TagPort Of Seattle(2611)

The Highline Forum held its September 23, 2020 meeting virtually via Microsoft Teams, hosted by the Port of Seattle, covering key topics including the PSRC Aviation Baseline Study, temporary noise monitor updates, and a StART (Sea-Tac Airport Roundtable) program update. Due to the Governor's Stay-at-Home Order, members of the public could submit comments by email or join the MS Teams session by registering in advance. The meeting was part of a series of 2020 forums addressing aviation noise policy and community impact around Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

A September 2020 presentation by Port of Seattle Commissioner Ryan Calkins outlines the severe financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Port's operations, including a 75% drop in airport passengers, a 17% decline in seaport cargo activity, and a complete 100% halt in cruise traffic compared to July 2019. The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) was projected to handle only around 20 million passengers in 2020, down sharply from a record 51.8 million in 2019. The presentation also provides historical context by comparing the 2020 downturn to previous industry shocks such as the 9/11 attacks and the Great Recession, both of which the airport ultimately recovered from.

The Port of Seattle's South King County Fund 2020 presentation, delivered at the Highline Forum on September 23, 2020, outlines a grant program distributing $1.5 million to communities near Sea-Tac Airport, including $250,000 each for Economic Development and Environmental Grants, plus $1 million in Economic Recovery Grants. The program was developed through extensive community outreach, including presentations to six cities, feedback sessions at the Highline Forum and StART, and interviews with dozens of leaders from under-represented communities conducted by the Port's Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.

A community member wrote to a GAO researcher studying NextGen aviation noise impacts near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, urging that community complaints be paired with responses from the FAA and Port of Seattle to ensure credibility. Key concerns raised include an outdated noise exposure map that has not been updated despite significant growth in air traffic, and the FAA's alleged refusal to answer questions submitted as far back as April 2018. The letter argues that without official rebuttals or supporting documentation, community perceptions risk appearing unsubstantiated and could undermine the integrity of the GAO study.

Vashon Island Fair Skies, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, wrote to the SeaTac City Council in July 2020 requesting help pressuring the Port of Seattle to retain raw second-by-second data from its 24 airport noise monitors, which vendor L3Harris currently purges after processing. The letter argues this raw data is essential for accurate noise analysis, demonstrating with December 2019 monitor data that high background noise at some sites causes the processing software to miss many actual aircraft overflight events. The group asks the city to urge the Port to make a simple procedural change — either downloading the data itself or requiring L3Harris to deliver it — noting the storage requirement is a modest ~62 MB per monitor per month.

This July 2020 presentation from the Port of Seattle's Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion outlines the South King County Fund, an initiative aimed at supporting economic recovery and community equity in the South King County region. It provides an overview of the office's role within the Port's broader strategic priorities, which span aviation, maritime, and economic development operations. The document reflects the Port's commitment to weaving equity and community investment into all lines of business.

This June 2020 StART Aviation Noise Working Group update outlines Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's near-term action plan to reduce aircraft noise impacts on surrounding communities. Key initiatives include a voluntary Late-Night Noise Limitation Program, a revised Runway Use Program to limit third-runway use at night, and a glideslope adjustment for Runway 34R to reduce approach noise. Additional measures include ground noise analysis, a Noise Abatement Departure Profiles Study, and encouraging airlines to install vortex generators on older A320 aircraft to lessen descent noise.