TagStART(502)

The October 28, 2020 StART (SEA Stakeholder Advisory Round Table) meeting brought together the Port of Seattle and neighboring communities to discuss aircraft noise monitoring at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Key topics included an overview of SEA's permanent and new temporary noise monitoring systems, a review of late-night noise data showing cargo carriers as the top source of exceedances, and updates from the Federal Policy Working Group on plans to meet virtually with Congressional representatives and FAA leadership. The cities of Des Moines, Burien, and Federal Way also rejoined StART at this meeting, with the next session scheduled for December 9, 2020.

The October 28, 2020 StART (SEA Stakeholder Advisory Round Table) meeting covered updates on federal aviation noise policy advocacy, including plans for virtual meetings with Congressional representatives and FAA leadership. The group also reviewed data on late-night noise complaints, cargo carrier exceedances, and runway usage, and received a detailed presentation on Sea-Tac Airport's permanent noise monitoring system, which uses 24 ground-based monitors and FAA radar data to track and correlate aircraft noise events across surrounding communities.

The Burien Airport Committee held a virtual meeting on October 20, 2020, to discuss issues related to Sea-Tac Airport's impact on surrounding communities. Key agenda items included comparing airport roundtables in other cities, reviewing next steps for the SeaTac Airport Stakeholder Advisory Round Table (StART), and examining a proposed University of Washington study on school air quality near the airport. The committee also discussed 2021 federal legislative priorities and received reports on meetings with congressional representatives Adam Smith and Rick Larsen.

The Aviation Noise Working Group met on October 12, 2020, to review noise-related programs at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), including the 2020 Fly Quiet Awards, won by Southwest, Frontier, and SkyWest Airlines. Updates were shared on the Late-Night Noise Limitation Program, showing that cargo flights now account for a disproportionately high share of noise threshold exceedances, particularly since COVID-19 reduced passenger operations. The group also discussed the Runway Use Agreement with the FAA, which successfully reduced late-night Third Runway landings from an average of 10–30 per night to just 1.5 per night during its first full year in effect.

The SEA Stakeholder Advisory Round Table (StART) Federal Policy Working Group met on October 5, 2020 to discuss congressional updates and aviation noise legislation. Key topics included the Aviation Impacted Communities Act proposed by Rep. Adam Smith, which aims to expand FAA noise impact recognition beyond the current 65 DNL standard and require the FAA to engage directly with affected neighborhoods near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The group also discussed the limited near-term legislative opportunities due to Congress being focused on COVID-19 relief and a Supreme Court nomination ahead of the November 2020 election.

This October 2020 presentation by Vincent Mestre, P.E. provides background information on airport noise monitoring systems for the StART (Sea-Tac Airport Roundtable) group, covering the history of such systems dating back to the late 1960s and early 1970s, including Seattle's own monitoring history. It outlines the international standards that guide best practices, such as IEC and ISO guidelines, and explains the core goals of noise monitoring: tracking aircraft-generated noise levels, comparing them against policy guidelines, and using the data to justify mitigation measures that minimize the impact on nearby communities.

This document compares the governance practices of three major U.S. airport advisory committees — Charlotte-Douglas (NC), LAX (CA), and Chicago O'Hare — across key issues including membership by elected officials, public recording of meetings, agenda-setting, advance notice of materials, and inclusion of expert witnesses. The comparison is used to evaluate StART (Sea-Tac Airport Roundtable), which currently lacks most of these features, with the BAC (Boeing Airport Committee) flagging items such as public recordings and expert witness inclusion as highest priorities. The findings highlight significant gaps between StART's current practices and the more transparent, publicly accessible models used at other major airports.

A community member submitted comments to the Highline Forum on September 23, 2020, criticizing the PSRC Regional Aviation Baseline Study for failing to address social equity, environmental justice, carbon emissions, and impacts on non-aviation transportation. The commenter also challenged the Port's Environmental Excellence Awards, arguing that recognizing minor reductions like eliminating plastic straws is insignificant compared to the much larger carbon emissions produced by jet fuel during flights. The comments call on regional government agencies to align their aviation planning and recognition programs with meaningful climate and environmental justice goals.

The Highline Forum held its September 23, 2020 meeting virtually via Microsoft Teams, hosted by the Port of Seattle, covering key topics including the PSRC Aviation Baseline Study, temporary noise monitor updates, and a StART (Sea-Tac Airport Roundtable) program update. Due to the Governor's Stay-at-Home Order, members of the public could submit comments by email or join the MS Teams session by registering in advance. The meeting was part of a series of 2020 forums addressing aviation noise policy and community impact around Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.