TagFAA(687)

The Aviation Impacted Communities Act establishes a structured process to help neighborhoods affected by aircraft noise, starting with the FAA identifying eligible communities and ending with grants for noise mitigation. A community qualifies as 'aviation impacted' if it is located within 1 mile of any point where a commercial or cargo jet route passes at or below 3,000 feet above ground level. Once designated, communities can form boards, conduct studies, and develop action plans to address aviation-related impacts near airports like Sea-Tac.

This legislative summary outlines a proposed bill aimed at protecting communities affected by airport noise and aviation emissions. It establishes a formal designation for 'aviation-impacted communities' located within one mile of low-flying commercial or cargo jet routes, creates local community boards to engage with the FAA and airport operators, and requires the FAA to develop action plans and provide mitigation funding — such as sound insulation and noise barriers — for affected residences, schools, hospitals, and nursing homes.

A 2019 Port of Seattle internal audit of the Noise Insulation Program — which has invested over $400 million since 1985 to reduce aircraft noise in homes and schools near Sea-Tac Airport — found two key problems: a contractor called Burton Construction overbilled the Port by an average markup of 51% above subcontractor costs, and the Highline School District failed to consistently meet federal grant requirements for disadvantaged business enterprises and Buy American standards. The audit covered January 2013 through March 2019 and assessed compliance with FAA federal grant rules.

The FAA's Airport Improvement Program (AIP) Grant Histories page provides access to annual summaries of federal airport grants dating back to 2006, organized by fiscal year and available in both PDF and MS Excel formats. Users can look up grant histories for individual airports included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) using an online tool. While this resource covers AIP funding across all U.S. airports, it may be referenced when researching federal grants awarded to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport for noise mitigation and other improvement projects.