TagSustainable Airport Master Plan(233)

This draft Environmental Assessment chapter from October 2024 outlines the process used to evaluate alternatives to proposed construction and expansion projects at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). Using a two-step screening process, planners assessed public suggestions — such as building a new airport, using high-speed rail, or limiting growth — against the project's core purpose of serving 56 million annual passengers at an optimal level of service, rejecting most suggestions as unfeasible or insufficient. A No Action Alternative is also included, which assumes none of the proposed improvements would be built, though several independent projects already underway or planned by 2032 would still proceed.

The Port of Seattle is preparing an Environmental Assessment for 31 near-term improvement projects at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), covering upgrades to taxiways, runways, terminals, and support facilities. The projects, expected to be operational by 2032, aim to reduce crowding, long lines, and flight delays that have grown as passenger demand has increased. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will review the findings to determine whether the projects will significantly impact the surrounding environment, potentially affecting noise levels for nearby communities.

This October 2024 Draft Environmental Assessment, prepared by Landrum & Brown for the Port of Seattle and the FAA, evaluates the environmental impacts of near-term construction projects at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport as part of its Sustainable Airport Master Plan. The assessment covers a wide range of environmental topics—including noise and noise-compatible land use, air quality, water resources, and environmental justice—for proposed improvements to passenger terminals, cargo facilities, airfield design, taxiways, and fuel storage. It is intended to support FAA decision-making under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and addresses the airport's ability to accommodate a projected 56 million annual passengers.

This appendix summarizes the public and agency engagement activities conducted as part of the Environmental Assessment (EA) for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's Sustainable Airport Master Plan Near-Term Projects. Outreach included scoping meetings held in 2018 with seven agencies and four public sessions in surrounding cities, as well as advertisement in multiple languages across newspapers, email, and social media. Public meetings were scheduled in November 2024 at locations in Federal Way, Des Moines, Burien, and SeaTac, with a comment deadline of December 5, 2024.

This document is the References section of the Environmental Assessment for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's Sustainable Airport Master Plan Near-Term Projects, prepared by Landrum & Brown in October 2024. It lists the sources cited across four chapters, including federal regulations, FAA advisory circulars, technical memoranda, city and county planning documents, and environmental studies used to evaluate the airport's proposed near-term development projects. Key references cover topics such as air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, stormwater management, facility requirements, and land use planning for the communities surrounding Sea-Tac Airport.