TagScoping documents(11)

This document compiles public and agency scoping comments received during the environmental review process for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's SAMP (Sustainable Airport Master Plan) Near Term Projects. Comments are organized into 22 topical categories, covering issues such as noise, air quality, transportation, water resources, and human health, and are labeled to indicate whether they directly relate to the SAMP Near Term Projects or address broader airport concerns. Each comment is coded for easy reference, allowing readers to track specific concerns raised by the public and agencies throughout the scoping process.

This document contains scoping comments submitted to the Port of Seattle regarding the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) environmental review process, compiled by the Quiet Skies Coalition. Community members raised concerns about the lack of long-term human health and environmental impact studies related to aircraft noise and emissions, questioning why the Port had not studied the effects of a four-year increase of 97,000 additional annual flights. The comments request comprehensive assessments covering neighborhoods such as Des Moines, Burien, Tukwila, and Normandy Park, and call for the Port to include worldwide scientific studies on the health effects of aircraft noise and pollution in its environmental review.

This Scoping Report, published February 12, 2019, documents the public and agency scoping process conducted by the Port of Seattle for the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) Near-Term Projects Environmental Review. It summarizes scoping meetings held with agencies and the public, common themes raised by commenters, and organizes the written comments received during the scoping period. The report serves as the foundation for determining which environmental topics—including noise impacts—will be analyzed in the subsequent environmental review.

A Beacon Hill resident submitted scoping comments in September 2018 regarding the Sea-Tac Airport expansion, raising concerns about air quality, airplane emissions, noise impacts on children's health, traffic congestion, and environmental justice for communities of color. The commenter requested studies on health effects for nearby residents, better public outreach to non-English-speaking communities, and neighborhood noise monitoring equipment. She also expressed frustration about cost overruns on existing airport projects and the limited accessibility of the public open house held at New Holly.

The City of Des Moines, Washington submitted formal scoping comments on behalf of Mayor Matt Pina and the Des Moines City Council regarding near-term projects at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The comments were transmitted via email by City Clerk Bonnie Wilkins on September 28, 2018, as part of the public scoping process for the airport's Near Term Project environmental review. This document is part of Attachment 4g, which compiles scoping comments received during the review process.

In September 2018, the cities of SeaTac, Burien, Normandy Park, and Des Moines submitted joint scoping comments urging the Port of Seattle to broaden its environmental review of the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) beyond just near-term construction projects. The cities argued that cumulative impacts — including a projected 60% increase in aircraft operations and 75% rise in passengers by 2034 — require a full analysis of noise, air quality, and traffic effects on nearby communities. They also called for a baseline period starting in 2012, rather than 2018, to capture the significant growth and airspace changes that have already occurred without adequate environmental review.

This document contains public scoping comments from a September 10, 2018 hearing, including testimony from Jill Aldrich, a property owner of over 50 years, who raised concerns about a building site on 24th Avenue South near Des Moines Creek. She described observing bulldozed dirt and construction activity in close proximity to a stream located in a King County-designated Critical Area, visible from the Des Moines Creek Trail. Her comments reflect community concerns about environmental protection of nearby waterways during nearby development.

In August 2018, the Mayor and City Council of Federal Way, Washington, wrote to Port of Seattle commissioners requesting a 60-day extension—to November 27, 2018—of the public comment period for Sea-Tac Airport's Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP). The letter cited the complexity of nearly 1,500 pages of technical documents and growing constituent concerns about aircraft noise and airport expansion. The council argued that the original four-month review window was insufficient for a project of this scale, which includes a new 19-gate terminal, taxiway extensions, and dozens of other infrastructure projects aimed at increasing passenger capacity from 46.9 million to 66 million by 2034.