TagFAA(684)

Federal Aviation Administration’s decision disapproving Los Angeles World Airports’ application to restrict and penalize certain easterly Stage 3 aircraft departures from Los Angeles International Airport between midnight and 6:30AM. The FAA found that while LAWA’s application met three of six statutory conditions, all conditions must be satisfied for approval.

In July 2014, the FAA approved a final grant payment of $3,879,406 to the Port of Seattle for noise mitigation work completed at Olympic Elementary School near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The total project cost was approximately $11.36 million, funded through a combination of FAA Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grants, Airport Development Fund (ADF) contributions, and Ad Valorem Tax revenues. Port of Seattle Airport Noise Programs Manager Stan Shepherd notified the treasury department of the approved funds and requested confirmation of availability to issue full payment to the school district.

In September 2013, the FAA's Seattle Airports District Office issued a grant offer of $3,900,000 to the Port of Seattle for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport under AIP Project Number 3-53-0062-131-2013. The grant required acceptance by the airport sponsor no later than September 13, 2013, with proper execution of the Grant Agreement by authorized officials and the sponsor's attorney. The fully executed agreement was confirmed and transmitted on September 12, 2013.

This 2013 FAA grant agreement provides up to $3,900,000 in federal funding to the Port of Seattle for noise mitigation at Olympic Elementary School near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, with the federal government covering 80% of allowable project costs. The agreement, offered September 9, 2013, outlines conditions including the Sponsor's responsibility to complete the project without undue delay, recover any misused federal funds, and comply with federal assurances and anti-trafficking provisions.

In September 2013, the FAA's Seattle Airports District Office issued a $3,900,000 grant offer to the Port of Seattle for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport under AIP Project Number 3-53-0062-131-2013. The grant agreement was fully executed by September 12, 2013, meeting the required acceptance deadline of September 13, 2013. All environmental analysis and approval requirements were fulfilled in accordance with FAA Order 5050.4B, the Airport Environmental Handbook.

A 2013 U.S. Government Accountability Office report found that the FAA made limited progress in modernizing the air transportation system through its NextGen initiative, with ongoing challenges reducing expected benefits. The report highlights the FAA's Greener Skies project at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, initiated by Alaska Airlines, which aimed to shorten flight paths and route aircraft over water to save fuel, but excluded certain eastern flight procedures due to community concerns about aviation noise. The report notes that the full benefits of new flight procedures depend heavily on how often airlines and pilots actually use them.

In March 2013, FAA Administrator Michael Huerta sent letters to key members of Congress reporting on the FAA's strategy to accelerate implementation of NextGen air traffic management capabilities developed through the Greener Skies project. The report was submitted as required by Section 225 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, and draws on recommendations from the RTCA NextGen Mid-Term Implementation Task Force 5 report issued in September 2009. The Greener Skies project aimed to modernize flight procedures in ways that could affect flight paths and noise exposure at airports such as Sea-Tac.