TagCommerce Impacts Study 2018(23)

This May 2020 report, prepared by Stantec for the Washington State Department of Commerce under legislative authorization ESSB 6032, examines the current and ongoing effects of operating Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac). It assesses a range of impacts on surrounding communities resulting from airport operations. The study serves as a key resource for policymakers evaluating noise and other environmental effects associated with Sea-Tac's continued operation.

This 2020 public health study examines the effects of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport operations on nearby communities, analyzing health indicators such as cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer's disease death rates between 2012 and 2016. Study area cities like Burien, Des Moines, Federal Way, SeaTac, and Tukwila generally showed higher cancer and heart disease death rates than King County as a whole, though rates declined somewhat over the period. The report aims to identify whether airport operations contributed to adverse health outcomes and recommends strategies for ongoing investigation and mitigation.

A 2020 study examined how Seattle-Tacoma International Airport has affected quality of life in nearby communities over the past two decades, looking at public safety, health, and socioeconomic conditions across three time periods: 1997, 2009, and 2019. The study built on a 1997 report that found airport neighbors bore disproportionate burdens—including lower property values, higher social service demand, and increased noise and pollution—while regional benefits largely bypassed them. Key findings confirm that many of those predicted adverse effects, such as shifts from owner-occupied to rental housing and rising service costs, have continued to materialize in communities closest to the airport.

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.