Agenda Item 11a_attach1
www.flySEA.org         Meeting Date: January 10, 2023


2022 AVIATION FEDERAL PRIORITIES
As the region and the world continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is
committed to providing a safe and healthy travel experience and to serving as a key contributor to regional and statewide
economic recovery. We are focused on developing more modern, high-tech facilities that will speed travelers on their way; better
connecting the Puget Sound region to the world; maximizing the environmental sustainability of our operations; and ensuring
that our local communities and residents thrive. The federal government can help us achieve this vision by:
I. INVESTING IN OUR AIRPORT                     II. ADDRESSING COMMUNITY IMPACT
As the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act (IIJA) begins to         As air travel rebounds, we are focused on increased
roll out, SEA is preparing to invest $4 billion in our facilities in      sustainability and addressing impacts on our surrounding
the next few years. To take advantage of this opportunity, we      communities. Federal legislation and regulation can help us:
seek to:                                                                  a.  Fight Climate Change: We support comprehensive
a. Leverage Dedicated IIJA Airport Dollars: We will                  proposals for sector-specific and economy-wide
work closely with federal partners to invest both                   solutions to address the climate crisis with legislation
formula funds and competitive grant dollars in key SEA            to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other
projects.                                                             harmful toxic pollutants while providing flexibility
b. Compete for IIJA Sustainable Transportation                     to respond to changing market conditions and
Funding: We will work closely with federal partners to             technological advances.
take advantage of dollars to incentivize the transition           b. Implement Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF): We
to greener forms of surface transportation to and from             will engage federal partners to help us take next
the airport, including electric vehicle infrastructure                 steps toward widespread use of SAF at our airport. In
funding at or near the airport as well as high-speed                particular, we will seek additional federal funding for
rail and transit infrastructure that can increase the                  SAF research, SAF infrastructure, and tax credits for
availability and attractiveness of low-carbon travel                 blending of these fuels. We will work to leverage the
options for airport passengers and employees.                    U.S. Departments of Defense, Agriculture, Energy and
c.  Increase Self-Funding Flexibility: Once IIJA dollars                Transportation as key partners in this effort.
are spent, we will need a modernized Passenger              c.  Address Airplane Noise and Air Quality: We will
Facility Charge user fee for long-term sustainable                 advocate for the shared federal agenda developed by
funding needs.                                               the airport and its six surrounding cities – including
d. Build Federal Support: We will work closely with                 changes to federal funding, policies, regulations and
federal agencies and members of Congress to                   programs such as studying aviation-related ultrafine
ensure their support for in-progress and future                   particulates and allowing for secondary noise mitigation
capital projects, including the Sustainable Airport                investments in certain previously insulated homes.
Master Plan near-term projects currently under                  We will work to better understand potential indoor air
environmental review.                                         quality investment benefits near airports as well.

AIR TRAVEL RECOVERY FROM PANDEMIC IMPACTS
Total Passengers (+80%)           Domestic Passengers (+85%)       Int’l Passengers (+23%)            Total Air Cargo in (+10%)
• 2021: 36,153,839                  • 2021: 34,484,666                  • 2021: 1,669,173                   • 2021: 498,741
• 2020: 20,061,507                  • 2020: 18,690,119                  • 2020: 1,371,388                   • 2020: 454,584

      II. ADDRESSING COMMUNITY IMPACT (cont.)       IV. ACCOMMODATING THE RETURN TO TRAVEL
d.  Protect Passenger, Employee and Community             As the pandemic subsides, SEA is working to accommodate
Safety: We will partner with federal agencies                the return of passengers in the most efficient and safe
to improve human trafficking prevention and              manner possible. In particular, we seek to:
intervention efforts. In addition, we will engage                a.  Adjust to Changing Travel Protocols: We will monitor
with FAA leadership to speed the transition to non-               changes to current national guidance regarding
fluorinated airfield fire-fighting foams.                             protocols to protect the health of passengers and
e.  Increase Economic and Workforce Development:                employees while simultaneously restoring traveler
We will engage actively in supporting policies and                 confidence in a return to air travel.
programs that boost economic, workforce and tourism         b. Partner with Federal Agencies: We will work with U.S.
development, and augment existing Port efforts to                Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and U.S.
support small and minority-owned businesses. We                Customs & Border Protection (CBP) leadership on the
support realigning federal funding, programs and                 safe and healthy return of air travel passenger levels,
policies to support rebuilding the U.S. small business               through proper staffing, necessary federal funding to
sector, reviving entrepreneurship, and closing the                  supplement lost user fees, appropriate health protocols
racial wealth gap.                                                   and the deployment of touchless technology solutions.
f.  Address Racial Equity: We will advocate for                     c.  Support Key Funding Needs: We will monitor
comprehensive federal policing reforms that further               additional discussions regarding supplemental federal
the goals of the Port Commission’s Task Force on                    relief for businesses impacted by the pandemic; in
Policing and Civil Rights. In addition, we support federal             particular, we support additional federal support for
legislation on biometric technology that ensures                    the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) to assist local
protections for privacy, equity and civil liberties.                    restaurants – including those at SEA – impacted by
reduced dining and travel because of the Omicron
variant. In addition, we will fight to preserve TSA
III. CONNECTING US TO THE WORLD                   funding for Law Enforcement Officer reimbursement
SEA is an international gateway, and the success of our                   grants and reimbursements for checkpoint-area
airport depends being able to reopen international travel in              janitorial services.
a safe, healthy manner while presenting a welcoming face to          d.  Increase the Efficiency and Safety of our Airport
the international visitors, immigrants and refugees who travel            and Airspace: We will engage with national
through or work at our facility, particularly related to the                  airport associations, the FAA, the Washington
arrival and resettlement of Afghan refugees. To achieve these             Congressional delegation and other key stakeholders
goals, we seek to:                                                          to limit operational disruptions caused by the
a.  Welcome International Travelers and Residents: We              implementation of 5G wireless telecommunications
will be a leading voice on comprehensive immigration            near airports. In addition, we support airport industry
policies that ensure the Port, its partner and its                     recommendations to improve the integration,
customers have the workforce to succeed in the global            detection, identification, and mitigation of Unmanned
economy, and that immigrants and refugees are fully              Aircraft Systems (UAS) in and around airports. Similarly,
welcomed into the opportunities that our region’s                 we encourage a consistent and predictable federal
economy provides.                                           approach to urban air mobility (UAM) deployment.
Finally, we encourage expedited deployment of the
b. Lower Trade Barriers: We support policies that
FAA’s Terminal Flight Data Manager (TFDM) airfield
level playing fields for international commerce while
congestion management program at SEA in order to
protecting workers and the environment. In addition,              improve flow and efficiency on the airfield.
we believe that tariffs should be a measure of last
resort and – when necessary – carefully and narrowly            For more information on the Port of Seattle’s 
targeted to minimize impacts on American producers           federal legislative agenda, contact:
and consumers.
c.  Facilitate International Air Travel: We support global           Eric Schinfeld, Port of Seattle
agreements that set clear health and safety standards            Senior Manager Federal & Int’l Gov’t Relations
and protocols to facilitate the recovery of international           (206) 787-5031 | Schinfeld.E@portseattle.org
travel and trade. In addition, we will coordinate with
CBP leadership to ensure operational readiness and                                           P.O. Box 1209
staffing for the opening of our new International                                                Seattle, WA 98111
Arrivals Facility.                                                                                    (206) 787-3000
www.portseattle.org                            02/2022