TagSEPA(232)

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.

The City of Des Moines, WA issued a public notice in July 2024 for a proposed 402,380-square-foot industrial building on a 30-acre site near S. 216th St. and 20th Ave. S., submitted by Panattoni Development Corporation. The project, which involves filling wetlands and rerouting a stream, was granted a Mitigated Determination of Nonsignificance (MDNS) under SEPA, meaning city officials determined it would not cause significant adverse environmental impacts. Public comments and appeals of the environmental decision were accepted through late July and early August 2024.

The City of Des Moines issued a Mitigated Determination of Nonsignificance (MDNS) for a proposed 402,380-square-foot industrial building near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, finding no significant environmental impact provided certain conditions are met. Key mitigation requirements include wetland and stream protections, long-term environmental monitoring, and compliance with FAA Advisory Circular 150/5200-33C standards to ensure the project's stormwater detention pond does not attract hazardous wildlife that could pose risks to aircraft operations. The decision, issued July 8, 2024, was open for public comment through July 23, 2024, with an appeal deadline of August 2, 2024.