TagFAA(511)

In September 2018, the FAA submitted the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) 2019–2023 report to Congress, identifying 3,340 airports important to national air transportation and estimating $32.5 billion in eligible infrastructure development needs over that five-year period. The report, required by federal law every two years, covers topics including safety, capacity, environmental conditions, runway pavement condition, and financial performance of the national airport system. While this document focuses on broad national airport planning and funding, it does not specifically address noise policy at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

This EPA technical guide explains how residential air cleaners and HVAC filters work to reduce indoor air pollutants, covering different device types, their effectiveness, and health impacts. It reviews technologies such as fibrous media filters, HEPA filters, electrostatic precipitators, and ionizers, while noting important cautions about byproduct emissions like ozone. Though focused on home air quality rather than airport noise policy, it offers useful background on indoor environmental controls for residential settings near noise-impacted areas.

In a June 2018 email, acoustics consultant Ben Sharp contacts Sharyn Ward, former manager of King County's Sound Insulation (SI) program, while researching aging airport sound insulation treatments for an FAA report responding to a Congressional inquiry. Sharp notes that SFO is the only airport he has found planning a replacement/repair program for homeowners within the DNL 65 noise contour, funded without FAA assistance. He specifically asks Ward about known aging problems with windows installed during the early years of the Sea-Tac (SEA) sound insulation program, noting that the program is not currently planning to offer any assistance to affected homeowners.

The Burien Airport Committee (BAC) met on June 19, 2018 to discuss several airport-related issues affecting the city, including an FAA Petition for Review filed by Burien, meetings with Alaska Airlines, and a proposed noise workshop and survey through the StART program. The agenda also covered potential economic opportunities linked to airport proximity and plans for future presentations on environmental justice and public health impacts. The committee reviewed an 'Aircraft Noise 101' presentation as part of its ongoing efforts to address noise policy concerns related to Sea-Tac Airport.

This 2018 FAA memorandum explains how a special environmental review shortcut—called a Categorical Exclusion (CATEX 1)—can be used to streamline approval of certain GPS-based flight procedures (RNAV/RNP) at major airports, including core hub airports like Sea-Tac, without requiring a full environmental impact study. The exclusion applies unless officials determine that extraordinary circumstances exist that could cause significant environmental harm, such as notable noise impacts on surrounding communities. Specific documentation and approval from FAA environmental and legal offices are required before the exclusion can be applied.

The Burien Airport Committee (BAC) met on May 15, 2018 to discuss air quality, FAA updates, and strategies for addressing Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's impact on the Burien community. Key priorities included updating noise contour maps, gathering environmental justice data, reviewing air pollution studies, and identifying economic benefits for Burien from its proximity to the airport. The committee also reviewed draft minutes from its April 17, 2018 meeting, where members were assigned tasks such as drafting a resolution on airport noise and emission concerns.

This document presents a community challenge to the FAA's environmental review (CATEX) of new flight routes near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, arguing that the FAA's own noise analyses show significant noise increases in the surrounding General Study Area that exceed the agency's own significance thresholds. The authors contend that the FAA could not rely on the outdated 2013-2018 Port of Seattle Part 150 noise study, and that the FAA's independent analyses revealed noise level jumps ranging from 5.2% to nearly 60% across various decibel contours. The document concludes that the FAA's declaration of 'no noise impacts' is implausible given data showing that portions of previously quiet neighborhoods now experience non-compatible land use noise levels above 65 dB DNL.