Sea-Tac Receives Federal Approval for Noise Relief Effort

FAA decision could mean up to $150 million in noise mitigation-

The Port of Seattle has received federal approval for the majority of proposals to reduce the impact of aircraft noise on neighbors of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The proposals, developed in conjunction with a committee of community volunteers, were submitted to the Federal Aviation Administration last fall.

FAA approval means that money can be spent on implementing the new programs. It is anticipated that as much as $150 million federal dollars could flow through the Port and into the community for noise relief over the next five to seven years.

"This is where several years of study and community input become reality," said Gina Marie Lindsey, Managing Director of Aviation for the Port of Seattle. "Many local residents put in hundreds of hours of work with Port staff, airlines and the FAA. Our ability to work cooperatively has earned our community a significant payday."

Funding approval includes:

Noise insulation for about 300 owner-occupied multi-family housing units. The Port has already insulated about 8500 single-family homes and owner-occupied duplexes.
Feasibility study of a ground run-up enclosure, commonly called a hush house. Hush houses provide airline maintenance personnel a place to test jet engines with minimal disturbance to airport neighbors.
Purchase of seven manufactured (mobile) home parks with approximately 425 units, in the most-noise affected areas adjacent to Sea-Tac, with full relocation benefits for the residents. Construction techniques used to build mobile homes make it impossible to insulate them against noise.
Evaluating the expanded use of automated systems to keep aircraft on very specific flight paths. Flight Management Systems are used to route planes precisely over areas determined to have the least impact on residents.
Insulation of schools in the most noise-affected areas near Sea-Tac. Those would include schools where average day-night noise levels exceed 65 decibels.

"The Port of Seattle has already spent more than $350 million dollars mitigating the impact of airport noise," said Diane Summerhays, Manager of Community Development at Sea-Tac. "We have been a leader among airports nationwide, and we want to continue in that role."

The FAA did not approve all of the proposals that came from the community noise study. Changes to airport regulations governing the testing of aircraft engines on the ground were not approved. However, the airport will continue to work with the airlines to voluntarily limit the number of nighttime engine maintenance run-ups.

"The airport already has strong regulations in place to limit the noise created by testing of engines," said Summerhays. "The FAA's concern about further limitations will only add impetus to our study of a ground run-up enclosure."

The FAA also confirmed its earlier informal disapproval of an increase in the number of planes directed to depart Sea-Tac over the Duwamish Waterway, for reasons of safety and efficiency. The Duwamish departure corridor will continue to be used as it is today.

Copies of the full study will be available in local libraries and other community locations. The study is formally known as the airport's "Part 150 Study," named for the section of federal regulations from which its authority is drawn.