TagPart 150(269)

The Port of Seattle held a public open house at Sea-Tac International Airport on April 9, 2011, to present feasibility-stage proposals for reducing airport noise affecting surrounding communities. Mitigation options under consideration included building a hush house to muffle engine run-ups, installing air conditioning in uninsulated single-family homes within the updated 65 DNL noise boundary, providing sound insulation for multi-family and mobile homes, and assisting local jurisdictions with long-term land-use planning. The Port planned to submit its recommended solutions to the FAA by the end of 2011, after which the FAA would conduct a 180-day review to determine which measures it would help fund.

This document outlines the Runway Use Agreement between the FAA and the Port of Seattle at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac), effective December 6, 2010. It establishes preferred runway assignments for arrivals and departures under various weather and traffic conditions, while making clear that safety and air traffic management always take priority. The agreement does not change existing FAA practices but aims to provide consistency and transparency for the public regarding how runways are used.

This document is Appendix N of the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Part 150 Noise Compatibility Study Update, compiled by Landrum & Brown in October 2013. It contains the FAA's official approval, dated August 19, 2010, of the aviation activity forecast submitted by Sea-Tac Airport in July 2010. The FAA determined that the forecast provided adequate justification for total aircraft operations and authorized its use in the airport's Noise Compatibility Plan Update.

The Regional Commission on Airport Affairs submitted formal scoping comments in February 2010 criticizing the planned Part 150 noise study at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport as too narrow in scope and insufficient in public participation opportunities. The comments call for improvements in study documentation standards, including proper indexing, clear citations, author transparency, and plain-English presentation of data. The commission also urges that public comment periods be at least 60 days and not scheduled around major holidays.

SeaTac lawmakers voted to rescind a controversial eminent domain ordinance targeting a privately owned parking lot near the airport light-rail station, while also hearing a retail and entertainment feasibility study for an 82-acre proposed city center development adjacent to the airport. Separately, a public workshop on SeaTac Airport's Part 150 Noise Study—which examines ways to reduce aircraft noise impacts on surrounding communities—was scheduled for February 24 at Mount Rainier High School in Des Moines. The workshop was part of an ongoing public engagement process inviting residents to participate in shaping noise-reduction solutions and recommendations.

The Winter 2010 edition of Air Mail, published by the Port of Seattle, announces the first community workshop for a new FAA Part 150 Noise and Land-Use Compatibility Study at Sea-Tac Airport, scheduled for February 24, 2010, at Mount Rainier High School in Des Moines. The study aims to assess existing and future noise levels, evaluate mitigation options—with a major focus on the third runway's community impacts—and recommend noise reduction programs funded by federal money. The newsletter also covers the opening of Sound Transit's Link light rail to the airport, completed wetlands restoration projects, and a student internship program.