Overview of the issues
- Read Mukilteo Mayor Joe Marine’s remarks at the Feb 4 2009 County Council Meeting. This provides a succinct discussion of the basis for opposition to scheduled air service!
- See our extensive “talking points” about this issue. Use this for ideas to write to your elected representatives at both the local and federal level!
- Read our Op-Ed piece published in the Seattle Times.
- Read the recent legal opinion by the County’s attorneys. This documents the lies and blackmail being used by the FAA, in collusion with the County! See our White Paper on this issue.
- Here’s the letter from the FAA to SOC in 2005.
- Open letter to County Executive Reardon from 6 Snohomish County mayors
Paine Field
- Read our Fact Sheet on Paine Field.
- Paine Field aircraft approach and departure routes. People under the flight path are affected, and the flight paths cover a lot of people.
- Here’s a November 2011 Aerospace Competitiveness Study. It was commissioned to look into Washington State’s ability to retain Boeing 737 program in Renton. However it has comments about Paine Field; e.g. page 51, which states “A possibility if Everett campus has no space and a new campus is required, assuming space and runway are already available.” In other words, runway availability is crucial to ongoing production decisions.
Airport Economics
- See our slide presentation: Economics of Boeing at Paine Field
- Here’s an excellent article called “Airport Jobs: False Hopes, Cruel Hoax” about the myths surrounding airport job economics.
- Here’s another great study that disputes myths and assumptions about airport economics: “The Economics of Heathrow Expansion.”
Original 1978 promise made by Snohomish County
- The County promised the home-owners and communities in 1978 to limit Paine Field to land-side uses for industrial purposes (Boeing); to air-side uses to support general aviation, and committed to home-owners to strongly discourage air passenger service. This promise is embodied in the Mediated Role Determination.
- The MRD has been reviewed AND reaffirmed 6 times in the past 30 years.
Health Issues related to Airports
- “Burden of Disease from Environmental Noise” This study from the World Health Organization examines health effects on EU countries from noise due to traffic, airports, rail, and industrial sites.
- May 14, 2011: “Noise Pollution hard on Heart as well as Ears”. Very interesting news article on NPR recently that discusses noise pollution, and focuses on noise from airplanes. Listen to the story here. Read the article here.
- 2011 Article: Idling Jets Pollute More than Thought (Science Today)
- 2008 Article in USA Today: Concern Grows Over Pollution from Jets
- Air pollution from airports
- EPA testimony on Green House Gas (GHG) Endangerment Finding May 2009
- Aircraft Emission Impacts in a Neighborhood Adjacent to a General Aviation Airport in Southern California
- Airport Noise Raises Blood Pressure Even While People Are Sleeping
- Health of Children Near Airport
- Hypertension study
- Lancet study showing effects on school children’s ability to learn when subjected to aircraft noise.
- Noise effects on unborn children
- Study of German Children Living Near Airport Shows Jet Aircraft Noise Impairs Long Term Memory and Reading Ability
Airports’ Impact on Property Values
- Here’s a study done for homes around Sea-Tac
- Here’s a summary of other studies about property values.
Airports’ Impact on Property Values
- Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) In 1994, the region debated whether to invest in a 3rd runway at Sea-Tac or find an alternative solution, such as using Paine Field as a new regional airport. The region chose to invest in the 3rd runway at Sea-Tac, at a cost of over $1.2 billion. This new runway came on-line recently, in November 2008.
- Here’s the 1994 resolution by the PSRC showing the determination to choose Sea-Tac over Paine Field, and reaffirm the MRD.
- The ’94 resolution states in part: “Presentations during the Regional Council’s decision process highlighted a number of these issues, and also noted additional considerations, such as existing legal agreements which establish Paine Field’s role as a general aviation airport (primarily for small planes), the impact on the significant employment in the vicinity, and the impact on schools and housing.
Long Term Air Transportation Study (LATS)
- Click here to go to our LATS page. Sea-Tac International has a lot more capacity than you might think. It should remain our primary airport for years to come.