TagNoise Remedy Program(52)

This Winter 1998 newsletter from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Noise Abatement Office reports that U.S. airline fleets are transitioning ahead of schedule to quieter Stage 3 aircraft, with 75.5% of U.S. planes and 87% of Sea-Tac flights already meeting the standard required by the year 2000. Alaska Airlines completed hush kit installations on its Boeing 737-200 jets, achieving full Stage 3 compliance two years early, though engine testing caused some community noise concerns. Quarterly reports for mid-1997 also detail nighttime flight restrictions, noise complaint line activity, flight procedure compliance rates, and progress on a home insulation remediation program that had assisted over 7,000 homeowners.

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport operates one of the nation's most comprehensive airport noise management programs, divided into Noise Abatement measures — such as restricting the noisiest Stage 2 jets at night, controlling ground engine use, and routing flight paths over fewer homes — and Noise Remedy programs that help affected residents through home sound insulation, sales assistance, and a completed acquisition program that purchased 1,400 severely impacted homes. The Port of Seattle also monitors noise levels through an 11-station system and tracks flight paths using FAA radar data to ensure compliance. Residents can report concerns or request information 24 hours a day via the Noise Information/Complaint Line at 433-5393 or toll-free at 1-800-826-1147.

This Avigation Easement, granted by property owners Robert P. Dobosh and Shelly Arebalo-Dobosh to the Port of Seattle, gives the Port permanent, non-exclusive rights to unrestricted aircraft flight over their residential property at 15049 32nd Place S in SeaTac, Washington. The easement was granted in exchange for the Port's noise-reduction modifications to the home under Washington State law (R.C.W. 53.54.030), and establishes a baseline noise level of 67 DNL for the parcel based on the Port's 1991 FAA-accepted noise contour map. The easement runs permanently with the land, binding all future owners and waiving their rights to claim damages from aircraft noise or related airport activities.

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport operates one of the nation's most comprehensive airport noise management programs, divided into Noise Abatement measures — such as restricting noisy Stage 2 jets at night, controlling ground engine use, and routing flights over fewer homes — and Noise Remedy programs that help affected residents through home sound insulation, sales assistance, and a relocation program that has already moved over 3,900 people. The Port of Seattle also maintains a 24-hour noise complaint hotline and an 11-station monitoring system to track and reduce noise levels around the airport. Residents can contact the Port directly for information, to report concerns, or to learn about eligibility for free home insulation.

A 1992 brochure from the Regional Commission on Airport Affairs (RCAA) argues that the Port of Seattle broke its 1973 promises to soundproof homes affected by Sea-Tac Airport noise, noting that only 700 of 10,000 impacted homes had been insulated and no public buildings had been treated despite a recognized obligation since 1988. The brochure opposes the Port's plan to spend up to $1.2 billion on a third runway at Sea-Tac, questioning how residents can trust new commitments when past ones went unfulfilled. It calls on the Port to fulfill its existing mitigation obligations before pursuing further airport expansion.

In 1990, the Port of Seattle's Port Commission passed Resolution No. 3062, endorsing an agreement reached by the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Noise Mediation Committee after 18 months of study by community representatives, airlines, pilots, the FAA, and airport users. The agreement established a Noise Budget and Nighttime Limitations program aimed at reducing aircraft noise levels by at least 50% by 2001 compared to a 1989 baseline, while also expanding the existing Noise Remedy Program to insulate more homes and remove financial burdens from homeowners. The resolution authorized the Executive Director to implement the agreement's terms, including revising airport regulations, entering noise limitation agreements with airline tenants, and installing a Noise Management System to monitor compliance.

This 1990 document outlines a comprehensive package of noise abatement actions for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, agreed upon by a Mediation Committee on March 31, 1990. It covers measures such as nighttime flight restrictions, soundproofing programs for nearby homes and public buildings, improved flight corridors, and a new noise management monitoring system. According to the technical consultant involved, full implementation of these agreements could reduce noise levels by approximately 50% for communities surrounding the airport.

This January 1987 edition of the Sea-Tac Forum newsletter reports on the Port of Seattle's ongoing Noise Remedy Program, which had already soundproofed 14 homes near Sea-Tac Airport and provided selling assistance to homeowners in high-noise areas. The program, part of a broader 15-year plan expected to benefit thousands of households, was drawing interest from major airports across the country seeking to launch similar initiatives. The newsletter also includes a community calendar of January 1987 meetings related to airport noise, land use, and flight track planning.

The August 1985 Sea-Tac Forum newsletter covers updates to the Port of Seattle's Noise Remedy Program, including plans to acquire 524 additional homes near the airport between 1986 and 1990, on top of the 788 already being purchased. It also announces the expansion of the airport's noise monitoring system from 9 to 11 sensors, the appointment of a new noise abatement manager, and the introduction of quieter Stage 2 and Stage 3 aircraft by tenant airlines. Additional items include a proposed national veterans cemetery on land south of the airport and a call for volunteers to help manage North Sea-Tac Park.