Tagletter(104)

A March 1993 letter from the RCAA (Regional Commission on Airport Affairs) Executive Board addressed to John Sandelius of Seattle, thanking him for his time, energy, and wisdom contributed to the organization's efforts regarding Sea-Tac Airport noise issues. The letter expresses well-wishes for his recovery and notes that his work was valued whenever the community needed him. The document is endorsed by a wide coalition of over 50 community organizations, city governments, and civic groups from the greater Seattle and South King County area opposing airport noise expansion.

A January 28, 1993 letter from James T. Murphy of the Regional Commission on Airport Affairs (RCAA) to the Transportation Policy and Executive Board, presenting independent consultant research on air capacity options for the Puget Sound region. The letter notes that RCAA had delivered three volumes of material over three weeks, with a final compilation to follow, aimed at helping the Board make informed decisions about managing airport capacity. The RCAA, backed by dozens of community organizations and cities including Burien, Des Moines, Normandy Park, and Tukwila, framed its work as an alternative voice on Sea-Tac Airport expansion and noise policy.

A January 13, 1993 memo from Janet O'Donnell to Jim Murphy, President of the Regional Commission on Airport Affairs (RCAA), requests $150.00 to obtain a bulk mail postal permit — $75.00 for the annual fee and $75.00 for the setup fee — to support distribution of materials related to Sea-Tac Airport noise issues. The memo outlines the process for obtaining the permit through the Seattle Post Office and coordinating with a volunteer to finalize mailing logistics. The document is endorsed by a broad coalition of community organizations, city governments, and civic groups opposed to Sea-Tac Airport expansion and aircraft noise.

A September 1992 internal memo from Doug Graves and Len Oebser to Rick Aramburu summarizes a site visit to the Toledo-Winlock area of Washington State as a potential location for a new replacement airport. The site was praised for its large size, proximity to the I-5 freeway midway between Seattle and Portland, access to Burlington Northern rail lines, and its sparsely populated surroundings, which would minimize noise and environmental impacts. However, drawbacks noted included its distance from major population centers such as Seattle, Tacoma, Everett, and Portland, which would require some form of mass rapid transit to serve the airport effectively.

In July 1984, homeowners on 26th Ave. South near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport wrote to Port of Seattle Commissioners supporting the acquisition of their properties under the Noise Remedy program, citing increasing aircraft noise, growing industrial traffic hazards, and uncertainty that had delayed home maintenance. A separate letter from the Port's Director of Aviation to an airline captain acknowledged that non-compliance with existing noise abatement procedures — such as aircraft flying lower or turning sooner than prescribed — was a significant community concern, and noted that the Port was developing computer software using FAA radar data to automatically detect and report such violations.

In January 1984, the Port of Seattle sent workshop attendees an update on proposed noise remedy programs for Jackson International Airport (Sea-Tac), outlining three options: land acquisition, purchase assurance, and sound insulation. Following public feedback that revealed inaccuracies in the original boundary maps, the Port's consultant revised the preliminary geographic boundaries to more accurately reflect noise levels from the Sea-Tac Noise Exposure Update Study. The accompanying modifications document details specific additions and deletions to affected areas surrounding the airport for each of the three programs.

In this May 1983 letter, the FAA's Acting Manager of Airports Division responds to the Port of Seattle's request for federal concurrence on a proposed interim change to the density guideline at the Sunset facility in North Sea-Tac Park, doubling the allowed occupancy from 60 to 120 people. The FAA does not object to the Port Commission approving the change, but strongly recommends that public input be gathered from affected community residents before any final decision is made. The agency also expresses a preference that broader density guideline changes be addressed through the ongoing Noise Remedy Program Update, which includes a comprehensive community involvement process.