TagSAMP(642)

The StART (SEA Stakeholder Advisory Round Table) meeting scheduled for June 24, 2026, focuses on presenting findings from the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's Sustainable Airport Master Plan Near-Term Projects, published May 22, 2026. The agenda includes a presentation by Port of Seattle environmental staff, an update on the Part 150 Noise Study and Aviation Noise Working Group, and a public comment period. The meeting is held via Zoom, with a tentative follow-up session planned for August 26, 2026.

The Des Moines City Council submitted a series of formal questions challenging the Port of Seattle's environmental review of its airport expansion plan, raising concerns about air quality, noise impacts, and community compensation. Key issues include the Port's heavy investment in Sustainable Aviation Fuel despite its limited near-term viability, the use of outdated federal noise standards, failed home noise-mitigation packages with no funding to repair them, and whether the SEPA review adequately analyzed hazardous air pollutants and peak traffic impacts. The Council also questioned whether the Port should provide direct financial assistance to affected neighboring cities, citing a state solicitor general opinion that such payments may be legally permissible.

The mayors of Burien, Des Moines, and SeaTac jointly wrote to Port of Seattle Commissioners in 2026 to challenge the claim that airport expansion projects outlined in the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) would have no significant impact on neighboring communities. The letter highlights concerns about aircraft noise, air pollution, traffic, and disproportionate burdens on historically disadvantaged residents living closest to the airport. The cities also demand that the public comment period for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement be extended from 60 to at least 120 days to allow for meaningful community review.

The Joint Burien Airport Committee and Des Moines Airport Advisory Committee held a meeting on June 16, 2026, with the primary agenda item being a study session on the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP), which relates to long-term planning for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The meeting was open to the public both in person at Burien City Hall and virtually via Zoom. The next scheduled meeting of the Burien Airport Committee was set for July 21, 2026.

A Des Moines, WA resident and airport advisory committee member submitted this public comment challenging the noise analysis in the Sea-Tac Airport (SEA) expansion environmental review, arguing that the standard Day-Night Average Sound Level (DNL) metric used by the Port of Seattle fails to capture the true burden of aircraft noise on nearby communities. Using direct measurements from Port noise monitors, the analysis found that some locations currently experience around 529 noise events per day with a median gap of only 1.5 minutes between events, conditions projected to worsen significantly under the airport's own growth forecasts. The comment calls on the Port to supplement its environmental review with event-based noise metrics—such as event frequency, quiet-period gaps, and nighttime disturbances—that research links more directly to health impacts like sleep disruption and cardiovascular disease.