TagStART(502)

A August 2023 Boeing presentation delivered to the Port of Seattle outlines the company's sustainability goals across six areas: employee safety and well-being, global aerospace safety, equity and inclusion, sustainable operations, innovation and clean technology, and community engagement. The presentation notes that aviation accounts for 2.6% of total global emissions and 12% of transportation emissions, framing Boeing's clean technology efforts within the broader challenge of reducing aviation's environmental impact.

The StART Federal Policy Working Group met on July 17, 2023, to discuss federal funding developments and review a draft comment letter on the FAA's Noise Policy Review. Key topics included the status of FAA Reauthorization legislation, with four of seven StART priorities currently included in congressional bills, and efforts to add secondary noise insulation provisions. The group also reviewed noise measurement metrics and agreed on a July 31 deadline for member comments, with a final letter due to the FAA by September 29, 2023.

The Sea-Tac Stakeholder Advisory Round Table (StART) is a community forum created by the Port of Seattle to encourage cooperative input and identify solutions to airport-related concerns. Following prioritization discussions in early 2018, the group agreed to focus specifically on aviation noise. A dedicated working group was established to research and recommend near-term actions to prevent and reduce noise impacts on surrounding communities.

This Port of Seattle document outlines key federal aviation noise and air quality legislation relevant to the StART (Sea-Tac Airport Roundtable) Federal Working Group, including provisions from the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 and proposed 2019 legislation. It highlights priority items such as evaluating alternatives to the DNL 65 noise standard, studying health impacts of aircraft noise in major metro areas including Seattle, and creating environmental mitigation grant programs for airports. Additional considerations include secondary noise insulation, increased funding for federal noise programs, and greater flexibility for local communities to address aviation impacts.

The Sea-Tac Stakeholder Advisory Round Table (StART) is a forum created by the Port of Seattle to strengthen relationships between Sea-Tac Airport and six neighboring communities, working cooperatively to identify issues and possible solutions. Development of StART began in mid-2017, with each city appointing two community members and one city employee to participate, alongside the Airport's Managing Director as chair. Airlines Alaska and Delta, as well as Lynden, also serve as members of the round table.

This presentation by Stan Shepherd, Senior Manager of Airport Noise Programs at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, provides an overview of SEA's key noise management initiatives. The programs covered include Noise Abatement (such as flight procedure monitoring and the Fly Quiet program), the StART stakeholder roundtable, noise monitoring, noise mitigation, and community outreach. Together, these efforts reflect the airport's commitment to reducing the impact of aircraft noise on surrounding communities.

Aviation noise consultant Vince Mestre explains to the Port of Seattle why changing the FAA's 65 DNL noise contour standard — the threshold used to determine acceptable aircraft noise near residential areas — would likely require an act of Congress rather than a simple regulatory update. The 65 DNL standard is embedded in at least three federal regulations and orders (CFR 14 Parts 150 and 161, and FAA Order 1050.1F), all of which trace their authority back to enabling legislation such as the Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act (ASNA) of 1978 and the Airport Noise and Capacity Act (ANCA) of 1990. Because the FAA's rulemaking authority is granted and bounded by those Congressional statutes, modifying ASNA would most likely be required before the FAA could formally lower or otherwise change the noise compatibility standard.

This April 2023 briefing memo prepared by the Port of Seattle outlines the agenda and federal policy goals for the first-ever StART (Stakeholder Advisory Roundtable) DC Fly-in, held April 25–27, 2023. A delegation of roughly 20 Port officials, city representatives, and government affairs consultants traveled to Washington, DC to meet with members of Congress and Biden administration officials about aircraft noise and emissions issues affecting communities near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Key legislative priorities included passing the Sound Insulation Treatment Repair and Replacement Program Act, the Aviation Noise and Emissions Mitigation Act, and establishing a formal Aircraft Noise Advisory Committee with binding deadlines for FAA action on noise policy reform.

This April 2023 memo from the Port of Seattle outlines the agenda and goals for the first-ever StART DC Fly-in, a trip in which Port and local city officials traveled to Washington, DC to advocate for federal policies addressing aircraft noise and emissions near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The delegation met with members of Congress, including Senator Maria Cantwell and several House Representatives, to push for legislation such as the Sound Insulation Treatment Repair and Replacement Program Act and the Aviation Noise and Emissions Mitigation Act. Key priorities included expanding eligibility for home sound insulation funding, involving the EPA in noise mitigation efforts, and establishing a formal Aircraft Noise Advisory Committee with a clear timeline for policy action.