TagFAA(687)

The cities of Burien, Des Moines, and SeaTac have hired the law firm Leech Tishman Fuscaldo & Lampl to challenge the Federal Aviation Administration's approval of the Port of Seattle's Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP). The firm will file a Petition for Review in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, with the FAA named as the respondent. Under the agreement, SeaTac will receive and pay all invoices, the firm's principal attorney bills at $540 per hour, and a $10,000 retainer is required to begin work.

This report details a community-driven project in which the City of Alexandria, Fairfax County, and Prince George's County worked with aviation consultants Vianair to develop recommendations for reducing aircraft noise south of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). The project proposed modifications to flight departure and arrival procedures, including routing planes more over the Potomac River, increasing flight altitudes over residential areas, and spreading flight tracks to avoid concentrating noise over any single community. The resulting recommendations aim to improve both noise conditions and flight safety while reflecting input gathered from residents through public meetings, surveys, and community working groups.

The FAA sent a letter to Washington State's Aviation Director in October 2025 reviewing how the state collects and spends aviation fuel taxes, noting that despite having an approved compliance plan, the state has still not provided actual tax collection figures after 11 years. The FAA flagged concerns about three types of taxes — aircraft fuel tax, sales and use taxes, and environmental taxes (HST and PPT) — questioning whether the environmental tax revenues are being properly directed toward aviation purposes. The agency also reviewed over $97 million in state appropriations claimed as offsets, finding more than $82 million ineligible and nearly $15 million requiring further justification before a final compliance determination can be made.

Port of Seattle presentation updating on the FAA’s completion of NEPA Environmental Assessment for 31 proposed SAMP projects, finding no significant environmental impact. Covers regional growth driving air travel demand, project details, and next steps including Port-led environmental review and public engagement.