• 2026-05-19

    Ep #25 Highly Automated (Flight Paths Part II)

    **Discover why environmental progress stalled for airport communities while cars got cleaner** Ever wonder why your car's emissions have dramatically improved over decades, but aviation seems stuck in the past? In this eye-opening episode of The Airport Communities Podcast, we explore the fascinating tale of two environmental paths that diverged after 1970. While Washington Senator Scoop Jackson spearheaded NEPA—one of the largest expansions of environmental policy in American history—and California secured game-changing carve-outs in the Clean Air Act that led to massive air quality improvements, aviation somehow got left behind. Despite Boeing being headquartered in Washington, aviation environmental standards never caught up. UW Meteorologist Cliff Mass delivers some stark perspective: those two annual flights to Europe generate more greenhouse gases than most people produce in their entire homes over a year. Meanwhile, Boeing's monopoly status has eliminated market incentives for cleaner technology. This wasn't an oversight—it was intentional. Today, every airport community continues paying the price for decisions made decades ago that exempted aviation from automotive-level engineering standards.
  • Mid-terms: Some Seats Matter More

    The U.S. mid-term congressional elections this November will determine which party controls Congress during the next year’s FAA reauthorization process. Republicans are bullish on retaking both the House of Representatives and Senate, while Democrats are fighting hard to protect their razor-thin majorities. That’s the big picture. Of the 536 total congressional seats (including D.C.’s non-voting delegate…more
  • 2019-06-26

    StART Meeting Recap: June 26, 2019

    The Sea-Tac Stakeholder Advisory Round Table (StART) met on June 26, 2019 to discuss aircraft noise and emissions research presented by FAA officials, including studies on sleep disturbance, cardiovascular health, and alternative jet fuels. The meeting also covered updates from the Aviation Noise and Federal Policy Working Groups, and introduced the Port of Seattle's new South King County Fund, which will provide $10 million over five years for community projects addressing noise, environmental health, and sustainability.