by Nicholas Wolfe
About 100 Highline residents and local public officials, angry and frustrated with flight operations involving the third runway at Sea-Tac International Airport, voiced their complaints to Port of Seattle representatives at a special meeting of the Highline Forum on Thursday.
While noise and pollution from low-flying commercial jets using the new runway – and the negative impact these have on property values – are significant concerns, their primary grievance is that the port either reneged on assurances to the community that it would have limited use as a backup landing strip in inclement weather or misrepresented the actual intent for its operation.
The disagreement between the airport’s residential neighbors and the port over use of the third runway was highlighted in an exchange between State Sen. Karen Keiser, D-Des Moines, and Sea-Tac Managing Director Mark Reis.
A pre-construction supplemental Environmental Impact Statement said the third runway would be operated “in bad and good weather conditions” along with the other two runways to maintain air traffic flow, Reis noted.
“During poor and good weather, this is increasing the efficient operating capability of the airport during peak hours,” he added. “We never said it would be used in bad weather only.
But, countered Keiser, “The community was led (by the port) to believe that the third runway would be used in cases of bad weather when safe landings created a need (for its operation). That was the premise that the Environmental Impact Statement. Now here we are with the third runway in operation.
“The premise seems to have changed from being used as a foul-weather type of facility. It’s been shifted, and I am very concerned about what that does to the process on the EIS,” she said.”
Des Moines Mayor Bob Sheckler, co-chairman of the Highline Forum, told Reis, “The senator and I are on the same page here.” During the decade-long debate over the third runway, he recalled, port representatives “brought to the ACC (Airport Communities Coalition) over and over that it would be used for arrivals only in bad weather…. That’s what the port has been saying.”
The Highline Forum, comprised of the cities of Des Moines, Normandy Park, Burien, Tukwila, SeaTac and Federal Way, the Highline School District, and the port, was organized after construction of the third runway got underway to promote cooperative relationships between Sea-Tac and neighboring cities. It replaced the Airport Communities Coalition that for a decade tried to block the third runway and secured environmental regulations for airport operations.
Earlier, Sheckler asked Reis, “Is it fair to say that the third runway is going to be used as a fully functioning runway?” “Yes,” Reis replied. Since it became operational on Nov. 20, Sea-Tac has used two runways in bad conditions and all three in good weather.
But Federal Aviation Administration, not the airport, directs air traffic – including the use of runways, Reis and Stan Shepherd, manager of airport noise programs, both said. The port manages general operations at Sea-Tac, including noise control and mitigation in impacted neighborhoods.
Three FAA representatives were in attendance as observers.
Sheckler also quizzed Reis about how long it will take for the impacts of third runway operations to be fully mitigated by the port. Although it could take between three and five years, Reis said, “The public process does not need to be drawn out too long.”
The supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, which was prepared in 1997, estimated that by 2010 almost 28 percent of all flights arriving at Sea-Tac would use the third runway. But according to data from the port, 44 percent of inbound planes landed on it through Dec. 17. This, port officials said, reflects the low visibility that generally occurs in November and December, and that this figure is expected to go down in the spring and summer months.
Reis said the port “did the best we could to project what was going to be the noise associated with operation of the runway,” and that the FAA now is looking for ways to reduce its impact, including not using the runway between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. and not landing older, noisier jets on it.
Dr. Dagmar Cronn, president of the South Park Neighborhood Association, said residents in her community “are unhappy or shocked about the increase in noise. Suddenly they noticed more planes and more noise overhead.” She asked that mitigation be provided by the port to offset the decline in home values and the disruption of sleep patterns and the quality of life.
“The noise is unacceptable,” said Benjamin Stark of Des Moines. Asking where the money for mitigation will come from with mounting deficits in both the federal and state governments, he suggested, “It seems to me that the thing to do is just shut it down.”
Several residents described how third runway flight operations have destroyed their ability to live normal lives in their homes and deflated the value of their property.
Reis said the port will continue to study its impacts on the surrounding area. In the meantime, he cautioned residents, the third runway will be in full operation from April through late October while Sea-Tac’s first runway is completely rebuilt.
| Jan ’09 |
| 8 |
| 2:00 pm |
Not to cause confusion or anything, but there’s a second, very important meeting coming up Thursday, Jan. 8th regarding Sea-Tac Airport’s third runway (another residents meeting is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 10th):
The Highline Forum will discuss the use of Sea-Tac Airport’s new third runway since its opening, with emphasis on public complaints that the runway is not being used as promised on Thursday, Jan. 8th, from 2pm to 4pm.
This public meeting will take place at the Sea-Tac Airport Conference Center, Mezzanine Level.
Everyone is invited to attend, especially residents who’d have comments or complaints on the third runway.
Here are the details:
WHAT: Final Highline Forum and Port of Seattle Public Comment Period
WHEN: Thursday, Jan. 8th; 2-3pm: Highline Forum; 3-4pm: Port of Seattle Public Comment Period
WHERE: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Conference Center, Mezzanine Level
AGENDA: 2pm Welcome & Introduction of Topic Co-chairs
Meeting Topic: The Highline Forum will discuss the use of the third runway since its opening. In particular, the Highline Forum will address public complaints that the runway is not being used as promised.
- Data depicting how the runway has operated to date Mark Reis, POS
- EIS assumptions for predicting use and impacts Mark Reis, POS
- Current usage of runway Mark Reis, POS
- 2:30 pm Questions & Answers Highline Forum
- 3:00 pm Forum Adjourns & Opening of Port Public Comment Period
- 4:00 pm Port Public Comment Period Ends
DIRECTIONS: Directions to the Airport Conference Center:
- Park in daily parking (floors 5-8) at the south end of the Airport Garage near the yellow or green elevators (rows N-U).
- Take the elevator to the fourth floor and walk across the skybridge #1, between the yellow elevator bank and the green elevator bank, to the Main Terminal.
- Take the escalator or elevator up to the ticketing level.
- The stairs and elevator to the Mezzanine Level are directly behind the international and Hawaiian Airlines ticket counters.
- Enter the reception area though the double glass doors for the Aviation Division Offices.
- The receptionist will direct you to the right conference room. Ask for parking validation (you never know).
| Dec ’08 |
| 18 |
| 9:00 am |
A special Highline Forum public meeting on the newly-opened third runway with Port of Seattle officials will be held this Thursday, Dec. 18th, from 9am to 10am at the conference room on the mezzanine level near the south terminal at Sea-Tac Airport.
The intent of this meeting will be for city officials to discuss whether the newly-opened and controversial third runway is being used as the Port promised it would be – on “severe weather” days only, as well as how many planes are landing on it and subsequent noise complaints from area residents.
According to our source:
This meeting is “public,” so all can attend but NOT participate or speak.
It is imperative we understand this or the meeting will end immediately with nothing accomplished.
We must speak through our local cities’ electeds at this Forum which is fine by me.
Our previous coverage of area residents’ complaints about the third runway include these stories:
- Has The Third Runway Increased Noise In Burien? (Nov. 24th)
- Third Runway Noise Problem Not Fading Away (Dec. 5th)
- Third Runway Noise Complainers Holding Meeting Dec. 19th (Dec. 10th)
The Seattle Times has an article which quotes Bob Sheckler, co-chairman of the Highline Forum, as saying:
“If we don’t like the answers, then we are going to aggressively go after the Port for additional mitigation.”
That full story can be read here.
If you’re an area resident who thinks the noise from the third runway is too loud, our best advice is for you to call the Port of Seattle’s “Noise Hotline,” which operates 24/7, day or night:
206-433-5393
or
1-800-826-1147
