TagEnvironmental Impact Statement(325)

The Aviation Advisory Committee held its first meeting on September 26, 2017, to establish its work plan for addressing Sea-Tac Airport impacts on the surrounding community, including reviewing the airport's Sustainable Master Plan Environmental Impact Statement and examining noise, health, and transportation concerns. The committee agreed to hold open public meetings with a dedicated public comment period, and a budget was allocated to hire a consultant to analyze the airport's expansion plans. Committee member Edmiston was designated to report on the group's goals and progress at the October 12th City Council meeting.

This FAA form (ARP SOP No. 5.1, effective June 2, 2017) guides airport sponsors through the process of requesting a Categorical Exclusion (CATEX) determination for projects that may have extraordinary environmental circumstances. It requires sponsors to document potential impacts across key resource areas, including historic and cultural resources under the National Historic Preservation Act and protected lands under Department of Transportation Act Sections 4(f) and 6(f). Sponsors must consult with their FAA Airports District or Regional Division Office and submit all required documentation before a CATEX can be approved.

FAA Order 1050.1F, effective July 16, 2015, establishes the Federal Aviation Administration's policies and procedures for complying with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), covering actions such as grants, construction, rulemaking, and NextGen airspace improvements. The order outlines when environmental reviews, assessments, or full impact statements are required, and defines responsibilities for the FAA, applicants, and contractors. It is relevant to noise and environmental impact considerations at airports like Sea-Tac, as it governs how the FAA evaluates and documents the environmental effects of aviation-related actions.

This map, prepared by Landrum & Brown for the Port of Seattle's 14 CFR Part 150 Study Update, shows projected aircraft noise exposure around Seattle-Tacoma International Airport for the year 2018. It illustrates three noise contour zones (DNL 65, 70, and 75 dBA), with the total area above DNL 65 dBA covering approximately 7.3 square miles and affecting an estimated 3,771 housing units and 9,712 residents. The map also identifies noise-sensitive land uses such as schools, churches, hospitals, and libraries within the affected area, and was certified by the Port of Seattle's Director of Aviation Planning and Environmental Programs.

This 2009 report summarizes air quality monitoring conducted near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport between 1996 and 2002, covering carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, and air toxics. Monitoring found that levels of all measured pollutants remained below federal National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), though chromium concentrations at the Sea-Tac North site exceeded EPA's lifetime risk-based threshold. The studies were prompted by a Memorandum of Agreement among the Port of Seattle, FAA, and environmental agencies following an Environmental Impact Statement for proposed airport expansion.

The City of Burien's 2009 Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) examines redevelopment options for the Northeast Redevelopment Area (NERA), located near Sea-Tac Airport. Three alternatives are evaluated, including rezoning the area to allow airport-compatible uses such as light industrial, office, and limited retail (Alternative 1), a more restricted version without auto or general retail sales (Alternative 2), or maintaining the existing SPA-4 zoning with no changes (Alternative 3). The document is relevant to Sea-Tac Airport noise policy as all proposed land use changes are explicitly designed to ensure compatibility with airport operations in the surrounding community.

The VISION 2040 Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement, published by the Puget Sound Regional Council in July 2007, identifies a Preferred Growth Alternative for managing forecasted population and development growth in the Puget Sound region through the year 2040. It supplements a May 2006 Draft EIS that examined four conceptual growth alternatives, adding analysis of environmental impacts associated with the preferred option. The document was prepared in accordance with Washington State's Environmental Policy Act and invites public comment on regional growth planning policies.

In this 2007 U.S. Supreme Court case, Massachusetts and other states sued the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for refusing to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles under the Clean Air Act. The Court ruled that the EPA had the authority and responsibility to regulate such emissions, and that states like Massachusetts had legal standing to challenge the EPA's inaction due to real harms caused by rising sea levels and climate change. This case established that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases can be regulated as air pollutants under federal law.

This 2004 King County decision concerns a permit application by Glacier Northwest (Northwest Aggregates) to mine and export sand and gravel from Maury Island and replace an aging barge-loading dock on Puget Sound. The project proposed replacing 228 old creosote timber piles with 62–82 steel piles, extending the dock further into the water to protect nearby eelgrass beds, and enclosing the conveyor in a steel pipe to reduce spillage and noise. Note: this document relates to a Maury Island mining and shoreline development project and does not contain information about Sea-Tac Airport noise policy.