TagCity Of Des Moines(211)

The Port of Seattle wrote to Des Moines Mayor Traci Buxton in December 2025 to explain its Sound Insulation Repair and Replacement Pilot Program, a $5 million initiative aimed at helping homeowners near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport whose aging sound insulation packages may no longer be performing adequately. The program focuses on homes that received insulation before 1993 and are located within the FAA-approved Noise Remedy Boundary, with eligibility determined by acoustic testing showing interior noise levels at or above 45 dB DNL. Of the 117 homes tested in the initial phase, five were found eligible, and the Port plans to expand outreach to an additional 209 homes in early 2026 while pursuing FAA grant funding that could cover up to 80% of design and construction costs.

Airport Advisory Committee meeting agenda for December 8, 2025, including items on SAMP updates, StART meeting updates, complaints/communications, and committee work plan. Responses on noise complaint from Laurel Hughes. Also includes minutes from the November 10, 2025 meeting with discussion of Q&A with Steve Edmiston and various airport-related updates.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has opened a case (No. 25-7439) in which the cities of Burien, Des Moines, and SeaTac are jointly challenging the Federal Aviation Administration and U.S. Department of Transportation over airport-related policy. The petitioning cities must submit mediation questionnaires by December 1, 2025, and file their opening briefs by February 13, 2026, with federal respondents' answering briefs due March 16, 2026. Failure by the cities to meet the opening-brief deadline could result in dismissal of the case.

Three Washington cities near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport — Burien, Des Moines, and SeaTac — filed a legal challenge on November 24, 2025, asking a federal appeals court to review the FAA's September 2025 decision approving near-term construction and expansion projects under the airport's Sustainable Airport Master Plan. The cities argue the FAA's environmental finding, known as a FONSI/ROD, should be scrutinized by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which has jurisdiction because the cities are located within that circuit. The petition was filed on the last allowable day of the 60-day filing window, as the original deadline fell on a Sunday.

The cities of Burien, Des Moines, and SeaTac, Washington signed a conflict waiver on November 21, 2025, acknowledging that their legal interests may potentially conflict with those of Vashon Island Fair Skies, while all being represented by the same law firm, Leech Tishman Nelson Hardiman, Inc. The waiver relates to a legal challenge — a Petition for Review — of the FAA's Finding of No Significant Impact and Record of Decision for the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) Near-Term Projects at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. All three cities knowingly consented to the concurrent representation and to legal fees being paid by a third party on their behalf.

This document is a Waiver of Conflict signed by the cities of Burien, Des Moines, and SeaTac, Washington, acknowledging that their legal interests may potentially conflict with those of Vashon Island Fair Skies while being jointly represented by the law firm Leech Tishman Nelson Hardiman, Inc. The three cities voluntarily consent to this shared legal representation in connection with a formal challenge to the FAA's environmental review decision regarding near-term construction projects outlined in the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP). The cities also acknowledge they were advised of their right to seek independent legal counsel before signing the waiver.