Dear neighbors,

As the Puget Sound grows, Sea-Tac Airport is getting busier and busier. It has the smallest physical footprint of any major airport in the country. Those of us who live around the airport know that its capacity is nearly maxed out, and studies confirm that it will be out of space in the near future.

That’s why the Legislature created the Commercial Aviation Coordinating Commission (CACC), which I am a member of. We are considering potential sites for an additional commercial airport beyond Sea-Tac and Paine Field in Everett. The Commission has reviewed the current municipal and general aviation airports, and at this point no current general aviation airport appears to be a likely location for a fully-developed commercial facility.

As part of that process, the CACC wants to hear from you. You can let us know what is important to you by visiting the online open house at engage.wsdot.wa.gov/cacc. This online open house is available now and will be open for review and public comments until October 3.

Some important topics to be considered include innovations for airplanes and airports of the future. Important environmental issues include how to increase the use of sustainable aviation fuels, create clean energy and significantly reduce harmful emissions and noise from airplanes. As a resident of Des Moines, I am well aware of the harmful health and environmental impacts on our residents when Sea-Tac Airport is operating at full capacity, and I wouldn’t wish that on any other community. Nevertheless, our state’s growing population will need additional commercial air service in the next twenty years.

The CACC is mindful of the impact a large new airport, or expanding existing airports, will have on the environment and on local residents. We are considering environmental and economic impacts, technical criteria, and public feedback and opinion as we develop recommendations to improve Washington’s future air transportation capacity. That’s why I would appreciate your input.

Stay in Touch

If you’d like to follow what I’m working on, you can like my official legislative Facebook page here.

Please don’t hesitate to stay in touch. Stay safe and take care.

Always,

Senator Karen Keiser
Chair, Senate Labor & Commerce Committee
Senate President Pro Tempore