TagSecond Airport(63)

This 2023 Washington State House amendment (adopted March 8, 2023) updates the intent statement of SHB 1791 to more specifically acknowledge the environmental, health, social, and economic impacts that a major commercial airport can have on surrounding communities. It references a Puget Sound Regional Council study projecting that by 2050, central Puget Sound will face a significant gap between aviation demand and capacity. The amendment emphasizes that exploring alternatives to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport — potentially including new or expanded airports — is critical to meeting future regional transportation needs.

Washington State House Bill 1791 (2023) establishes a new Commercial Aviation Coordinating Work Group to study the state's long-range aviation needs over the next 20 years, replacing the previous Commercial Aviation Coordinating Commission whose work was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The 19-member work group, appointed by the governor, will evaluate airport capacity across Washington and assess the potential need for a new commercial airport, taking into account community and environmental impacts. The study is particularly focused on meeting growing aviation demand in western Washington, which has direct implications for how future air traffic and infrastructure decisions may affect communities around Sea-Tac Airport.