Dear neighbors near and far,
Communities near the airport and under its flight paths are greatly impacted by SeaTac Airport flights. Pre-COVID-19, SeaTac Airport had 450,000 take-offs and landings. Aircrafts flew as often as every 90-180 seconds over neighborhoods under flight paths. The number of flights dropped to 250,000 during the pandemic and they are going back up quickly. SeaTac Airport flights impact more than 419,761 residents living near the airport and under flight paths. The population includes roughly 64% people of color/mixed race, 29% immigrants and refugees, 22% children, and 12% elders. The near-airport communities include Burien, Des Moines, Federal Way, Normandy Park, Renton, SeaTac, and Tukwila. Communities that are not near the airport but are under the flight paths include Beacon Hill, Georgetown, Duwamish, Skyway, White Center, and Chinatown International District. We are deeply concerned about the environmental, health, climate and equity impacts of aircraft air and noise pollution.
Join us in expressing concerns for the environmental, health, and climate justice impacts of SeaTac Airport flights.
Environmental
Flight take-offs and landings produce air pollution that includes Particulate Matter 2.5, noxious chemicals, and ultrafine particles that settle over our communities. We breathe in this air. Aircrafts also produce noise pollution above 65 decibels, well above the World Health Organization guideline of 55 decibels of environmental noise during the day and 45 decibels at night. Most residents in airport-impacted communities are not eligible for noise mitigation.mitigation. There is no mitigation for air pollution while ultrafine particles are both unmonitored and unregulated.
Health
The 2020 King County Public Health report, “Community Health and Airport Operations Related Noise and Air Pollution,” profiled the health of airport-impacted communities within one mile, 1-5 miles, and 5-10 miles of SeaTac Airport. Table 16 on page 22 shows the following health outcomes:
Other studies show that ultrafine particles can lead to decreased lung function and impair cognitive abilities in children.
Climate
We have only 8 years to prevent irreversible climate temperature change. Aviation emissions will account for 25% of the global carbon budget by 2050. In 2017, tailpipe emissions from aviation fuel pumped at SeaTac Airport contributed an estimated 5,804,000 tonnes of CO2, or close to a quarter of King County’s emissions. Also, the nonCO2 impacts of aviation emissions cause them to have three times the climate warming impact as on-the-ground emissions.
Equity
COVID-19 showed us that vulnerable communities (such as people of color, immigrants and refugees, and low income people) experience faster and harder impacts. The 419,716 airport impacted residents include 64% people of color and 29% immigrants and refugees. These are vulnerable communities.
Historic Properties
Chinatown International District is a landmarked historic district and north Beacon Hill has 47 sites that meet landmarking criteria. Aircraft air and noise pollution contribute to the degradation of these historic properties.
SeaTac Airport is planning to service more flights to meet the increase in regional demand: going from 47 to 66 million passengers, doubling international flights, and tripling air cargo. When the time comes, this letter will be included in the comments to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) about the SeaTac Airport service expansion.