TagRCAA(188)

This January 1993 document from the Regional Commission on Airport Affairs (RCAA) presents materials to the Puget Sound Regional Council's Transportation Policy and Executive Board covering demand management, airport planning, and regional air capacity alternatives. The packet includes analysis of flight delays, airspace and runway capacity issues, and landside capacity concerns prepared by consultants J. Richard Aramburu and Gerald Bogan, along with alternative airport development ideas from locations such as Grays Harbor County, Toledo-Winlock, and Moses Lake. The RCAA, backed by dozens of community groups and several cities in the Sea-Tac area, sought to offer expert-driven solutions to address long-term aviation capacity needs while addressing aircraft noise concerns affecting surrounding neighborhoods.

This is Book #1 of materials compiled by the Regional Commission on Airport Affairs (RCAA), a coalition of community organizations and cities in the Puget Sound region, submitted to the Transportation Policy Board in January 1993. The packet presents expert reports on air traffic forecasting, economic impacts, noise, effects on children's education, public health, and air pollution—all focused on the proposed expansion of Seattle-Tacoma (Sea-Tac) International Airport. The RCAA argues against airport expansion on the grounds of quality of life, environmental harm, and equity for surrounding communities.

A January 13, 1993 memo from Janet O'Donnell to Jim Murphy, President of the Regional Commission on Airport Affairs (RCAA), requests $150.00 to obtain a bulk mail postal permit — $75.00 for the annual fee and $75.00 for the setup fee — to support distribution of materials related to Sea-Tac Airport noise issues. The memo outlines the process for obtaining the permit through the Seattle Post Office and coordinating with a volunteer to finalize mailing logistics. The document is endorsed by a broad coalition of community organizations, city governments, and civic groups opposed to Sea-Tac Airport expansion and aircraft noise.

This Washington State Department of Ecology report outlines stormwater erosion and sediment control requirements for large construction projects involving one or more acres of disturbed land in the Puget Sound Basin. It describes best management practices (BMPs) such as covering exposed soil, trapping sediment onsite, and protecting adjacent properties from runoff and sediment. Developers are required to create an erosion and sediment control plan and are financially responsible for its implementation.

This December 1992 catalog from R.C.A.A. (Residents for Conscious Airport Activity) lists research papers, critiques, and white papers organized by topic—including airport planning, demand and capacity, economics, health, environmental impacts, and noise—all relating to Sea-Tac International Airport expansion. Key concerns addressed include aircraft noise measurement and the adequacy of the 65 Ldn noise metric, air and water pollution from airport expansion, and the evaluation of alternative airport sites. The catalog reflects community and expert opposition to Sea-Tac's third runway proposal and broader regional airport policy decisions in the Puget Sound area.

In a November 1992 letter to the FAA's Northwest Mountain Region manager, the President of the Regional Commission on Airport Affairs urges the federal government to defer funding and detailed planning for a proposed third runway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac). The letter argues that the Puget Sound Regional Council's ongoing regional airport system planning process must be allowed to fully evaluate all alternatives before any single project receives federal financial commitment. The author warns that proceeding prematurely with site-specific plans and an Environmental Impact Statement risks wasting federal money if the regional plan ultimately selects an alternative other than a third runway at Sea-Tac.

A 1992 report by the Regional Commission on Airport Affairs found that Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, despite occupying less than 0.2% of King County's land, was responsible for 8% of the county's carbon monoxide emissions and 5% of its nitrogen oxide emissions, along with significant quantities of toxic pollutants like benzene. At the time of the report, the airport had no air-pollution monitoring system in place, and the author argued this represented a critical gap in the airport's Environmental Impact Statement that urgently needed to be addressed.

A 1992 pamphlet published by the Regional Commission on Airport Affairs (RCAA) warns that the Port of Seattle's expansion plan for Sea-Tac Airport — including the addition of a third runway — poses serious health risks to surrounding communities. Citing studies reviewed by physicians at Highline Community Hospital, the brochure links increased airport activity to higher rates of birth defects, cardiovascular disease, mental illness, and dangerous levels of air pollutants such as carbon monoxide, benzene, and lead. The document concludes that when health and community costs are fully considered, Sea-Tac expansion may be neither financially feasible nor ethically justifiable.

A 1992 report by physicians from the Regional Coalition on Airport Affairs details the serious health risks posed by Sea-Tac International Airport's noise and air pollution on surrounding communities. It documents links between airport noise and increased use of tranquilizers, psychiatric hospitalizations, sleep disruption, lower birth weights, and declining school test scores, while also noting that Sea-Tac generates up to 5% of all air pollution in King County. The report argues that airport expansion would significantly worsen these already measurable public health impacts on South King County residents.

These documents relate to the Airport Alternative Committee's October 1992 meeting, which brought together cities, community organizations, and citizen groups concerned about aircraft noise around Seattle-Tacoma (Sea-Tac) Airport. The committee evaluated criteria and requirements for addressing airport expansion, including minimizing noise impact on the largest number of people, maximizing aircraft and ground safety, and providing 750 operations capacity by the year 2020. Alternative airport sites such as Vancouver, Black Lake, Fort Lewis, Portland, McCord, Arlington, and SeaTac were also discussed.