TagStART(508)

This document summarizes the StART (SEA Stakeholder Advisory Round Table) meeting held on December 9, 2020, where participants discussed the outcomes of a Federal Policy Working Group meeting regarding how national election results might affect aviation noise legislation, and planned a virtual Washington DC Fly-In for cities and the Port of Seattle to meet with Congress and the FAA. Members also reflected on three years of StART participation, with representatives from Normandy Park, Burien, SeaTac, and Alaska Airlines noting that initial skepticism had given way to productive partnerships and meaningful dialogue about balancing airport growth with community impacts. The meeting concluded with a discussion of priorities for 2021 and a farewell to outgoing facilitator Phyllis Shulman.

This document is the meeting agenda for the SEA Stakeholder Advisory Round Table (StART) held on December 9, 2020, focused on cooperation between the Port of Seattle and communities surrounding Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The meeting aimed to recap discussions from the December 7 Federal Policy Working Group and begin identifying StART's priorities for 2021 by reflecting on lessons learned. Key topics included community engagement, development of 2021 priorities, and open public comment, with the next meeting tentatively scheduled for February 24, 2021.

This document summarizes a December 7, 2020 virtual meeting of the StART (SEA Stakeholder Advisory Round Table) Federal Policy Working Group, which brings together representatives from cities near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Port of Seattle staff, and congressional offices to address aviation noise and policy issues. The meeting covered how the 2020 election results might affect airport-related legislation, a review of European Union aviation environmental policies—including tying airline financial relief to green commitments—as a potential model for U.S. advocacy. The group also discussed plans for a virtual Washington D.C. fly-in to meet with Congress, the FAA, and the Department of Transportation to advance the StART policy agenda.

The Highline Forum held a virtual meeting on November 18, 2020, hosted by the City of Burien, focusing on transportation updates including Sound Transit, the SR 509 highway project, the South King County Fund, and the StART (Sea-Tac Airport Round Table) program. Due to the Governor's Stay-at-Home Order, the meeting was conducted via Microsoft Teams, with public comments accepted by email or virtual attendance. The document also lists six scheduled 2021 Highline Forum meetings, all running from 2:30–4:30 pm on bimonthly Wednesdays throughout the year.

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.

This is the agenda for a StART (SEA Stakeholder Advisory Round Table) meeting held on October 28, 2020, focused on aircraft noise issues at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The meeting covered updates from the Federal Policy Working Group and Aviation Noise Working Group, along with a detailed presentation on the Port of Seattle's aircraft noise monitoring program, including both permanent and temporary noise monitors. Public comment was also scheduled, with the next meeting planned for December 9, 2020.

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport operates a permanent noise monitoring system consisting of 24 monitors placed in surrounding communities and along flight paths north and south of the airport's three runways. Upgraded in 2015 with Larson Davis 831 equipment, the system continuously captures aircraft noise event data for both departures and arrivals. This data is compiled monthly and made publicly available through the Port of Seattle's Noise Programs website.

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 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.