TagFAA(514)

H.R. 7009, the SAFE Parking Act, is a bill introduced in January 2024 that would allow the U.S. Secretary of Transportation to approve federal funding for security improvements in airport revenue-generating parking lots, including CCTV systems, physical barriers, alarm systems, and crime-tracking analytical tools. The authority granted under the bill would expire on December 31, 2025, at which point the Comptroller General would be required to submit a report to Congress on how the funds were used and recommendations for updating the broader airport improvement program.

This document is a modification to a U.S. EPA funding opportunity notice for the Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants Program, issued December 21, 2023. It updates application rules, eligibility requirements, and evaluation criteria for community organizations seeking environmental and climate justice grants. Note: this document does not appear to be directly related to Sea-Tac Airport noise policy.

A 2023 federal audit found that the FAA has made progress confirming whether state and local governments comply with rules governing how aviation fuel tax revenue must be used, but has not yet verified that compliant jurisdictions are actually spending those funds on aviation-related purposes. Five jurisdictions remain out of compliance and have not faced enforcement action, largely due to congressional guidance encouraging the FAA to delay penalties. The audit resulted in three recommendations to strengthen FAA oversight and prevent airport revenue from being diverted to non-aviation purposes.

The FAA issued an updated policy statement in December 2023 governing Air Carrier Incentive Programs (ACIPs), which are programs used by airports to attract new airline service through fee waivers, reduced landing fees, and marketing support. The policy replaces a 2010 guidebook and establishes clearer rules to ensure incentive programs comply with federal grant requirements, including prohibitions on using airport revenue to directly subsidize airlines and requirements for public transparency. While focused on commercial airports nationwide, the policy is relevant to any airport operator seeking to understand the boundaries of legally permissible incentives for attracting or retaining air service.

The Port of Seattle and six neighboring cities (SeaTac, Burien, Des Moines, Normandy Park, Tukwila, and Federal Way) submitted comments to the FAA in September 2023, urging updates to federal aviation noise policy in response to growing community concerns around Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The letter highlights collaborative efforts already underway, including a Fly Quiet Program and Late-Night Noise Limitation Program, which have significantly reduced overnight flight activity on the runway closest to residential areas. The signatories call on the FAA to modernize its noise metrics, lower noise thresholds, and take a broader approach to reducing aircraft noise and emissions rather than simply measuring and disclosing them.

Written comments submitted by Vashon Island Fair Skies to the FAA regarding noise policy review, focusing on ambient noise considerations and challenges in modeling airframe noise generation for aircraft arrivals. The document criticizes the current DNL metric and discusses technical issues with Sound Exposure Level calculations and airframe noise modeling.