TagPSRC(142)

This working paper, prepared for the Puget Sound Regional Council, examines four future scenarios for meeting regional aviation demand in the greater Seattle area, ranging from near-term improvements at Sea-Tac Airport through 2027 to long-term capacity expansions by 2037 and beyond. It evaluates existing and potential supplemental airports across criteria such as runway length, airspace conflicts, flood hazards, land use compatibility, and accessibility. The study aims to identify which airports could help absorb projected passenger and cargo demand that Sea-Tac alone may not be able to accommodate.

This January 2021 report documents public engagement efforts conducted by the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) as part of its Regional Aviation Baseline Study, a federally funded project examining aviation needs across the 29-airport central Puget Sound region. The study gathered community input through surveys, focus group interviews, technical working groups, and virtual public meetings to understand priorities and concerns about managing future aviation growth. The findings are intended to inform future regional airport planning decisions, including considerations around noise, capacity, and community impacts.

The PSRC Aviation Baseline Study surveyed 1,416 residents and gathered public input through interviews, virtual meetings, and an online open house to understand regional priorities around aviation. Across all input methods, participants consistently favored spreading air service across multiple regional airports rather than expanding Sea-Tac or building a new airport. While randomly selected survey and interview participants emphasized economic benefits and meeting aviation demand, self-selected open house participants were more focused on noise and environmental impacts from aviation.

In this October 2020 letter, the City of Des Moines formally objected to the Puget Sound Regional Council's Regional Aviation Baseline Study, arguing that it wrongly assumes full implementation of SeaTac Airport's long-term expansion plan (the SAMP) before any required environmental review has been completed. The City warned that this flawed assumption skews all study scenarios, understates community noise and pollution impacts on neighborhoods near SeaTac, and creates a circular logic problem that undermines sound regional planning. Des Moines requested that the baseline be revised to reflect only already-approved and environmentally reviewed projects, and called for planning toward a second international airport to relieve pressure on SeaTac.

A community member submitted comments to the Highline Forum on September 23, 2020, criticizing the PSRC Regional Aviation Baseline Study for failing to address social equity, environmental justice, carbon emissions, and impacts on non-aviation transportation. The commenter also challenged the Port's Environmental Excellence Awards, arguing that recognizing minor reductions like eliminating plastic straws is insignificant compared to the much larger carbon emissions produced by jet fuel during flights. The comments call on regional government agencies to align their aviation planning and recognition programs with meaningful climate and environmental justice goals.

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.

The Regional Aviation Baseline Study, conducted by the Puget Sound Regional Council, examines aviation activity and infrastructure across the Puget Sound region. The study covers scenario development, economic analysis, and a detailed assessment of the region's airports, including major facilities like Sea-Tac. It provides a foundational framework for understanding current and future aviation capacity, demand, and related policy considerations in the greater Seattle area.

The Regional Aviation Baseline Study, conducted by the Puget Sound Regional Council, examines 29 airports across King, Snohomish, Kitsap, and Pierce counties to understand how aviation activities interact with communities and the broader regional economy. The study identifies each airport's role, gathers stakeholder input on aviation and airspace constraints, and establishes a foundation for future regional aviation planning. Sea-Tac Airport is the region's primary large hub, and the study provides context for understanding the broader network of aviation activity that shapes noise and land-use policy decisions across the central Puget Sound area.