TagFAA(684)

Appendix O of the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) Environmental Assessment documents how the FAA engaged the public and agencies during the NEPA review process for Sea-Tac Airport, including public meetings, briefings, and outreach to communities, elected officials, and underrepresented groups. The summary notes that several Executive Orders and CEQ regulations referenced during the Draft EA have since been revoked, and that the FAA's final decision will rely on updated federal guidance including FAA Order 1050.1F and Executive Order 14154. Public comments received and submitted studies are also included as part of this appendix.

Appendix O of the FAA NEPA Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) at Sea-Tac Airport. Documents agency and public engagement activities during the EA process, including coordination under NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), FAA Orders 1050.1F and 5050.4B, and CEQ regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508). Notes regulatory changes including

The City of SeaTac, Washington has engaged the law firm Leech Tishman Nelson Hardiman to provide legal counsel regarding the Port of Seattle's Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP), specifically in connection with the forthcoming Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). The firm will advise the City, prepare legal memoranda, and file a Petition for Review with a federal appeals court challenging the FAA's Record of Decision once it is published in late 2025. The engagement is capped at $300,000, with an initial retainer of $10,000, and hourly rates ranging from $300–$540 per hour.

In August 2025, acoustical engineering firm HMMH measured indoor noise levels at 31 homes near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to assess eligibility for the airport's Sound Insulation Repair and Replacement Program. Testing found that only one of the 31 homes met the FAA's minimum threshold of 45 decibels interior Day-Night Average Sound Level required to qualify for full sound insulation treatment, while seven additional homes had at least one room exceeding that level. The study used FAA-approved methods, including a Boeing 737-800 aircraft noise spectrum, to calculate how much airport noise penetrates each habitable room with windows closed.

H.R. 5205, the Aircraft Noise Reduction Act, is a bill introduced in September 2025 that would allow owners and operators of general aviation airports to work with the FAA to adjust air traffic and training flight patterns in order to reduce aircraft noise in surrounding communities. The bill protects airports from losing federal funding simply for pursuing these noise-reduction measures and requires community input to be considered in the process. It also directs the Secretary of Transportation to update federal regulations to make noise abatement measures more accessible to general aviation airports.

Steven M. Taber is a Partner at Leech Tishman law firm specializing in environmental law, aviation and airport development, and related regulatory matters, with experience advising airports, municipalities, and community groups on noise and capacity issues under statutes such as the Airport Noise and Capacity Act and the Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act. He previously served as an attorney for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), where he was involved in drafting FAA Environmental Orders 1050.1E and 5050.4B, and has counseled clients navigating FAA enforcement actions and airport modernization programs. While his profile does not reference Sea-Tac Airport specifically, his broad expertise in aviation noise policy, environmental review processes, and federal aviation regulations makes him a relevant figure in airport noise policy research.

This section of the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Environmental Assessment describes how planners evaluated different alternatives to the airport's near-term expansion projects, using a two-step screening process to determine whether each option met the project's stated goals and was practical to implement. Public suggestions submitted during the scoping process—such as building a new airport, using high-speed rail, limiting growth, or relying on other existing airports—were largely rejected because they could not meet current and future passenger demand at SEA. A No Action Alternative is also included, representing a future scenario in which none of the proposed new construction takes place.