TagEnvironmental Impact Statement(325)

The Burien Airport Committee met on January 21, 2020 to discuss key aviation issues affecting the city, including advocating for a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) from the FAA rather than a less comprehensive Environmental Assessment (EA) related to Sea-Tac Airport's growth. The agenda also covered topics such as the Port's fuel dumping policy, updates on community re-engagement efforts through StART, and a planned trip to Washington, DC to address airplane noise concerns. Draft minutes from the December 2019 meeting reflect ongoing debates about air quality, health, and safety impacts stemming from airport expansion projects like the International and North Terminals.

In summer 2019, Burien City Manager Brian Wilson coordinated with partner cities (Normandy Park, SeaTac, and Des Moines) and federal relations consultants at Lockridge Grindal Nauen to review a Port of Seattle presentation on the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Master Plan (SAMP) Near-Term Projects Environmental Review, which had been delivered to the Burien City Council on June 17, 2019. The emails show Wilson requesting that consultant Emily Tranter analyze the presentation given by Port of Seattle Director of Aviation, Environment, and Sustainability Arlyn Purcell, in order to help the cities determine their next steps in responding to the airport's environmental review process. Wilson followed up with additional comments and questions on the resulting review, reflecting ongoing community concern about the potential noise and environmental impacts of planned airport expansion projects.

This 2018 Annual Progress Report, published in June 2019 by Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), documents progress made under the LAX Master Plan Community Benefits Agreement (CBA), which outlines commitments to surrounding communities affected by airport expansion. The report was prepared by LAWA's Environmental Programs Group and covers areas such as environmental programs, business and social responsibility, and construction activities at Los Angeles International Airport. Note that this document pertains to LAX and is not directly related to Sea-Tac Airport noise policy.

This document contains a May 2019 legal invoice from Lockridge Grindal Nauen P.L.L.P. to the City of Burien for $2,750, covering 13.5 hours of attorney work related to environmental assessment modeling and preparation for client meetings on federal and stakeholder engagement strategies. The accompanying email chain shows City of SeaTac Community & Economic Development Director Steve Pilcher approving payment of the revised invoice after an error in the original billing was corrected by attorney Emily Tranter. The work appears connected to airport noise and environmental policy efforts involving both the City of Burien and the City of SeaTac.

In May 2019, Burien City Manager Brian Wilson updated the Burien Airport Committee on the cities' joint effort to respond to the Port of Seattle's Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP), which outlines airport expansion through 2027. The cities of Burien, Des Moines, Normandy Park, and SeaTac formed an Interlocal Agreement (ILA) and hired the Washington DC firm Lockridge Grindal Nauen to help review and comment on the SAMP's environmental impact process. Key community concerns raised in the accompanying September 2018 scoping letter include aircraft noise, air quality, traffic congestion, and the disproportionate burden placed on neighborhoods closest to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

ATAC Corporation, an aviation analysis firm based in Santa Clara, CA, plays a major role in developing the FAA's Aviation Environmental Design Tool (AEDT), which models aircraft noise and emissions at both local and global scales. The document also includes a letter from the FAA's Seattle Airports District Office congratulating an airport on the approval of its Part 150 Noise Compatibility Program, a formal plan aimed at reducing or eliminating incompatible land uses around the airport. The FAA notes that approval of the program does not guarantee federal funding, and encourages the airport to periodically review and update the plan as conditions change.

The Burien Airport Committee (BAC) met on October 16, 2018 to discuss aviation noise issues related to Sea-Tac Airport, including a review of Federal Way's Quiet and Healthy Skies Task Force recommendations and public comments on the Sea-Tac Airport Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) Environmental Impact Statement. The committee also received updates on the City of Burien's legal petition challenging the FAA's approval of a 250-degree flight heading over Burien, which was described as still in early litigation stages. Additional topics included FAA funding for noise mitigation staff, a Washington State Department of Commerce airport impacts study, and a regional aviation baseline study by the Puget Sound Regional Council.

In September 2018, the cities of SeaTac, Burien, Normandy Park, and Des Moines submitted joint scoping comments urging the Port of Seattle to broaden its environmental review of the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) beyond just near-term construction projects. The cities argued that cumulative impacts — including a projected 60% increase in aircraft operations and 75% rise in passengers by 2034 — require a full analysis of noise, air quality, and traffic effects on nearby communities. They also called for a baseline period starting in 2012, rather than 2018, to capture the significant growth and airspace changes that have already occurred without adequate environmental review.

The City of SeaTac submitted formal scoping comments to the Port of Seattle in September 2018, raising concerns that the environmental review for the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) was too narrowly focused on 'near term projects' and should be expanded to cover the airport's full long-term growth vision. The city also reminded the Port of binding commitments made in a 2018 Interlocal Agreement and a 2015 Letter of Understanding, including promises to assess transportation impacts, protect nearby wetlands, and mitigate effects on city streets from increased cargo truck and passenger traffic. Key issues flagged include the impact of new cargo facilities, a proposed employee parking lot near wetlands, and the need to account for public transit use by airport workers and travelers.