TagNoise Mitigation(259)

The StART Aviation Noise Working Group held its first meeting on August 16, 2018, bringing together community stakeholders, airlines, the FAA, and Port of Seattle representatives to discuss strategies for reducing aircraft noise around Sea-Tac Airport. The group reviewed four potential near-term approaches—including a Runway Use Agreement, a Nighttime Voluntary Curfew, Glide Slope and Optimized Profile Descent Analysis, and an Airfield Noise/Reverse Thrust Assessment—all of which were deemed worthy of further exploration. The group agreed to meet monthly and outlined next steps, including gathering night-operations data and drafting a formal work program to guide future action.

The Federal Way Mayor's Quiet and Healthy Skies Task Force Report (August 2018) examines the noise and health impacts of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's Third Runway on Federal Way neighborhoods. It presents runway usage statistics from 2007–2017 showing a dramatic rise in flight operations, and references a 1997 impact mitigation study that identified over $148 million in recommended sound insulation and avigation easements for Federal Way communities affected by overflight noise.

The City of Phoenix Aviation Department's 2018 Annual Noise Report covers noise exposure trends across Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX), Phoenix Deer Valley (DVT), and Phoenix Goodyear (GYR) airports for calendar year 2018. The report recorded 434,252 total operations at PHX, 53,280 noise complaints, and a 99.65% compliance rate with noise abatement procedures. Key highlights include FAA community workshops, implementation of updated flight departure routes, renewal of the Noise and Operations Management System contract, and passage of the FAA Reauthorization bill containing nearly 20 noise-related provisions.

In an October 2017 email to Burien City Council members, resident Sharyn Parker critiques a letter from Port of Seattle Chairman Tom Albro defending Sea-Tac Airport's expansion and noise mitigation efforts. She argues that Albro's response fails to address the real-world impacts of rapidly increasing flight operations—including a 9% annual average flight increase—on surrounding communities, and that the Port's noise modeling data is outdated and understates actual activity by 51%. Parker calls on the Council to challenge what she characterizes as the Port's lack of candor and possible intentional underestimation of flight projections to avoid costly noise and air quality mitigation requirements.

In an October 2017 email, Burien Advisory Committee member Sharyn writes to council members Nancy Tosta and Debi Wagner to propose revisions to a draft council resolution concerning Sea-Tac Airport noise and growth. She argues that Sea-Tac's 2013-2018 Part 150 Study severely underestimated actual flight operations by 51%, which has minimized noise mitigation efforts for South King County residents. She calls for updated noise modeling, a reduction in operational levels, and an end to flights over Seahurst, warning that without immediate action, residents could face nearly 1,500 additional flights per day by 2025 with no mitigation relief for another decade.

In this October 2017 letter, Port of Seattle Commission President Tom Albro responds to the Burien City Council regarding inaccuracies in a draft white paper produced by the Burien Airport Committee. Albro clarifies that airport improvements are funded primarily through Passenger Facility Charges paid by airline travelers—not local property taxes—and defends the Port's noise mitigation and air quality efforts, noting nearly $400 million spent on programs including home insulation and school soundproofing. He also invites Burien to participate in a new airport stakeholder advisory roundtable as a forum for ongoing community engagement on airport-related issues.

This is an archival transmittal record from the Washington State Archives documenting the transfer of Representative Dave Upthegrove's papers related to Sea-Tac Airport's Third Runway and associated noise mitigation files. The collection spans records from 1994 to 2009 and includes files on airport noise studies, school district mitigation funding, community redevelopment areas affected by airport expansion, and related legislation such as the 'Dirty Fill Bill' and Airport Citizens Committee bills. The records were received by the Washington State Archives on November 9, 2016, under accession number AR-20161110-01.