TagSAMP(642)

The Burien Airport Committee met on June 18, 2019 to discuss airport noise and planning issues related to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, including debriefing on recent stakeholder meetings with consultants Stantec and Lockridge Grindal Nauen, and a Port of Seattle presentation to Burien City Council. The committee considered potential letters to the Port of Seattle, Senator Karen Keiser, and the FAA regarding concerns about the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) and Part 150 noise study noncompliance. Members also reviewed research on airport governance structures and complaint processes at large airports across the country.

In a May 2019 email, community advocate Sheila Brush shares meeting notes with colleagues outlining key arguments for why Sea-Tac Airport's Part 150 noise compatibility study may be out of compliance, including concerns about lack of transparency in the public scoping process and the unstudied noise impacts of a third runway. The notes also raise questions about whether the Port's plan to fold portions of the Part 150 study into the SAMP and SEPA/EIS processes is appropriate, and whether the EPA's lack of sign-off on the previous study is relevant. Brush expresses gratitude to Sharyn Parker for taking on the effort to formally request a compliance assessment from the FAA.

The Burien Airport Committee met on May 21, 2019 to discuss several airport-related issues, including updates on the Sea-Tac Airport Master Plan (SAMP) environmental review process, the formation of a coalition of local elected officials to address airport concerns, and research into noise mitigation programs such as the Sound Insulation Program. The committee also reviewed a Federal Way letter to University of Washington professors regarding a study on ultrafine particle pollution from aircraft, and discussed Burien's ongoing participation in the Sea-Tac Airport Roundtable (StART). Draft minutes from the April 16, 2019 meeting reflect earlier discussions on flight curfews, landing fee structures, and airport governance as potential tools for reducing noise impacts on surrounding communities.

In May 2019, Burien City Manager Brian Wilson updated the Burien Airport Committee on the cities' joint effort to respond to the Port of Seattle's Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP), which outlines airport expansion through 2027. The cities of Burien, Des Moines, Normandy Park, and SeaTac formed an Interlocal Agreement (ILA) and hired the Washington DC firm Lockridge Grindal Nauen to help review and comment on the SAMP's environmental impact process. Key community concerns raised in the accompanying September 2018 scoping letter include aircraft noise, air quality, traffic congestion, and the disproportionate burden placed on neighborhoods closest to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

In an April 2019 letter to the Port of Seattle's Executive Director, Alaska Airlines expressed support for SeaTac airport expansion but raised serious concerns about the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP), arguing that the proposed 19-gate north terminal is disconnected from the main terminal, more gates than needed, and would leave 80% of travelers underserved. Alaska's independent consultants concluded that only 10 additional gates are necessary to meet projected 2027 passenger demand, and the airline proposed a phased 10-gate alternative as a less costly and less environmentally impactful solution. The letter urged the Port to include Alaska's alternative in the formal NEPA environmental review process to ensure a more legally defensible and balanced approach to airport development.

This March 2019 Port of Seattle presentation to the Highline Forum provides an update on the environmental review process for near-term construction projects outlined in Sea-Tac Airport's Sustainable Airport Master Plan. It covers background on the plan, scoping report findings, and next steps for the review. The presentation also highlights projected airport growth, with total passengers expected to rise from 46.9 million in 2017 to 66 million by 2034, alongside increasing air operations affecting surrounding communities.

The Highline Forum held a meeting on March 27, 2019, at Federal Way City Hall, focused on the StART (Sea-Tac Airport Roundtable) First-Year Report and a SAMP (Sustainable Airport Master Plan) Update, with presentations from Port of Seattle representatives and local officials. The forum serves as a regional body addressing airport-related concerns for communities near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, including Federal Way, SeaTac, Tukwila, and Des Moines. Additional 2019 meetings were scheduled bimonthly through November at rotating locations across the Highline area.