TagCommerce Impacts Study 2018(17)

In March 2019, the Washington State Department of Commerce issued a $500,000 Request for Proposal (RFP) to study the impacts of growing operations at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on surrounding communities. The study, mandated by the state Legislature, was set to examine issues including air traffic noise, public health, traffic congestion, property values, and economic development in nearby cities such as Burien, Des Moines, SeaTac, and Tukwila. The effort was prompted by Sea-Tac's rapid growth — reaching 50 million passengers in 2018, far exceeding the 30 million projected for 2030 — and aimed to help local leaders and lawmakers identify ways to mitigate negative impacts.

On February 15, 2019, the Washington State Department of Commerce held a pre-proposal conference for a study examining the current and ongoing effects of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's operations on surrounding communities, as directed by Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6032. The conference outlined the project's objectives, scope of work, timeline, and proposal requirements for prospective contractors. The study was part of a broader state effort to understand how airport operations impact local neighborhoods, housing, and community well-being.

Six cities near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport — Burien, Des Moines, Federal Way, Normandy Park, Tukwila, and SeaTac — agreed to jointly contribute $300,000 in local matching funds to unlock an equal amount of state funding for a study of the airport's current and ongoing impacts on surrounding communities. Under the agreement, the City of SeaTac serves as the fiscal and contracting agent, collecting contributions from the other cities and transferring the combined funds to the Washington State Department of Commerce, which will hire a consultant to conduct the study. The agreement outlines each city's financial obligations, dispute resolution procedures, and the process for participating in and reviewing the study's draft findings.

Six cities near Seattle — Burien, Des Moines, Normandy Park, Federal Way, Tukwila, and SeaTac — entered into an interlocal agreement to jointly provide $300,000 in local matching funds required by the Washington State Legislature to commission a study of the current and ongoing impacts of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. SeaTac serves as the lead fiscal agent, collecting each city's proportional share (Burien's portion is $37,238.24) and transferring the pooled funds to the Washington State Department of Commerce, which will hire a consultant to conduct the study. The agreement outlines each party's financial obligations, administrative responsibilities, and dispute resolution procedures to ensure the study moves forward in a timely manner.

A January 2018 Port of Seattle memo prepared for the Commission outlines a briefing on the 2017 Airport Economic Impacts Study, which measures Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's effects on jobs, wages, business revenues, and tax receipts. The study, conducted by Community Attributes Inc., follows a series of similar assessments the Port has conducted roughly every five years since 1987. Results were shared with key stakeholders at a State of the Port Breakfast on January 18, 2018, ahead of a formal Commission presentation on January 30, 2018.