TagTRACON(17)

This July 2016 Federal Aviation Administration Letter of Agreement establishes coordination and control procedures between Seattle Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) and Seattle Airport Traffic Control Tower, replacing a prior agreement from June 2013. It outlines responsibilities for managing air traffic, including pre-arranged coordination protocols, handling of Boeing Field arrivals and departures, and conditions under which those procedures may be suspended. The document governs how controllers at both facilities communicate and share airspace authority around the Seattle area.

This document describes a Port of Seattle ground lease (Lease #000273) with the FAA/TRACON facility located on the west side of the airfield in SeaTac, Washington. The lease covers approximately 832,011 square feet, was set to expire on September 30, 2022, and includes two renewal options extending until 2062, each for a period of 20 years. The facility serves an aeronautical terminal radar function and is subject to bond and Airport Improvement Project (AIP) funding restrictions that require coordination with Airport Finance & Budget before any changes in property use.

The FAA issued a Categorical Exclusion Declaration allowing limited testing of new Required Navigation Performance (RNP) arrival procedures at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, under the Greener Skies Over Seattle initiative. The test procedures, including optimized flight paths and descent profiles, were designed to reduce aircraft noise, fuel burn, and emissions while improving safety and efficiency. The exclusion, signed in February 2012, determined that the test phase would not require further environmental review, as it was a short-term evaluation to collect operational and noise data.

This October 2009 FAA Air Traffic Organization document explains the terms, techniques, and programs used to manage the flow of air traffic across the National Airspace System. It covers topics such as ground delay programs, ground stops, severe weather avoidance, rerouting strategies, and coordination tools used by traffic management specialists. While focused on national-level airspace operations rather than airport-specific noise policy, it provides useful background on how flight scheduling and routing decisions are made system-wide.

In October 2001, the Port of Seattle issued a Determination of Non-Significance (DNS) under the Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) for a proposed FAA Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facility at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The project involved leasing a 19-acre site to the FAA for construction of a new 50,000-square-foot, two-story building to replace the existing TRACON located in the airport's main terminal, with the facility tracking all aircraft within 60 miles of Sea-Tac. The Port concluded that the project would not have a probable significant adverse impact on the environment, meaning a full Environmental Impact Statement was not required.

Email chain (AR 018453) among Erik Stockdale, Tom Luster (Ecology, tlus461@ecy.wa.gov), and Michelle Avolio (FAA, Michelle.Avolio@faa.gov) regarding the proposed SeaTac TRACON project. Avolio’s April 17, 2000 email to Luster describes FAA planning for an Environmental Assessment (EA) and Biological Assessment (BA) for DOE review and comment, contact with NMFS regarding EA/BA section contents, and discussions