TagDepartment Of Transportation(20)

The U.S. Department of Transportation is seeking public input to help develop a national strategy for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), which includes electric and hybrid-electric aircraft capable of vertical or short takeoff and landing. The strategy aims to address safety, infrastructure, community impacts, and regulatory frameworks for these emerging aircraft technologies. While this notice does not specifically address Sea-Tac Airport or local noise policy, noise reduction compared to traditional aviation is cited as one potential benefit of AAM operations.

This January 2022 White House fact sheet outlines 25 competitive infrastructure funding opportunities available to local governments under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, covering transportation, climate, energy, and environmental programs. It highlights grants for roads, ports, buses, electric vehicle charging, school buses, and community reconnection projects, with funding amounts ranging from $1 billion to $7.5 billion per program. Note: this document focuses on broad federal infrastructure funding and does not specifically address airport noise policy or Sea-Tac Airport.

House Bill 2688 proposes changes to Washington State's transportation system policy goals, requiring the Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to evaluate transportation projects submitted to the legislature using updated policy criteria. Multiple state agencies — including the Departments of Commerce, Health, Ecology, and the Interagency Council on Health Disparities — would be required to participate in these project evaluations, along with representatives from vulnerable and highly impacted communities. The fiscal impact on participating agencies is estimated to be non-zero but indeterminate, with the Department of Commerce alone estimating costs of between $21,000 and $35,000 per year.

The FAA's Airport Capacity Benchmark Report 2001 measures the maximum number of flights 31 of the nation's busiest airports can handle per hour under both good and adverse weather conditions. The benchmarks were developed between October 2000 and April 2001 by the FAA and MITRE/CAASD to help understand the relationship between airline demand and runway capacity, and to inform long-term aviation policy decisions. While useful as a reference point, the report notes that these benchmarks are starting points for discussion rather than definitive guides for major investment or scheduling decisions.

Published in June 1980 by the Federal Interagency Committee on Urban Noise, this document provides guidelines for incorporating noise considerations into land use planning and control decisions. It was produced jointly by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Department of Defense, Environmental Protection Agency, and Department of Housing and Urban Development. The guidelines are intended to help planners and policymakers manage the impact of noise—such as that generated by airports like Sea-Tac—on surrounding communities through zoning and land use strategies.