TagTina Orwall(44)

This 2019 Washington State draft legislation proposes amending RCW 53.54.030 to allow port districts to repair, replace, or upgrade previously installed noise abatement soundproofing structures in areas impacted by aircraft noise. Under existing law, individual properties generally cannot receive benefits from the same remedial program more than once, but this bill creates an exception for properties where soundproofing installations have deteriorated and need maintenance or improvement. The bill also preserves existing port commission tools such as property acquisition, transaction assistance, mortgage insurance, and land management programs for noise-impacted communities near airports like Sea-Tac.

On August 14, 2019, Representative Orwall held a stakeholder meeting at Kent City Hall to discuss Port noise-insulation packages affecting homeowners near Sea-Tac Airport. The agenda included background information from an airport study, Public Health – Seattle & King County, and a review of legislative action, followed by homeowner testimonials describing issues such as failed insulation, mold, structural damage, sleep disruption from flight noise, and air quality concerns. Residents shared personal accounts dating back to the 1980s and 1990s, highlighting ongoing frustrations with inadequate soundproofing and health impacts tied to airport operations.

In a March 2019 letter to Washington State Representative Tina Orwall, activist JC Harris outlines widespread problems with Port of Seattle noise-insulation packages installed in homes near Sea-Tac Airport, including failing windows, mold growth, and costly repairs affecting over 160 documented households. Harris urges Orwall to support changes to state law (RCW 53.54.030) that would allow homeowners to receive ongoing maintenance funding rather than a single one-time payment, arguing the current system unfairly benefits the Port and airlines at residents' expense. The letter also notes that affected cities such as Des Moines, SeaTac, and Burien have declined to engage on the issue, leaving residents frustrated and skeptical that any meaningful relief is possible.

In March 2019, the Washington State Department of Commerce issued a $500,000 Request for Proposal (RFP) to study the impacts of growing operations at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on surrounding communities. The study, mandated by the state Legislature, was set to examine issues including air traffic noise, public health, traffic congestion, property values, and economic development in nearby cities such as Burien, Des Moines, SeaTac, and Tukwila. The effort was prompted by Sea-Tac's rapid growth — reaching 50 million passengers in 2018, far exceeding the 30 million projected for 2030 — and aimed to help local leaders and lawmakers identify ways to mitigate negative impacts.