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A 2021 collaborative study by Public Health Seattle & King County and the University of Washington examined the community health impacts of noise and air pollution from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SeaTac) operations. The research highlighted that airport-area communities bear a disproportionate pollution burden, as they are home to a majority of King County's people of color — including 75% of Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders and 73% of Black/African Americans in the county. The study reviewed existing health evidence, investigated ultrafine particle (UFP) pollution, and offered recommendations to address these environmental health disparities.

The StART (SEA Stakeholder Advisory Round Table) meeting held on June 23, 2021 via Zoom covered several key topics related to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's community impact, including a presentation by Seattle-King County Public Health on the health effects of aviation and an update on the SAMP public process. The agenda also featured updates from the Federal Policy Working Group and the Aviation Noise Working Group, along with a public comment period. StART serves as a forum for fostering cooperation between the Port of Seattle and neighboring communities affected by Sea-Tac Airport operations.

In a June 22, 2021 letter, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (operated by the Port of Seattle) raised formal concerns about a Public Health–Seattle & King County report examining community health impacts from airport-related noise and air pollution. The Port objected that it was not consulted during the report's development and questioned the methodology, noting that SEA aircraft account for only about 0.25% of total PM2.5 emissions in the region. The letter calls for a more rigorous toxicity assessment and asks how other contributing health factors—such as smoking rates and access to medical care—were accounted for before drawing conclusions about the airport's health impacts.

The Burien Airport Committee held a virtual meeting on June 15, 2021, to review draft lists of future agenda topics, upcoming airport-related meetings, and airport legislation and mitigation funding, including discussion of Sustainable Aviation Fuel and its potential to reduce particulate pollution. The committee also received an update on the SEA Stakeholder Advisory Round Table (StART) activities and planned upcoming presentations on Burien's Draft Climate Action Plan and a session by the ASCENT aviation research lab from WSU. Public participation was conducted remotely via Zoom, email, or text due to pandemic restrictions on in-person meetings.

This document summarizes a June 14, 2021 meeting of the StART Aviation Noise Working Group, which advises the Port of Seattle on noise issues around Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Key topics included an update on the proposed glideslope angle adjustment for Runway 34R (recommending proceeding with a 3.0-degree change), an analysis of noise abatement departure profiles showing that the Distant NADP currently used by most airlines benefits the majority of affected neighborhoods, and a review of the Late-Night Noise Limitation Program highlighting that FedEx Express, China Airlines Cargo, and Amazon Prime Air had the highest late-night noise exceedances. The group agreed to continue monitoring departure profiles without further action and to pursue renewed outreach to carriers with high late-night noise levels.

The StART Federal Policy Working Group met on June 7, 2021 to discuss three potential federal policy items: a proposed EPA pilot grant program to study aircraft noise and emissions in airport communities, the American Jobs Plan's relevance to StART's policy agenda, and the Sustainable Skies Act's tax credit for sustainable aviation fuel. Members agreed to bring three options for supporting the American Jobs Plan back to their communities for feedback before making a decision at the next meeting. Policy updates were also shared, including a submitted application for a secondary noise insulation pilot program and a planned Port of Seattle grant application partnering with Microsoft to use AI to reduce aircraft emissions and ground noise.

The Highline Forum held a virtual meeting on May 26, 2021, hosted by the City of Federal Way, focusing on a recap of the 2021 Washington State Legislative Session and non-SAMP (Sustainable Airport Master Plan) airport improvement projects at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The meeting, conducted via Microsoft Teams due to the Governor's Stay at Home Order, also included updates on the StART (Sea-Tac Airport Roundtable) program presented by Port of Seattle Aviation Director Lance Lyttle. The forum is a recurring regional body that meets bimonthly, with 2021 meetings hosted by various neighboring cities and institutions including Burien, Highline College, Tukwila, and SeaTac.

The SEA Stakeholder Advisory Round Table (StART) is a voluntary regional forum established in 2017 by the Port of Seattle to foster cooperation between the Port and six neighboring cities — SeaTac, Burien, Des Moines, Normandy Park, Tukwila, and Federal Way — on issues related to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport operations, planning, and community impacts. The group brings together community members, city employees, airline representatives, and the FAA to share information and develop practical solutions for reducing airport noise and other impacts on surrounding communities. These operating procedures, enacted May 20, 2021, outline StART's membership structure, governance roles, and the responsibilities of its Steering Committee and independent facilitator.

The Burien Airport Committee held a virtual meeting on May 18, 2021, to discuss issues related to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, including proposals to invite Port Commission President Fred Felleman to a future meeting and presentations on sustainable aviation fuel and aviation's climate impacts. The committee also reviewed updates on the SEA Stakeholder Advisory Round Table (StART) and Burien's planned comments on the Port of Seattle's Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP). Draft minutes from the April 20, 2021 meeting, which featured guests from Public Health Seattle-King County and the Port of Seattle, were also submitted for approval.

A April 2021 Airlines for America presentation to the Sea-Tac Stakeholder Advisory Round Table outlines the slow recovery of the U.S. airline industry from the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that Sea-Tac was closer than most peer airports to restoring pre-pandemic service levels. The presentation highlights that domestic leisure travel was leading the rebound while business travel bookings remained depressed, and that full systemwide passenger recovery was not expected until 2023-2024. On environmental matters, it notes that despite nearly a five-fold increase in passengers since 1975, commercial aviation reduced its U.S. noise footprint by 94% through 2019 and accounted for just 2% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.