TagStART(508)

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 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.

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.

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.

This September 2020 report from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's Noise Programs Office summarizes 17,260 noise complaints received from 347 distinct households during the month, with a year-to-date total of 197,268 comments. The highest complaint volumes came from Vashon, Seattle, and Burien, while Shoreline residents averaged the most complaints per household at 120. The vast majority of comments (16,819) cited noise annoyance, and most were submitted through a third-party web application.

This document is the meeting agenda for the SEA Stakeholder Advisory Round Table (StART) held on August 26, 2020, via video conference. The meeting covered topics including community engagement strategies, updates on the Federal Policy Working Group Advocacy Plan, the Aviation Noise Working Group, and monthly noise complaint reports. Also on the agenda was a discussion of the updated timeline for the Sustainable Airport Master Plan, with the next meeting scheduled for October 28, 2020.

This document summarizes a August 26, 2020 virtual meeting of the StART (SEA Stakeholder Advisory Round Table), a group representing communities, airlines, and the Port of Seattle around Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Key topics included strategies for improving community engagement such as quarterly videos and social media outreach, an update on the Federal Policy Working Group's advocacy priorities including noise insulation funding and supersonic aircraft noise standards, and a report from the Aviation Noise Working Group noting a rise in late-night cargo flights exceeding noise thresholds due to increased e-commerce activity during COVID-19.

The Burien Airport Committee held a virtual meeting on July 21, 2020, discussing whether the city should rejoin the SeaTac Airport Stakeholder Advisory Roundtable (StART), with four options considered ranging from full re-engagement to creating an alternative forum. Key concerns included distrust of the Port, the FAA Regional Ombudsperson's exclusive availability through StART, and the decisions of neighboring cities Des Moines and Federal Way. The August 18, 2020 follow-up agenda continued this discussion alongside topics such as committee leadership, a BAC workplan, and flight path presentations.