The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Port of Seattle (Port) have determined that additional time is needed to complete the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis for the SAMP NTP Environmental Assessment (EA). Due to delays from COVID-19 and other factors, the proposed opening of the Sustainable Airport Master Plan Near-Term Projects (SAMP NTP) has shifted from 2027 to 2032. The FAA and Port have updated the schedule for the SAMP NTP EA and expect to publish the draft NEPA EA in late 2024.

The Port continues work to complete the environmental review of the SAMP NTP. Once the NEPA environmental review is final, the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) environmental review will follow. Commission authorization is required to initiate work on individual projects.

The next stage of the environmental review process is the draft National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Environmental Assessment (EA). The Port and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have determined that additional time is needed to complete the analysis needed to meet NEPA requirements before the SAMP NTP EA is published. The Port and FAA are working together to update the schedule for the SAMP NTP EA and will provide information regarding the release of the draft NEPA EA once it is available.

Upon completion of the NEPA environmental review, the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) environmental review will follow. After SEPA is complete, Commission authorization will be required to initiate construction work on the projects.

The Port, in partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), will provide additional updates prior to the release of the draft NEPA EA for agency and public comment.

Once the NEPA environmental review is final, the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) environmental review will follow. Commission authorization is required to initiate work on individual projects.

The Port, in partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), will provide additional updates prior to the release of the draft NEPA EA for agency and public comment.

Once the NEPA environmental review is final, the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) environmental review will follow. Commission authorization is required to initiate work on individual projects.

Previously, a proposal known as “L06″ in the SAMP recommended a surface parking lot in a southernly portion of the North SeaTac Park. The FAA decided to release the outcome of the conclusion it reached on L06 as part of the ongoing environmental review of the SAMP Near-Term Projects.

We know this proposal is of great interest and likely concern to members of the community. The Port’s environmental work screened this proposal out early, even as another analysis is continuing, and this will be welcome news to many concerned residents. Please read this statement for further details.

Time is being added to complete a through and rigorous analysis, as well as enhanced coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The release of the first environmental review analysis, the draft National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Environmental Assessment (EA), and the accompanying public outreach, which was expected in early 2021, will now occur in mid-2021. The Port of Seattle, in coordination with the FAA, will provide additional updates prior to the release of the draft NEPA EA for agency and public comment.

The Port continues work to complete the environmental review of the SAMP NTP. Once the NEPA environmental review is final, which is expected in early 2022, the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) environmental review will follow. Commission authorization is required to initiate work on individual projects.

See updated schedule below.

Forecast and schedule update.

As part of the environmental review process for the SAMP Near-Term Projects (NTP), the Port of Seattle reviewed the original aviation forecasts prepared for the SAMP to understand if the projections of future activity remain valid. Based on yearly activity data since 2015, actual growth is exceeding forecasted growth in a notable way. As a result, the Port of Seattle undertook a forecast update to better reflect the stronger growth being observed. The forecast update was unconstrained, meaning that it projected growth solely based on market demand for air travel to/from Seattle, not considering other constraints on activity. Further analysis of the updated projected growth, and the resulting levels of delay, indicated that without constructing new facilities, the airport would likely experience significant reductions in the rate of growth after 2023. When growth rates are reduced due to delays resulting from a lack of facilities, it is referred to as a constrained operating environment.

The Port of Seattle took these factors into account when developing the level of operations and passengers for the SAMP environmental review. The table below shows the unconstrained forecasted operations and passengers from the most recent update, compared to the constrained level of operations and passengers that will be used in the SAMP NTP environmental review.

Extended Schedules

The Port of Seattle and FAA are conducting an environmental review of the SAMP Near-Term Projects.

In December 2019 the environmental review period was extended to incorporate feedback heard during the environmental scoping period. The environmental review will include additional topics that the public raised during the scoping period, update the 2014 demand forecast to reflect the rapid growth that occurred in the last few years, and complete the NEPA and SEPA analysis separately and sequentially.