2020, Washington State Representative Tina Orwall shared proposed new language for House Bill 2315 with a group of stakeholders, including attorneys and community advocates, seeking their feedback before a Senate hearing. The proposed legislative language outlines conditions under which individual properties near a port district could qualify for repeated soundproofing benefits, specifically when they experience increased aircraft noise or when previously installed sound mitigation equipment is found to be failing or defective. The bill would also require port districts to work with certified building inspectors or qualified contractors to assess whether failed soundproofing packages caused additional hazards or structural damage to affected properties.

This 2020 email from Sharyn Parker to a congressional staffer outlines the history and mechanics of airport sound insulation programs near Seattle-area airports, contrasting Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's early flawed 'single parcel' approach with King County International Airport's more structured bundled-bidding method. The King County program grouped 5–50+ noise-qualified homes into bid packages, employed an architectural firm for oversight, and required sign-off from homeowners, contractors, and local building inspectors before a package could be closed out. The email also highlights key improvements in modern noise mitigation, such as fresh-air ventilation systems and 3-ply acoustical windows, and notes that program materials were published in six languages to ensure full homeowner understanding.