TagCommercial Aviation Coordinating Commission(38)

The Burien Airport Committee held a meeting on February 21, 2023, to discuss local airport-related policy matters, including the future structure and staggered terms of committee membership, and a U.S. Senate Commerce Committee request for policy priorities related to aviation. Draft minutes from the December 20, 2022, and January 17, 2023, meetings were also reviewed, noting that a committee member had resigned and another was absent. Public comment was accepted in person, via Zoom, or by email before the meeting.

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.

The Burien Airport Committee held a meeting on January 17, 2023, to review and update its 2023 work plan priorities, discuss committee resolutions governing its structure, and address logistics such as in-person meeting frequency and member applications. Draft minutes from the December 20, 2022 meeting were also presented for approval, noting that committee member Steven Wydick had resigned and that Representative Tina Orwall had previously presented findings from the Commercial Aviation Coordinating Commission. The committee, which focuses on airport-related impacts including noise and air quality affecting the Burien community near Sea-Tac Airport, accepts public comment via email or Zoom.

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.

The Burien Airport Committee held a meeting on December 20, 2022, to discuss issues related to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and its impact on the surrounding community. Key agenda items included a presentation on the Commercial Aviation Coordinating Commission, updates on a Climate Action Plan proposal to fund a community air filter event to address airport-related air quality concerns, and federal legislative updates from Mayor Sofia Aragon. The meeting also covered a review of the committee's workplan and announcements about open positions for new commission members.

This document provides biographical summaries of the voting and non-voting members of Washington State's Airport Commission, a body tasked with evaluating commercial aviation capacity and siting in the region. Members include representatives from airlines, cargo carriers, port authorities, state transportation agencies, and community advocacy groups, bringing expertise in airport operations, planning, environmental policy, and economic development. Their work is directly relevant to decisions about Sea-Tac Airport's future capacity, limitations, and its role within the broader Washington State aviation system.

This document lists the voting and non-voting members of Washington State's Commercial Aviation Coordinating Commission, a body that includes representatives from airports, ports, airlines, trucking, freight, environmental groups, community organizations, and state agencies. Several voting positions — including seats for a county with two million or more residents, the freight forwarding industry, the trucking industry, and the Division of Aeronautics — are currently vacant. Non-voting members include state legislators, Department of Defense and Department of Transportation representatives, and regional planning organization officials from both eastern and western Washington.

A 2022 Washington State report recommends a three-part strategy to address the region's projected 27 million annual passenger shortfall by 2050: expanding capacity at existing airports like Paine Field and Sea-Tac, and developing a new greenfield airport in Pierce or Thurston County. Sea-Tac is expected to remain the region's primary hub, optimizing capacity for passengers and freight through the 2030s under its Sustainable Airport Master Plan. The report also highlights the need to address harmful emissions and noise as part of an 'Airport of the Future' approach.