TagDes Moines(193)

A public meeting was held on September 10, 2018, at Highline Community College to allow Des Moines residents to weigh in on the Port of Seattle's Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP), which outlines Sea-Tac Airport's growth strategy through 2027. The plan proposes removing limits on Third Runway use and adding 80,000 more annual flights on top of the existing 416,000, raising community concerns about noise, health risks, property values, and environmental justice. Residents were urged to attend and submit comments before the scoping period closed on September 28, 2018.

In a January 2018 letter to the Puget Sound Regional Council, Des Moines Mayor Matt Pina raised concerns about the disproportionate noise, air quality, and environmental burdens placed on Des Moines residents by Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's rapid growth, arguing these impacts are inadequately addressed in the Draft Regional Transportation Plan. The city called for sustainability, human health, and community impacts to be central factors in any decision to expand SeaTac's capacity or site a new regional airport. The letter also requested that the plan include discussion of a potential passenger ferry terminal in Des Moines as a multi-modal transportation alternative.

A 2017 economic impact report from the Port of Seattle shows that Seattle-Tacoma International Airport supported $22.5 billion in total economic activity and approximately 151,400 jobs across the region, including direct employment and multiplier effects. More than 350 employers operate at the airport, with on-site jobs averaging $73,500 in total compensation, and the surrounding communities of King and Pierce counties benefiting significantly from visitor spending and airport-related business revenues.

The Port of Seattle's Airport Community Ecology (ACE) Fund offers a Small Matching Grants Program providing funding to non-profit organizations and community groups in SeaTac, Burien, and Des Moines to support local environmental improvement projects. Applicants must demonstrate a 3:1 match for every dollar of Port funding requested, meaning three dollars of community value must be identified for each grant dollar awarded. The program has distributed over $85,000 to projects ranging from invasive weed removal and community gardens to marine wildlife education and plastics reduction awareness.

In September 2017, Des Moines, WA resident Steve Edmiston sent a certified letter demanding that the Port of Seattle and the FAA stop increased flight operations over his historic Woodmont neighborhood, arguing that no avigation easement had ever been granted over his property. He cited a dramatic rise in aircraft noise, vibrations, fumes, and nighttime flights linked to expanded use of Sea-Tac's third runway and new navigation procedures, noting that commercial operations at the airport had nearly doubled since 2003. The letter also included a formal public records request for documents related to flight procedure changes made after February 14, 2012, and outlined legal grounds under which affected homeowners may still seek damages despite general noise liability limitations.

The Airport Community Ecology Fund, authorized by the Port of Seattle Commission in November 2016, provides grants and partnership programs to improve the natural environment in communities affected by Seattle-Tacoma International Airport operations, specifically in SeaTac, Burien, and Des Moines. The fund supports environmental projects such as tree planting and green space development to help offset airport impacts through benefits like cleaner air, reduced runoff, and improved neighborhood character. Local non-profit organizations and community groups in the three eligible cities can apply for grants, provided their projects demonstrate measurable outcomes and a local match of three times the grant value.

The April 7, 2017 edition of Westside Seattle, a neighborhood weekly serving Ballard, Burien/Highline, SeaTac, Des Moines, West Seattle, and White Center, features a front-page illustrated cartoon highlighting community concerns about aircraft noise over North SeaTac Park, with an inside story on Port noise complaints. The issue also covers local retail news, including Whole Foods canceling its planned West Seattle store and Amazon Fresh opening in Ballard.