TagStantec(43)

A comprehensive study examining the current and ongoing effects of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport operations. The study was prepared for the Washington State Department of Commerce as authorized by ESSB 6032 and conducted by Stantec consulting firm.

This 2020 report examines how noise from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport has changed between 1997 and 2019, focusing on the impact of aircraft takeoffs, landings, and overflights on nearby communities. It explains key noise measurement concepts—including decibels, Sound Exposure Level (SEL), and the Day-Night Average Sound Level (DNL)—and notes that while DNL is the federal regulatory standard used by the FAA, individual SEL events are often what residents find most disruptive. The report highlights a growing tension between how federal agencies measure and regulate aircraft noise and the real-world experience of people living under flight paths.

The Burien Airport Committee held a virtual meeting on May 19, 2020, to discuss airport-related policy matters, including a proposed letter to Port Commissioners about a 'new normal' for airport operations, comments on a Department of Commerce report, and a possible invitation to an FAA Community Ombudsperson. Draft minutes from the April 21, 2020 meeting were also reviewed, covering Chair Tosta's Washington, D.C. visit to advocate for a comprehensive cumulative impact assessment of the Port of Seattle's Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP). The meetings, held via Zoom due to COVID-19 restrictions, reflect ongoing community and city council efforts to address noise and environmental concerns related to Sea-Tac Airport.

In a November 2019 letter to the Washington State Department of Commerce, SeaTac Mayor Erin Sitterley raised concerns about the management of the state-mandated Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Study, which SeaTac was funding to the tune of $150,000. The city questioned whether the study's consultant, Stantec, had strayed from the original technical scope of work, cited worries about monitoring stations placed outside the defined study area, and expressed doubt that the study could be completed on time and within budget. The letter demanded a full accounting of project expenditures—including consultant travel costs from Dallas—and requested that public input be limited until after a draft report was reviewed by the Technical Advisory Committee.

In a November 2019 letter to the Washington State Department of Commerce, SeaTac Mayor Erin Sitterley raised concerns about the management of the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Study, which SeaTac is funding to the tune of $150,000. The city questioned whether consultant Stantec had strayed from the study's original technical scope, flagged potentially wasteful spending on travel from Dallas, and expressed doubt that the study would be completed on time and thoroughly by the June 2020 deadline. The city demanded a full budget accounting and requested that public input be limited until after a draft report was completed and reviewed by the Technical Advisory Committee.

Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6032, passed by the Washington State Legislature on March 8, 2018, and signed by Governor Jay Inslee on March 27, 2018, is a supplemental operating budget bill making appropriations and amendments to various state funds for the 2017-2019 fiscal biennium. The bill covers a wide range of general government expenditures, including funding for the House of Representatives, tax structure reform discussions, and rural health care planning. Governor Inslee approved the bill with a partial veto, striking down more than 20 specific sections.