TagCOVID-19(36)

Puget Sound Energy (PSE) announced in May 2021 that it would make an additional $27.7 million available through its COVID Bill Assistance Program to help residential customers struggling to pay energy bills due to the pandemic. Customers whose net monthly household income falls at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level and have a past due balance may qualify for up to $2,500 per year in assistance. PSE also offered extended payment plans of up to 18 months and additional support through programs such as the Warm Home Fund and Weatherization Assistance Program.

A February 2021 presentation by Airlines for America outlines how COVID-19 devastated the airline industry, with worldwide passenger traffic dropping 66% and U.S. carrier revenues falling 61.5% year-over-year. Despite these financial losses, airlines remained committed to environmental progress, including accelerating the retirement of older, less fuel-efficient aircraft in favor of newer, cleaner models. The presentation also highlights the role of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and aviation's broader responsibility in achieving a sustainable future.

A 2021 EUROCONTROL presentation examines how COVID-19 devastated European aviation, with flights dropping as much as 88% below 2019 levels and airlines, airports, and air navigation service providers suffering €56.2 billion in net losses. The presentation outlines three recovery scenarios ranging from an optimistic return to 2019 traffic levels by 2024 (if vaccines proved effective quickly) to a prolonged recovery not expected until 2029 if vaccines failed. It frames the crisis as an opportunity to advance aviation sustainability, including reduced carbon emissions and noise impacts.

This 2021 presentation by San Francisco International Airport (SFO) outlines the airport's sustainability strategy, known as 'Journey Zero,' which targets zero net energy, zero waste, water conservation, healthy buildings, and cleaner transportation. It provides an overview of SFO's scale — including 58 million annual passengers and 470,000 aircraft operations in 2019 — and describes how the airport is addressing both the economic disruptions of COVID-19 and long-term climate challenges. The framework builds on goals established since 2014 and aligns with San Francisco's broader climate action commitments.

The Burien Airport Committee held a virtual meeting on December 15, 2020, to address several issues related to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, including finalizing a letter to the Port of Seattle regarding a controversial 250-degree flight turn, discussing improvements to the SeaTac Airport Stakeholder Advisory Round Table (StART), and reviewing a letter concerning the Port's COVID-19 response. The committee also reviewed draft minutes from its November 17, 2020 meeting, during which members discussed adding more community representatives from areas such as Beacon Hill, Shoreline, and Vashon to improve StART's reach. All meetings were conducted remotely via Zoom in compliance with Governor Inslee's COVID-19 public gathering restrictions.

The Burien Airport Committee held a virtual meeting on November 17, 2020, to review research on airport roundtables from other cities and discuss a draft letter to the Port of Seattle regarding COVID mitigation measures. The committee was tasked by the Burien City Council to examine successful airport roundtables nationwide and propose structural changes to improve community participation by December 31, 2020. Meeting materials included a comparison chart of other roundtables and the Reagan D.C. Airport Working Group Charter as potential models for reform.