TagEnvironmental Impact Statement(325)

The Burien Airport Committee held a meeting on March 15, 2022, covering topics including a Port of Seattle presentation on city ordinances related to aviation issues, an update on the Environmental Impact Statement for Ambaum Boulevard Park Plans, and a review of the committee's draft workplan. Draft minutes from the February 15, 2022 meeting were also included, noting that the committee discussed Burien Municipal Code chapter 15.12 on Aircraft Noise Reduction and planned future agenda items. The committee operates as an advisory body focused on monitoring and responding to the impacts of Sea-Tac Airport on the City of Burien.

The Burien Airport Committee held meetings in December 2021 and February 2022 to discuss issues related to Sea-Tac Airport, including updates on the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) comment period, a University of Washington study on ultrafine particle pollution affecting nearby schools, and a draft committee workplan. Agenda items included potential presentations on aviation-related city codes, an Environmental Impact Statement for a local park, and federal legislative updates. The committee also discussed briefing the full City Council on its activities at a March 2022 study session.

The Burien Airport Committee held a virtual meeting on June 16, 2020, to discuss airport-related policy matters including a draft letter to Port Commissioners about the post-COVID 'new normal' for aviation, an update on the NEPA Environmental Impact Statement process, and coordination with other cities on re-engaging with the StART (Sea-Tac Airport Roundtable) forum. Minutes from the May 19, 2020 meeting reflect committee discussions about reduced flight noise during the Stay Home order and the need for strategic communication with Port Commissioners regarding economic development and airport expansion impacts on Burien residents.

In April 2020, U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal, Adam Smith, and Rick Larsen wrote to FAA Administrator Steve Dickson urging a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Port of Seattle's Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP), arguing that the FAA's planned limited Environmental Assessment was inadequate. The lawmakers contended that a comprehensive cumulative impact review was necessary to properly evaluate decades of growing noise and health impacts on communities surrounding Sea-Tac Airport. They warned that proceeding with a narrower assessment risked legal challenges that could delay critical airport infrastructure projects.

In a March 2020 letter to the FAA Administrator, King County Councilmember Dave Upthegrove urges the FAA to conduct a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) covering both short- and long-term projects for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's expansion, rather than splitting the review into separate studies. Upthegrove argues that a piecemeal approach risks undermining the integrity of the environmental analysis, particularly given the airport's significant noise and air pollution impacts on surrounding communities. He calls for the comprehensive EIS to include mitigation strategies addressing all projects outlined in the Port of Seattle's Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP).

In a March 10, 2020 letter to Burien Mayor Jimmy Matta, FAA Regional Administrator David C. Suomi explained that an Environmental Assessment (EA) — not a full Environmental Impact Statement — is the appropriate level of review for Sea-Tac Airport's Near Term Projects (NTP), which are designed to meet projected demand through 2027. The EA will evaluate all resource categories and cumulative impacts from past, present, and foreseeable projects on and near the airport. The FAA noted that preparing an EA does not rule out a future Environmental Impact Statement if significant impacts are identified.

In March 2020, the Burien City Council wrote to the FAA requesting a comprehensive Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that fully accounts for the cumulative noise and air quality impacts of Sea-Tac Airport's rapid growth, which saw operations increase by nearly 30% between 2014 and 2018. The letter argues that multiple airport expansion projects — including new terminal gates and altered flight paths — were each approved without significant environmental review, but together have caused substantial harm to surrounding communities. The council also cites a 2019 Ninth Circuit Court ruling that found the FAA failed to properly assess cumulative impacts, and demands the agency conduct a thorough analysis using a pre-expansion baseline of 2013.

The Burien Airport Committee met in January and February 2020 to address concerns related to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, including efforts to push the FAA to conduct a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) rather than a lesser Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Sustainable Airport Master Plan. The committee also discussed re-engagement with the StART (Sea-Tac Airport Roundtable) process, involving six cities in dialogue with the Port of Seattle, and planned a joint visit to Washington, D.C. in March 2020 to advocate for community interests on airport noise and expansion issues.

The Port of Seattle requested $3.4 million in additional funding to complete environmental review studies required under federal (NEPA) and state (SEPA) law for planned near-term expansion projects at Sea-Tac Airport. The cost increase was driven by a two-year planning delay, expanded public engagement in multiple languages, additional technical analyses including aircraft noise, air quality, and environmental justice studies, and a decision to produce two separate review documents instead of one combined report. The contract with aviation environmental consulting firm Landrum & Brown brings the total project cost to $6.4 million.