Doug Urry

1999-05-20
Sea-Tac Airport spatial nitrogen dioxide study final report

A 1999 University of Washington study measured nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels around Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to determine whether aircraft operations were harming local air quality. Researchers found that NO2 levels at all monitoring sites remained well below federal safety standards, and that regional conditions and nearby freeways — not aircraft — were the primary drivers of local pollution. The study concluded that airport operations had only a small, difficult-to-isolate effect on community NO2 levels, estimated at less than 7 parts per billion above background levels.

TagsDoug Urry, Ecology, John Williamson, pollution, Timothy Larson, University Of Washington

As the source for federal transportation grants, the Puget Sound Regional Council was charged with developing a system to meet the growing need for commercial aviation. When the search for a second airport failed, they authorized the Port of Seattle to build the Third Runway, with a mandate to develop a noise abatement and mitigation program. In their effort to stop the Third Runway, the ACC argued over every detail of the Port's efforts--including property buyouts and sound insulation. The dispute was meant to be settled by a three member Expert Arbitration Panel. This is their final report. It finds 2-1, that the Port's program was insufficient in several respects. Despite that, funding for the Third Runway was approved by the PSRC, and the 'Port Package' program, proceeded largely unchanged. Expert Arbitration Panel's final decision finding that the Port of Seattle had not shown sufficient reduction in real on-the-ground noise impacts to satisfy noise reduction conditions required for approval of a third runway at Sea-Tac International Airport. The majority decision concluded the Port's noise abatement programs were insufficient despite being impressive in scope.

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Sea-Tac Airport spatial nitrogen dioxide study final report

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