Exh B
Exhibit Port Commission rm/A June 28, 2011 1 MeetingMW Honorable Port Commissioners, Consultants, Port of Seattle Thank you for taking the time to hold this public meeting to discuss items in the recommendations from the recent Far 150 process. As you may know, I have been in discussion with the Port Commission and Russ Simonson, airport environmental manager for two years regarding placing a noise wall on the west side of the 3rd runway embankment to shield and buffer the city of Burien and its residents from new noise impacts. At the suggestion of Mr. Simonson, I proposed this during the FAR 150 process at the second community meeting. I do not see it in the current proposal. I am aware that in the past FAA has balked at such things due to aircraft safety. The placement of foam insulated or such type of blocks on the west embankment will in no way constitute a safety hazard since the alternative to an aircraft hitting the porous noise absorbent wall is plummeting down a 200 foot embankment into homes. Noise walls have been placed at corridors near freeways all over the region even though homes in those areas experience far less noise disturbance than cities near Sea-Tac Airport. The levels of noise and frequency are so much greater around the airport it is a shame this has never been discussed. The citizens here deserve as much protection from environmental effects as citizens elsewhere in the region, especially when we are taking an extraordinary burden of impacts on behalf of the region, something environmental justice prohibits. As for the home insulation part of the proposal, there is no evidence that home insulation has a positive effect in mitigating perceived noise disturbance as evidenced by the Expert Panel in 1996. I have not seen any follow on studies to indicate whether the additional noise measures proposed by the Panel and subsequently recommended by PSRC as a condition of approval of the third runway have been completed or determined to be effective. I was also told by Mr. Simonson that vapor recovery for mitigating air quality impacts has not been an item the Port has been interested in installing. Vapor recovery has been recommended many times since 1973. Gas stations have them even though their impacts to atmospheric emissions are a tiny fraction of the airports' contribution. Citizens as far as two miles from the airport can smell the kerosene odors and the presence of these odors have been acknowledged by Port employees in the past. These odors contain vapor chemicals that are dangerous to health, especially vulnerable are the elderly and children which constitute the majority of individuals experiencing these dangers. There is also no plan to mitigate air quality impacts. Recent scientic reports indicate that the oil droplets present in the exhaust from jet engines can have a detrimental effect on health, lungs and the brain when exposed to sunlight. Insulation of homes cannot mitigate cancer risk from aviation emissions. Citizens living near SeaTac have a much higher risk for developing cancer (EPA Estimation and Evaluation of Cancer Risks at Midway Airport 1993). The Port, FAA, County, State, regulators, EPA and the federal government needs to be more proactive in protecting the public from these dangers especially since they are the purveyors of the information documenting the risks. But I have yet to see discussion of any type of mitigation plan, proposal or recommendation regarding this eminent danger. It is a fact analyzed and discussed by agencies that people living within the noise abatement corridors are being sprayed by toxic, carcinogenic chemicals and soot from jet engines for 12 miles from the runway ends (1970 Department of Commerce). And within these areas, the State Department of Public Health has uncovered a much higher than average rate of lung, brain, throat, nasal cancers, all of which can be directly attributed to toxic chemicals present in jet exhaust. If the Port wishes to be considered an environmental steward, then they must first and foremost warn the public of these dangers. They must do their best to mitigate the impacts from jet operations. I have written down my thoughts on the terrible burdens this community has been forced to bear to benet the region, greed, corruption and proteering. I feel these are far too serious to be disregarded any longer. I am donating copies of my book "Over My Head" to the commissioners which contains the reference materials for my discussion. I can only hope that the intelligent, thoughtful and necessary process needed to truly address these grave issues will be pursued in the very near future. Sincerely, Debi Wagner Vice President, US Citizens Aviation Watch aviationjustice.org
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