TagBurien Airport Committee(131)

In a May 2019 email to Sharyn Parker, Debi Wagner outlines her extensive advocacy history related to Sea-Tac Airport and aviation environmental issues, including serving on the Burien Airport Advisory Committee, co-founding US Citizens Aviation Watch in 1998, and co-authoring Burien Resolution 375 in 2015. Her experience spans noise, air quality, and climate change concerns, with roles on the Port of Seattle Energy and Sustainability Committee and the UW Ultrafine Advisory Panel. Handwritten notes on the document also reference Resolution #408 for the Burien Airport Committee in 2019 and membership in the Clean Air Network, a regional group of air quality experts and educators.

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 March 19, 2019 to discuss concerns about Sea-Tac Airport's impact on the surrounding community, including noise pollution, safety, and health effects. The agenda included updates on federal and regional aviation policy efforts, and a review of three resolutions adopted by the Burien City Council on January 28, 2019, addressing airport growth, noise pollution, and requests for health impact monitoring. The committee also discussed priorities for 2019 and how to advance action on these resolutions at the local, state, and federal levels.

The City of Burien, Washington adopted Resolution No. 405 on January 28, 2019, amending an earlier resolution to update the structure of the Burien Airport Committee, an advisory body focused on issues related to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Key changes included consolidating community membership into up to six resident and business representatives appointed by the City Council, adding the City Manager as an Ex-Officio member, and expanding the committee's purposes to include coordinating information sharing among city representatives on airport-related bodies and staying informed on regional airport studies. The committee advises the City Council on matters such as noise and traffic impacts, land use, mitigation measures, and ways to protect residents and businesses from negative airport effects.

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 City's Aviation Advisory Committee met on January 14, 2019 to discuss ongoing efforts related to SeaTac Airport noise concerns, including drafting a letter to the Port of Seattle and planning a joint meeting with City consultants in May 2019. Committee members reported on a Port of Seattle noise meeting in Burien that drew criticism for the speaker's refusal to address airport noise issues. Three members of the public commented, with suggestions ranging from hiring a full-time airport lobbyist to increasing EPA involvement in reducing noise emissions.

In January 2019, the City of Burien, Washington considered Resolution No. 407, a measure drafted by the Burien Airport Committee to address noise pollution from nearby Sea-Tac Airport. The resolution highlighted that the airport's rapid growth had caused serious health, environmental, and economic harm to Burien residents, with current FAA noise level standards far exceeding the safer thresholds recommended by the World Health Organization. The Burien Airport Committee recommended adoption of the resolution, which called for updated noise impact assessments and greater consideration of off-site noise effects.

In January 2019, the City of Burien, Washington considered Resolution No. 408, which called for air quality monitoring and health impact assessments of Sea-Tac Airport operations. The resolution highlighted that air traffic had exceeded the airport's projected levels by over 30% and that no air quality monitors existed near the six closest cities to the airport. The Burien Airport Committee recommended adopting the resolution, citing concerns about residents' exposure to pollutants linked to cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other serious health conditions.