TagStART(502)

The Sea-Tac Stakeholder Advisory Round Table (StART) met on August 28, 2019 to discuss airport noise reduction efforts, federal policy priorities, and an overview of Part 150 noise studies. Key updates included progress on a Revised Runway Use Agreement, the launch of a Late Night Noise Limitation Program, and a new noise complaint system. The meeting also addressed the temporary suspension of three neighboring cities from StART, with airport leadership pledging improved communication and good-faith efforts to re-engage those communities.

This is the meeting agenda for the Sea-Tac Stakeholder Advisory Round Table (StART) held on August 28, 2019, at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Conference Center. The meeting focused on recapping the Aviation Noise Working Group, reviewing the Federal Policy Advocacy Work Plan, and hosting a panel discussion on the components and requirements of a Part 150 Noise Compatibility Study. Key presenters included Port of Seattle staff, an FAA Environmental Program Manager, and the President and CEO of acoustics consulting firm HMMH.

This document summarizes the StART (Sea-Tac Stakeholder Advisory Round Table) meeting held on August 28, 2019, where community representatives, airline officials, the FAA, and the Port of Seattle discussed ongoing efforts to address aviation noise concerns around Sea-Tac Airport. Key topics included updates on the Revised Runway Use Agreement to limit late-night use of the 3rd Runway, the Late-night Noise Limitation Program, and a Noise Abatement Departure Profile analysis aimed at reducing community noise impacts. Port of Seattle director Lance Lyttle also addressed tensions with some neighboring cities that had suspended participation in StART, urging them to rejoin the collaborative process.

This presentation, delivered to the Sea-Tac Stakeholder Advisory Round Table in August 2019, provides an overview of 14 CFR Part 150, the federal regulation governing airport noise compatibility planning. Created by the FAA in response to the Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act of 1979, Part 150 establishes standards for measuring noise, modeling cumulative noise exposure, and coordinating with local land use agencies. The study process involves four key phases—developing a study protocol, verification, creating Noise Exposure Maps (NEMs), and developing Noise Compatibility Plans (NCPs)—supported by public and technical advisory meetings throughout.

This August 2019 Port of Seattle briefing outlines the airport's sound mitigation program for neighborhoods near Sea-Tac Airport. It defines a Noise Remedy Boundary based on the 2018 forecasted DNL 65 dB contour, covering areas roughly between 240th Street, 8th Avenue, HWY 99, and 101st Street. Eligible homeowners can receive free sound insulation—including rated windows, doors, and ventilation—in exchange for granting the Port an Avigation Easement, with the goal of reducing interior noise levels to DNL 45 dB or less.

In August 2019, the City of Burien formally suspended its participation in the Sea-Tac Advisory Roundtable (StART), citing the Port of Seattle's decision to advance airport expansion designs before completing required environmental reviews, a lack of transparency, and a feeling that community concerns were being ignored. The letter raises serious questions about noise abatement, slow sound insulation programs, air quality impacts extending miles beyond the airport, and the exclusion of nighttime engine run-up mitigation measures recommended as far back as 1996. Burien called on the Port to engage in an honest discussion about how much airport growth is sustainable given the health and quality-of-life impacts on surrounding communities.

In August 2019, the City of Burien sent a formal letter to the Port of Seattle's Executive Director and Commissioners raising nine pointed questions about Sea-Tac Airport's noise policies and community health impacts. The city challenged the Port's failure to conduct updated noise studies across all runways since 2002, slow implementation of sound insulation programs, and lack of transparency in the StART community committee process. Burien concluded by calling for an honest public dialogue about whether continued airport growth is sustainable given the environmental and quality-of-life consequences for neighboring residents.

In August 2019, the Burien City Council sent a formal letter to the Port of Seattle's Executive Director and Commissioners raising nine pointed questions about Sea-Tac Airport's noise management failures, including the lack of updated noise studies since 2002, slow implementation of sound insulation for affected homes, unaddressed air quality concerns, and the exclusion of meaningful community input. The letter argues that the Port has prioritized airport expansion and profits over the health and quality of life of surrounding residents for more than 20 years. The Council calls for an honest, open dialogue about how much airport growth is truly sustainable given its ongoing environmental and community impacts.