TagFAA(684)

The Port of Seattle is preparing an Environmental Assessment for 31 near-term improvement projects at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), covering upgrades to taxiways, runways, terminals, and support facilities. The projects, expected to be operational by 2032, aim to reduce crowding, long lines, and flight delays that have grown as passenger demand has increased. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will review the findings to determine whether the projects will significantly impact the surrounding environment, potentially affecting noise levels for nearby communities.

The October 2024 special edition of Airport Improvement magazine covers runway and ramp safety projects at airports across the United States, including Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's transition to PFAS-free firefighting foam. The Seattle-Tacoma article focuses on cleaning PFAS contamination from firefighting vehicles, reflecting broader efforts to eliminate hazardous fluorine-based chemicals from airport operations. Additional stories cover FAA technology deployments, taxiway reconstruction, and airfield safety improvements at airports nationwide.

This October 2024 Draft Environmental Assessment, prepared by Landrum & Brown for the Port of Seattle and the FAA, evaluates the environmental impacts of near-term construction projects at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport as part of its Sustainable Airport Master Plan. The assessment covers a wide range of environmental topics—including noise and noise-compatible land use, air quality, water resources, and environmental justice—for proposed improvements to passenger terminals, cargo facilities, airfield design, taxiways, and fuel storage. It is intended to support FAA decision-making under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and addresses the airport's ability to accommodate a projected 56 million annual passengers.

The FAA submitted a Biological Evaluation to support an informal consultation under the Endangered Species Act for near-term construction projects at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, all expected to be completed by 2032. The projects aim to expand passenger and cargo capacity, upgrade taxiway layouts, and increase fuel storage including sustainable aviation fuel. The evaluation assessed potential impacts on 14 species, determining that several—including Chinook salmon, bull trout, and killer whales—may be affected but not likely adversely, while the remaining species, such as the marbled murrelet and North American wolverine, would face no effect.

The HAWKZ Eight Arrival (HAWKZ8) is a standard terminal arrival route (STAR) used to guide aircraft into Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) from multiple directions, including transitions from waypoints such as Battle Ground, Klamath Falls, and Lakeview. The procedure requires RNAV 1 capability (DME/DME/IRU or GPS) and radar, and directs jet aircraft to descend via Mach number until intercepting 280 knots. Aircraft follow a series of waypoints and altitude restrictions, ultimately converging at the HAWKZ fix at 12,000 feet and 270 knots before continuing to the airport.

A September 2024 U.S. Government Accountability Office report found that the FAA's air traffic control systems are critically outdated, with 37% rated unsustainable and 39% potentially unsustainable out of 138 total systems reviewed. The agency has been slow to modernize the most at-risk systems, with some upgrades not planned for completion until 2030–2035, and four critical systems lacking any modernization plans at all. The GAO made seven recommendations to improve FAA oversight and accelerate upgrades to protect the safety and efficiency of the national airspace.

The Aviation Environmental Design Tool (AEDT) Version 3g is a Federal Aviation Administration software system used to model aircraft operations and calculate their environmental impacts, including noise, emissions, and fuel consumption. This Quick Start Tutorial guides users through building basic noise and emissions studies, covering steps such as adding airports, creating flight tracks, setting up receptors, and running metric results. The tool is relevant to airport noise policy analysis, as it provides a structured method for quantifying and evaluating the environmental effects of aviation activity around airports like Sea-Tac.

This is a U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee report from July 2024 recommending passage of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill for fiscal year 2025, totaling approximately $98.7 billion. The bill covers funding for federal agencies including the Federal Aviation Administration, Federal Highway Administration, Federal Transit Administration, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, among others. It represents an increase of roughly $1.25 billion over 2024 appropriations levels.

14 CFR Part 161 sets out the federal rules governing how airports like Sea-Tac must notify the public and obtain FAA approval before imposing noise and access restrictions on aircraft operations. It covers different requirements depending on whether restrictions apply to older Stage 2 aircraft or newer Stage 3 aircraft, including mandatory analysis, public comment periods, and formal FAA review. Airports that fail to follow these procedures risk losing federal grant funds and passenger facility charges.

This federal regulation identifies certain U.S. airports as 'high density traffic airports' and sets hourly limits on the number of IFR (instrument flight rules) takeoffs and landings allowed there. The designated airports include LaGuardia, Newark, O'Hare, Ronald Reagan National, and John F. Kennedy, with specific caps assigned to air carriers, commuter airlines, and other users. Note that this regulation does not apply to Sea-Tac Airport and pertains to air traffic slot management rather than noise policy.