TagCommercial Aviation Work Group(36)

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) held the inaugural meeting of its Commercial Aviation Work Group on July 11, 2024, in Tumwater, WA, with both in-person and virtual attendance options. The all-day session covered organizational setup tasks including appointing voting members, developing a group charter, electing a chair, and selecting a consultant. While focused on statewide commercial aviation planning, the work group's activities may have relevance to noise policy discussions affecting airports such as Sea-Tac.

This document presents the agenda and key materials from the final meeting of Washington State's Commercial Aviation Coordinating Commission (CACC), covering public engagement efforts, a recap of legislation ESHB 1791, and a commission member survey. The bill, signed by Governor Inslee, created a new Commercial Aviation Work Group (CAWG) to replace the CACC, though several sections were vetoed, including provisions for the CAWG task list, funding transfer, and immediate effect. A survey of commission members showed strong support (13 to 1) for the need for a new greenfield airport site to meet future commercial aviation capacity needs in the region.

Washington State's Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1791, passed in 2023, establishes a new 19-member Commercial Aviation Work Group to study the state's long-term airport capacity needs, replacing the earlier Commercial Aviation Coordinating Commission. The bill responds to projections that by 2050, demand for flights in the central Puget Sound region will exceed Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's capacity, and directs the group to explore alternatives—including building or expanding other airports. The legislation acknowledges that any new airport site would carry significant environmental, health, and community impacts requiring decisions from federal, state, and local governments.

Washington State House Bill 1791 (2023) establishes a new Commercial Aviation Coordinating Work Group to study the state's long-range aviation needs over the next 20 years, replacing the previous Commercial Aviation Coordinating Commission whose work was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The 19-member work group, appointed by the governor, will evaluate airport capacity across Washington and assess the potential need for a new commercial airport, taking into account community and environmental impacts. The study is particularly focused on meeting growing aviation demand in western Washington, which has direct implications for how future air traffic and infrastructure decisions may affect communities around Sea-Tac Airport.

Washington State's ESHB 1791 replaces the Commercial Aviation Coordinating Commission with a new Commercial Aviation Work Group tasked with studying the long-range commercial aviation needs of the state, including evaluating potential sites for new or expanded airports. The Work Group must consider environmental impacts, greenhouse gas emissions, water quality, and compatibility with military installations, while excluding expansion of airports in counties with populations of 2 million or more residents — effectively ruling out major expansion at Sea-Tac. The group is required to submit annual progress reports to the Governor and the Legislature's Transportation Committees.