TagSea-Tac Airport(794)

The Port of Seattle Commission is introducing Resolution 3771 to support the Flight Corridor Safety Program 2019, which involves removing trees near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport that obstruct FAA-designated flight approach and departure paths. The program seeks to acquire permanent easements on private properties to prevent future obstructions and ensure ongoing compliance with FAA regulations and the airport's operating certificate. If voluntary negotiations with property owners fail, the Port is authorized to pursue condemnation as a last resort to secure the necessary property rights.

The Port of Seattle Commission held a regular meeting on February 25, 2020, at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, covering a range of airport and maritime topics. Key noise-related items included a Noise Programs Briefing and Motion 2020-04, which directed the acceleration of the sound insulation program at Sea-Tac Airport. Additional agenda items addressed airport infrastructure, security upgrades, and the Sustainable Airport Master Plan Environmental Review.

This is the official zoning map for the City of SeaTac, Washington, prepared in February 2020, showing land-use classifications across the city. It covers a range of zones including low-, medium-, and high-density residential areas, commercial and industrial districts, aviation-related zones, and parks, alongside overlay districts and special boundaries such as the Urban Center and Angle Lake Station Area. The map also depicts infrastructure features including light rail stations, the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport footprint, and planned future rights-of-way for SR-509.

This January 2020 update from the Sea-Tac Stakeholder Advisory Round Table (StART) Noise Working Group covers three main areas: a Ground Noise Study collecting 2019 operations data from airlines, an Aircraft Departure Profiles Analysis showing that the 'distant departure' procedure reduces noise the most for nearby communities, and a Late Night Noise Limitation Program identifying EVA Air, FedEx Express, and China Airlines Cargo as the carriers with the most noise violations in Q4. The study was scheduled to produce a final report with mitigation options by October/November 2020. The update was presented at the Highline Forum on January 22, 2020.

The SEA Stakeholder Advisory Round Table (StART) 2020 Annual Report, presented by Port of Seattle staff and a consultant, outlines the group's activities and achievements for the year, including work by the Aviation Noise Working Group and the Federal Policy Working Group. The report covers 2020 highlights and accomplishments, facilitator reflections, and tentative priorities for 2021 meetings. StART serves as a community advisory forum focused on addressing aviation noise and related policy concerns at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

A 2019 University of Washington study found that communities within 10 miles of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport are exposed to ultrafine particle pollution uniquely linked to aircraft emissions, distinct from roadway traffic pollution. These microscopic particles — 700 times thinner than a human hair — are not currently regulated by federal or state air-quality standards, and prior research has associated them with breast cancer, heart disease, prostate cancer, and lung conditions. The policy brief calls on Washington State legislators to fund a follow-up two-year study to investigate the health impacts on nearby communities, which tend to be poorer and more racially diverse than King County as a whole.

The Burien Airport Committee met on December 17, 2019 to discuss ongoing concerns related to Sea-Tac Airport, including the city's legal findings against the FAA, the status of a University of Washington ultrafine particles study, and safety issues raised by Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air. The committee also reviewed progress on the Sea-Tac Stakeholder Advisory Round Table (StART) and a Washington State Department of Commerce study, while planning priorities for 2020. Draft minutes from the November 18, 2019 meeting were included, detailing earlier discussions on noise reduction, environmental impacts, and a potential meeting with the EPA.