September 27, 2018August 12, 2026

Alaska Airlines 2018 Scoping Comment Letter on Sea-Tac Airport Sustainable Airport Master Plan Environmental Review

Notes

September 27, 2018 letter from Shane Jones of Alaska Airlines to Steve Rybolt, Port of Seattle Aviation Environmental and Sustainability, commenting on the scoping process for the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) proposed environmental assessment at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac Airport). Alaska Airlines argues the Port and FAA should conduct a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) under NEPA rather than an Environmental Assessment (EA), warning that an EA/FONSI approach risks litigation, onerous mitigation obligations, and cost overruns. The letter also argues that the range of alternatives is legally inadequate under NEPA, specifically that the Port’s exclusive focus on North Terminal alternatives ignores a viable Main Terminal concourse extension alternative proposed by Alaska Airlines. Horizon Airlines referenced as Alaska Airlines wholly-owned subsidiary. Puget Sound regional growth and airport-wide capacity concerns cited.

Sidebar On/Off

Upcoming Events

StART SEA Stakeholder Advisory Round Table
Add to CalendarMWednesday Aug 26, 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Zoom (Virtual Meeting)

Meeting Objectives Introduce the primary feedback themes identified by StART members regarding StART’s Operating Procedures and determine areas that may warrant future discussion. 5:00 PM – Welcome Meeting Management Welcome Lead: Andrés Mantilla, Facilitator, Uncommon Bridges; Wendy Reiter, Airport Managing Director, POS 5:15 PM – Dinner: All participants eat. 5:30 PM – StART Operating Procedures
[...]
Commercial Aviation Work Group
Add to CalendarMThursday Sep 3, 10:00am - 1:30pm
Virtual Meeting (Zoom)

Meeting Agenda 10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. | Welcome – Evan Nordby, Chair a. Introductions and Agenda Reviewb. Status of appointments and non-voting member invitationsc. Other updates as necessary 10:15 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. | Is it practical and legal to operate the western Washington [Puget Sound] airports as a single airport system? – Consultant
[...]

[See all...]

As the source for federal transportation grants, the Puget Sound Regional Council was charged with developing a system to meet the growing need for commercial aviation. When the search for a second airport failed, they authorized the Port of Seattle to build the Third Runway, with a mandate to develop a noise abatement and mitigation program. In their effort to stop the Third Runway, the ACC argued over every detail of the Port's efforts--including property buyouts and sound insulation. The dispute was meant to be settled by a three member Expert Arbitration Panel. This is their final report. It finds 2-1, that the Port's program was insufficient in several respects. Despite that, funding for the Third Runway was approved by the PSRC, and the 'Port Package' program, proceeded largely unchanged. Expert Arbitration Panel's final decision finding that the Port of Seattle had not shown sufficient reduction in real on-the-ground noise impacts to satisfy noise reduction conditions required for approval of a third runway at Sea-Tac International Airport. The majority decision concluded the Port's noise abatement programs were insufficient despite being impressive in scope.

continue...

V V

Notes

Message