TagSheila Brush(10)

Two members of the Des Moines Ad Hoc Aviation Advisory Committee (DMAAC) resigned in July 2020, citing frustration that the Des Moines City Council voted to rejoin the SeaTac Airport Round Table (StART) without meeting any of the 13 reform criteria the committee had jointly developed with Burien. The resignees argued that rejoining StART without securing meaningful reforms was a strategic mistake, as prior participation in the forum had proven ineffective and potentially harmful to the city's long-term interests. Despite their resignations, they pledged to continue advocating for reduced airport noise and environmental protections through other organizations and legislative channels.

In a May 2019 email, community advocate Sheila Brush shares meeting notes with colleagues outlining key arguments for why Sea-Tac Airport's Part 150 noise compatibility study may be out of compliance, including concerns about lack of transparency in the public scoping process and the unstudied noise impacts of a third runway. The notes also raise questions about whether the Port's plan to fold portions of the Part 150 study into the SAMP and SEPA/EIS processes is appropriate, and whether the EPA's lack of sign-off on the previous study is relevant. Brush expresses gratitude to Sharyn Parker for taking on the effort to formally request a compliance assessment from the FAA.

The Aviation Advisory Committee (AAC) held a meeting on March 25, 2019, where members discussed upcoming election-cycle voting forums related to the StART Committee and received a legislative update via a conference call with Legislative Advocate Anthony Hemstad. The meeting, attended by three committee members and four city staff, including City Manager Michael Matthias, lasted from 4:32 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. with no public comment. The next scheduled AAC meeting was set for April 22, 2019.

The Des Moines Aviation Advisory Committee met on December 10, 2018 to discuss next steps following the submission of scoping comments for the Airport Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP), including plans to bring consultants before the Committee and Council. The City outlined roughly $97,000 in active aviation-related programs covering environmental review, an airport impacts study, and an ultra-fine particle research study conducted by the University of Washington. The Committee agreed that measuring the airport's impact on the surrounding community and securing mitigation funds should be top priorities going forward.

The Aviation Advisory Committee met on June 11, 2018 to discuss concerns about SeaTac Airport's proposed expansion under the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP). Key actions included recommending the City send a letter to the Port of Seattle requesting a community open house with public Q&A, and reviewing a draft messaging framework to present to City Council on June 14. The committee also discussed hiring consultants to help the four cities in the Inter Local Agreement identify the best ways to be heard in the SAMP process and address related environmental and noise impacts.

The Des Moines Aviation Advisory Committee met on May 14, 2018 to discuss several Sea-Tac Airport-related issues, including a recommendation to send a letter to the FAA urging the hiring of Community Engagement employees, an update on the city's consultant search ahead of the Port's Strategic Airport Master Plan (SAMP) scoping process, and a review of a draft framework letter focused on improving community engagement throughout the environmental impact process. The committee also discussed Hush House noise-reduction technology potentially coming to Sea-Tac Airport and noted upcoming events including a Port-hosted Open House on the Airport Master Plan and a Noise 101 workshop for START members.

The Des Moines Aviation Advisory Committee met on January 8, 2018 to discuss several airport-related concerns, including an update on the University of Washington Ultrafine Particle Study, a proposed interlocal agreement between neighboring cities to jointly respond to the Port of Seattle's Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP), and a potential resolution advocating for a second airport. Community members and committee members also raised ongoing concerns about the health and noise impacts of Sea-Tac Airport on local residents.