TagSEPA(233)

The Port of Seattle submitted an environmental checklist in January 2025 for a limited update to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's Water System Plan, covering the period 2025–2028. The update addresses routine maintenance and infrastructure improvements to SEA's drinking water and fire protection system, including pipe replacements, new surge tanks, additional water storage, and a backup water supply connection to Highline Water District. Washington State Department of Health approval and Port of Seattle Commission adoption are required before the plan can be implemented.

HB 1303 is a Washington State bill focused on environmental justice, not Sea-Tac Airport noise policy. It proposes adding environmental justice considerations to the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) review process and prohibiting certain air pollution permits in overburdened communities. This document does not contain relevant content for a Sea-Tac Airport noise policy archive.

Washington Senate Bill 5380 (2025) requires state agencies to evaluate environmental justice impacts when reviewing permits for industrial or potentially harmful projects located in pollution-burdened communities. It mandates the completion of an Environmental Justice Impact Statement and a public hearing within affected communities before project approvals can move forward. The bill aims to reduce cumulative environmental and health disparities across Washington State.

Four cities near Sea-Tac Airport — Burien, Des Moines, Normandy Park, and SeaTac — have joined together under a formal interlocal agreement to coordinate their review of the Port of Seattle's Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP), which could bring significant noise and environmental impacts to surrounding communities over the next 20 years. The agreement establishes a shared process for hiring consultants, submitting joint public comments, and responding to environmental documents produced under federal (NEPA) and state (SEPA) law. The collaboration is set to run through December 31, 2027, with the City of Des Moines managing consultant contracts and the City of Burien overseeing fiscal matters.

The FAA released a draft Environmental Assessment in October 2024 for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP), which outlines 31 near-term projects to expand airport capacity for growing passenger demand. Key projects include a new passenger terminal and gates, taxiway extensions, cargo facility changes, and employee parking updates. The cities of SeaTac, Burien, Des Moines, and Normandy Park are collaborating to submit technical comments on the plan before the December 13, 2024 deadline.

Final Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS) for the Burien 2044 Comprehensive Plan Update, dated October 18, 2024, prepared by the City of Burien. Evaluates three alternatives: Alternative 1 (No Action), Alternative 2 (Neighborhood Centers), and Alternative 3 (Greater Downtown). Addresses 20-year growth targets for housing and jobs, new future land use map, zoning districts, Transportation

Laura Hartema of Friends of Des Moines Creek presented concerns about the proposed Des Moines Creek Business Park West Development (File #LUA2022-0044) in October 2024, highlighting significant environmental impacts including the removal of over 500 trees, filling of wetlands and streams, and more than 30 acres of site disturbance. The presentation compared 1936 and 2023 aerial photos showing the area remains largely forested, and raised issues such as arsenic in soils, stormwater management concerns, and negative effects on neighboring residential properties. The group argues the project requires more thorough environmental review to demonstrate it will not cause significant harm to critical natural areas and the surrounding community.

This October 2024 report from the Washington State Department of Ecology examines options for collecting and disposing of Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF), a firefighting chemical that contains harmful PFAS compounds. The Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement evaluates the potential environmental effects of different collection and disposal methods for this toxic foam, which has historically been used at airports and military facilities. It is published by Ecology's Hazardous Waste and Toxics Reduction Program and is unrelated to airport noise policy.

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP), completed in 2018, outlines 31 near-term development projects and is currently undergoing a federal environmental review (NEPA) process, with a draft Environmental Assessment published in October 2024. The review evaluates potential impacts on air quality, water resources, noise, and other environmental factors before any projects move forward. Once the federal NEPA process concludes, a Washington State-level environmental review (SEPA) will follow.