| Seattle Council on Airport Affairs | |||||
| A Grassroots Organization Helping Communities, Government and Airports | |||||
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| SCAA
learned that labor representatives were requesting King County delay approval
of the KCIA (Boeing Field) Part 150 recommendations. As the recommendations
include some worthwhile noise mitigation projects, we were opposed to any
delay and wrote the following letter. The recommendations were subsequently
approved on schedule.
October 4, 2002 The Honorable Dow Constantine Re: Motion 2002-0337, KCIA Part 150 Noise and Land Compatibility Study
As we have testified before your committee, and the Committee of the Whole, we are in favor of the County passing the proposed motion 2002-0337 which, subject to FAA approval, will initiate certain noise reduction measures for residents impacted by KCIA operations. We have also testified that the Council must recognize that the overall noise levels at KCIA are predicted to increase in the next several years, and that the Council must pursue efforts to control and reduce these noise levels. The Seattle Council on Airport Affairs is concerned that approval of this Part 150 Noise Study may be delayed because of issues brought up at a very late date by labor representatives of the KCIA Study Advisory Committee. It has been suggested that this Motion could impact the ability of the Boeing Company to conduct its business at KCIA, and therefore could affect aerospace labor issues. The Part 150 data document (KCIA Part 150 Study, Table C3, page C.33) identifies that, annually, less than 1% of all operations at KCIA are related to the Boeing Company. Further, almost all their operations are with new aircraft, which by definition use the quietest engines in production. Boeing also conducts the vast majority of its flight test activities in daylight hours, and they also maintain a voluntary night-time engine run-up curfew. Given these facts, and after reviewing the recommendations in the study, we find it difficult to rationalize that this Motion, of itself, will have a detrimental impact on aerospace labor. Overall, the Boeing Company has been a good neighbor to communities affected by noise, and our concerns are much more focused on the other 99% of operations at KCIA. If, however, some particular consideration is appropriate for Boeing operations, to satisfy labor issues, we believe it should be addressed in a manner that does not delay approval of this Motion. Thank you for the opportunity to provide input on this issue, which is of great importance to the communities we represent. We look forward to working with you and the Council to reduce noise levels from KCIA. Mike Ranta, President SCAA Cc: County Executive Ron Sims |
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