TagWashington State Legislature(136)

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.

RCW 36.70A.200 requires counties and cities planning under Washington's Growth Management Act to include a process in their comprehensive plans for identifying and siting 'essential public facilities' — those typically difficult to site, such as airports, state education facilities, regional transportation facilities, correctional facilities, solid waste handling facilities, and inpatient care facilities. No local comprehensive plan or development regulation may outright prohibit the siting of these essential public facilities. The Office of Financial Management maintains a list of essential state public facilities likely to be built within the next six years.

Washington State law (RCW 47.80.020) authorizes the creation of Regional Transportation Planning Organizations (RTPOs), formed through voluntary associations of local governments within contiguous counties. Each RTPO must meet minimum population and geographic requirements, include all counties in the region, and have at least 60% of cities and towns representing 75% of the regional city/town population as members. In urbanized areas, the RTPO is the same body as the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), also known as a COG.

In December 2018, the Port of Seattle Commission reviewed its draft state legislative priorities for the 2019 session, covering topics such as clean fuels standards, workforce development, and transportation access to Sea-Tac Airport. The agenda sought state funding for transportation infrastructure improvements, including potential upgrades to State Route 518 and the Puget Sound Gateway Program, to address growing demand linked to airport expansion. Additional priorities included supporting small and minority-owned businesses, maritime innovation, and land use policies affecting port competitiveness.

This November 2018 Port of Seattle Commission memo outlines a draft state legislative agenda for 2019, covering priorities such as clean fuels standards, workforce development, and transportation access to Sea-Tac Airport. While not exclusively focused on airport noise policy, it addresses funding for transportation infrastructure upgrades around Sea-Tac, including State Route 518 improvements and the Puget Sound Gateway Program, aimed at managing growing traffic demands from airport expansion. The document also touches on land use, small business inclusion, and maritime innovation as broader port-related legislative goals.

The Port of Seattle's draft 2019 state legislative agenda outlines priority policy areas including support for a clean fuels standard to reduce emissions from port operations, workforce development in maritime and industrial sectors, and improved transportation access to Sea-Tac Airport via State Route 518 and the Puget Sound Gateway program. The agenda also covers land use protections for port-related zones, small business inclusion, and funding for a Maritime Innovation Center. While the document addresses transportation infrastructure near Sea-Tac, it does not specifically focus on airport noise policy.

Six cities near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport — Burien, Des Moines, Federal Way, Normandy Park, Tukwila, and SeaTac — agreed to jointly contribute $300,000 in local matching funds to unlock an equal amount of state funding for a study of the airport's current and ongoing impacts on surrounding communities. Under the agreement, the City of SeaTac serves as the fiscal and contracting agent, collecting contributions from the other cities and transferring the combined funds to the Washington State Department of Commerce, which will hire a consultant to conduct the study. The agreement outlines each city's financial obligations, dispute resolution procedures, and the process for participating in and reviewing the study's draft findings.

Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6032, passed by the Washington State Legislature on March 8, 2018, and signed by Governor Jay Inslee on March 27, 2018, is a supplemental operating budget bill making appropriations and amendments to various state funds for the 2017-2019 fiscal biennium. The bill covers a wide range of general government expenditures, including funding for the House of Representatives, tax structure reform discussions, and rural health care planning. Governor Inslee approved the bill with a partial veto, striking down more than 20 specific sections.