TagNEPA(144)

In September 2018, the cities of SeaTac, Burien, Normandy Park, and Des Moines submitted joint scoping comments urging the Port of Seattle to broaden its environmental review of the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) beyond just near-term construction projects. The cities argued that cumulative impacts — including a projected 60% increase in aircraft operations and 75% rise in passengers by 2034 — require a full analysis of noise, air quality, and traffic effects on nearby communities. They also called for a baseline period starting in 2012, rather than 2018, to capture the significant growth and airspace changes that have already occurred without adequate environmental review.

The City of SeaTac submitted formal scoping comments to the Port of Seattle in September 2018, raising concerns that the environmental review for the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) was too narrowly focused on 'near term projects' and should be expanded to cover the airport's full long-term growth vision. The city also reminded the Port of binding commitments made in a 2018 Interlocal Agreement and a 2015 Letter of Understanding, including promises to assess transportation impacts, protect nearby wetlands, and mitigate effects on city streets from increased cargo truck and passenger traffic. Key issues flagged include the impact of new cargo facilities, a proposed employee parking lot near wetlands, and the need to account for public transit use by airport workers and travelers.

The Port of Seattle outlined an environmental review schedule for the NTP (Noise Trajectory Program) at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, spanning 2018 to 2019. Key steps included public scoping meetings held in September 2018 in cities such as Des Moines, Seattle, Federal Way, and Sea-Tac, followed by environmental analysis and the release of draft and final NEPA/SEPA documents through late 2019. Community members could submit scoping comments by September 28, 2018, via the project website, email, mail, or in person at scoping meetings.

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.

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.

This 2017 Noise Technical Report, prepared by The Greenbusch Group for the Washington State Department of Transportation, evaluates the noise impacts of Phase 1 of the SR 509 Completion Project near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. It compares the proposed highway improvements against a 2003 environmental impact study, assessing changes in noise levels, affected residents, and noise abatement measures such as sound walls. The report concludes with recommendations for minimizing construction and long-term traffic noise impacts on surrounding communities.

A January 2017 legal memorandum from law firm Dentons to the Quiet Skies Coalition outlines potential claims against the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) over a new flight departure route introduced at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in summer 2016. The new route directs aircraft on a fixed low-altitude path over schools, parks, and residential areas in the City of Burien without prior public notice. The memo concludes that the FAA likely violated the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) by failing to conduct or document the required environmental review before implementing the route.