TagPort Of Seattle(2609)

House Bill 1328 authorized the Port of Seattle to establish jet aircraft noise abatement programs for surrounding communities, allowing the port to purchase affected properties, fund soundproofing, and provide mortgage insurance for residents unable to obtain it due to noise impacts. The bill was amended by the Committee on Local Government to expand the defined impact area, remove eminent domain powers, and extend time limits for property payments. Funding for the program could come from general obligation bonds, capped at 1/8 of one percent of the total taxable property value within the port district.

The Port of Seattle and six neighboring cities (SeaTac, Burien, Des Moines, Normandy Park, Tukwila, and Federal Way) submitted comments to the FAA in September 2023, urging updates to federal aviation noise policy in response to growing community concerns around Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The letter highlights collaborative efforts already underway, including a Fly Quiet Program and Late-Night Noise Limitation Program, which have significantly reduced overnight flight activity on the runway closest to residential areas. The signatories call on the FAA to modernize its noise metrics, lower noise thresholds, and take a broader approach to reducing aircraft noise and emissions rather than simply measuring and disclosing them.

This is an Exemption Log from the Port of Seattle, dated September 27, 2023, related to Public Records Act request 23-941. It explains that certain employment investigation records are being partially redacted before release, with names and identifying information of complainants, accusers, and witnesses removed to protect their privacy under Washington State law (RCW 42.56.250 and 42.56.230). The redactions apply to records involving workplace discrimination or harassment investigations, where disclosing individual identities is deemed highly offensive and not of legitimate public concern.

In September 2023, the Port of Seattle Commission formally adopted findings from its Board of Ethics concluding that Commissioner Fred Felleman misused his official position to gain special access to Quiet Sound Leadership Committee meetings, violating the Commissioner Code of Ethics. As a corrective measure, the Commission publicly admonished Felleman and directed him to complete remedial training on conflicts of interest and appropriate conduct between elected officials and staff. The order also encouraged Felleman to issue written apologies to the complainants and called for broader ethics training for all Commissioners.

Port of Seattle Commissioner Fred Felleman issued a formal apology on September 26, 2023, accepting an ethics ruling stemming from his repeated requests to attend meetings of the Quiet Sound Leadership Committee, a group focused on reducing ship noise affecting endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales. The Ethics Board found no financial wrongdoing, but determined his conduct toward Port staff was inappropriate. Felleman pledged to improve his workplace communications while reaffirming his commitment to the Quiet Sound Program and the Port's Code of Ethics.

The Port of Seattle reached an agreement with Hill Grove Cemetery Association to remove six trees on the cemetery's property near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport that were identified as obstructions to flight corridors. In exchange, the Port agreed to install a new fence and gate along the property's north boundary, replant vegetation, and pay all associated costs. The cemetery also granted the Port a permanent easement to prevent future obstructions from growing on the property.

This technical memorandum, prepared by Leigh Fisher for the Port of Seattle in September 2023, presents an updated aviation activity forecast for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. It includes constrained operating growth scenarios (COGS), FAA approval documentation, and airside modeling data used to support environmental review planning. The forecast serves as a foundational planning tool for understanding future airport capacity and operational assumptions.