TagSAMP(650)

The City of Des Moines, WA is proposing the formation of a permanent Airport Advisory Committee to advise the City Council on matters related to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, including review of the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP), potential interlocal agreements with airport partners, and the city's strategy with the Port of Seattle. The committee would consist of at least three Des Moines residents, including at least one City Council member, and would meet quarterly to evaluate airport-related issues and provide recommendations. Staff submitted the proposal for Council approval at the February 6, 2025 meeting, following a unanimous Council vote in October 2024 to establish such a committee.

Quiet Skies Puget Sound presented concerns to the Aviation Committee 2.0 about the Sea-Tac Airport Master Plan (SAMP) draft Environmental Assessment, warning that 87,000 additional annual flights would pose serious public health risks to children, the elderly, and environmental justice communities. The group criticized the Port for failing to provide meaningful collaboration or mitigation across 4,600 pages of documentation, and argued that community forums like StART and the Highline Forum have been treated as mere formalities. On a positive note, the group highlighted growing opposition to the SAMP from the EPA, local cities, advocacy groups, and elected officials, as well as a favorable legal and regulatory environment for challenging the airport's expansion plans.

The Port of Seattle submitted an environmental checklist in January 2025 for a limited update to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's Water System Plan, covering the period 2025–2028. The update addresses routine maintenance and infrastructure improvements to SEA's drinking water and fire protection system, including pipe replacements, new surge tanks, additional water storage, and a backup water supply connection to Highline Water District. Washington State Department of Health approval and Port of Seattle Commission adoption are required before the plan can be implemented.

The Burien Airport Committee met on January 21, 2025, to discuss issues related to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, including updates on the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP), state legislative developments, and regional coordination efforts through bodies like STAC4J and StART. The agenda also included a proposal to amend the committee's composition. Draft minutes from the December 17, 2024 meeting reflect earlier discussions on the SAMP comment process and a multi-city response coordinated under an existing Interlocal Agreement.

Jan 16 2025 presentation to PSRC by Dave Kaplan, Clare Gallagher. Port of Seattle presentation covering the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) Near-Term Projects (NTPs) Environmental Review, released October–November 2024. Covers the FAA NEPA Draft Environmental Assessment (Draft EA) and public comment period for Sea-Tac Airport (SEA). Includes historical passenger growth data from 1949 (130,600

Four cities near Sea-Tac Airport — Burien, Des Moines, Normandy Park, and SeaTac — have joined together under a formal interlocal agreement to coordinate their review of the Port of Seattle's Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP), which could bring significant noise and environmental impacts to surrounding communities over the next 20 years. The agreement establishes a shared process for hiring consultants, submitting joint public comments, and responding to environmental documents produced under federal (NEPA) and state (SEPA) law. The collaboration is set to run through December 31, 2027, with the City of Des Moines managing consultant contracts and the City of Burien overseeing fiscal matters.