Announcements

FAA Issues Record of Approval

Final Part 150 Study Document

SEPA Threshold Determination and Checklist

SEPA Final Determination

Detailed Noise Contours available

Contact Information

Stan Shepherd
Airport Noise Programs Manager
Port of Seattle
P.O. Box 68727
Seattle, WA 98168

Rob Adams
Part 150 Project Manager
Landrum & Brown
11279 Cornell Park Dr.
Cincinnati, OH 45242

Record of Approval

The Port of Seattle is pleased to announce that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has approved Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's Part 150 Noise and Land Use Compatibility Study. A copy of the FAA's Record of Approval, which includes summaries of the study’s noise mitigation measures, is available here. Further information regarding condominium insulation is expected soon from the FAA.

Port staff will now begin work on developing a Part 150 Study prioritization plan for the Port of Seattle Commission's consideration. Sea-Tac Airport is known for having one of the most comprehensive noise reduction programs in the nation and the approval of the study will help the port to further minimize the impact of airport noise on its neighboring communities.

Welcome to the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Part 150 Study

The Port of Seattle worked with Landrum & Brown to update its Part 150 Noise Compatibility Study for the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac), last completed in 2002.

The Port of Seattle Commission approved the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 150 Noise and Land-Use Compatibility Study on October 22, 2013. The study will next be submitted to the FAA and the Port anticipates the FAA will issue their Record of Approval by late spring of 2014. A copy of the Part 150 Study including all input received during the public comment period and responses to the input is available here. Sea-Tac Airport is known for having one of the most comprehensive noise reduction programs in the nation and the latest Part 150 Study will help the Port to further minimize the impact of airport noise on its neighboring communities.

The last plan prepared official Noise Exposure Maps for Sea-Tac for 1998 and 2004 conditions. That study also resulted in a number of amended or new measures to help reduce aircraft noise in the communities near Sea-Tac. Some of those programs included developing a 'fly-quiet' program that encourages airlines to follow the procedures and to choose quieter aircraft to operate at the airport. Another element of the last study was some additional sound insulation and acquisition measures for areas impacted by aircraft noise.

About this Study

The Part 150 Study process is designed to identify noise incompatibilities surrounding an airport, and to recommend measures to both correct existing incompatibilities and to prevent future incompatibilities. For Part 150 Study purposes, noise incompatibilities are defined as residences or public use noise-sensitive facilities (libraries, churches, schools, nursing homes, and hospitals) within the 65 Day-Night Average Sound Level (DNL) noise contour.

The purpose for conducting a Part 150 Study is to develop a balanced and cost-effective plan for reducing current noise impacts from the airport's operations, where practical, and to limit additional impacts in the future.

Among the general goals and objectives addressed by a Part 150 Study are the following:

  • To reduce, where feasible, existing and forecasted noise levels over existing noise-sensitive land uses;
  • To reduce new noise-sensitive developments near the airport;
  • To mitigate, where feasible, adverse impacts in accordance with Federal guidelines;
  • To provide mitigation measures that are sensitive to the needs of the community and its stability; and
  • To be consistent, where feasible, with local land use planning and development policies.

Specific goals for this Part 150 Study included the following:

  • To address noise issues related to the third runway;
  • To conduct the process in an open and engaging way; and
  • To look for opportunities that have not been thought of versus re-visiting old issues.

This study identified existing and future flight corridors, developed aircraft noise exposure maps for current (2013) and future (2018) conditions, evaluated air traffic control procedures that could be implemented to reduce noise exposure over residential areas, considered land use controls that could be established to reduce future incompatible land uses from being developed within high noise areas, and evaluateed means to mitigate noise impacts within high noise exposure areas.