www.portseattle.org/Sea-Tac


AVIATION 2019 FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE AGENDA
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) is one of the nation's busiest and fastest-growing airports. As a key contributor
to regional and statewide travel, commerce and job creation, 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. ACCOMMODATING PASSENGER GROWTH
As one of the fastest growing airports in the country, Sea-          With growing passenger demand at Sea-Tac, keeping our
Tac is investing billions in airport renovations and new             airport's security screening checkpoints as efficient as
infrastructure. In particular, we seek to:                              possible is essential to accommodating travelers in a safe and
a.  Increase Self-Funding Flexibility: We will be a              customer service-oriented manner. In particular, we seek to:
national leader on the effort to modernize the                  a.  Increase Transportation Security Administration
Passenger Facility Charge user fee  raising the                     (TSA) Screening Capacity: We support TSA efforts to
federal cap from $4.50 while maintaining the Port                 authorize additional passenger screening canine teams
Commission's ability to determine whether or not to               and hire new officers, as well as implement innovative
change the user fee based on locally determined needs           solutions  like expansion of PreCheck and use of new
and competitive dynamics.                                     technologies. In addition, we will fight to preserve TSA
b.  Increase Federal Funding: We support passage of                 funding for Law Enforcement Officer reimbursement
an infrastructure investment package that includes                grants, while working with TSA to implement airport
funding for our nation's airport system.                             procurement and training of canines for local TSA
use. Finally, we will support research on the impact of
c.  Build Federal Support: We will work closely with                   increased TSA officer compensation on retention and
federal agencies and members of Congress to ensure             overall net costs.
their support for in-progress and future capital
projects, including the Sustainable Airport Master Plan          b.  Increase Customs and Border Protection (CPB)
near-term projects currently under environmental                 Screening Capacity: We support increased funding for
review.                                                           CBP officers, specifically for airport positions. We will
also coordinate with CBP leadership to ensure seamless
SEA-TAC AT A GLANCE                         operational readiness and activation planning for our
By the Numbers                                   new International Arrivals Facility (IAF)  including use
of new technologies for international arrivals screening
The eighth busiest airport in North America                              and maximizing the number of CBP officers available
49.8 million annual passengers                                         and trained for the IAF opening on August 1, 2020.
Over 1,200 takeoffs and landings on average per day                   c.  Increase the Security of our Airport: We will continue
Thirty-four airlines serve 91 non-stop domestic and                        to engage with federal regulators and policy-makers
28 international destinations                                           on improved approaches to perimeter security and
More than 432,000 metric tons of air cargo                               insider threat issues based on learnings from the
August 10, 2018 unauthorized flight incident. We
Economic Impact                                 will also work to ensure that our nation's Air Traffic
Sea-Tac Airport is a world-class facility with a regional                      Control system continues to support a fully functioning
economic impact of more than $16.3 billion                              statewide airport ecosystem, while encouraging the
Generates about 172,000 jobs                                          Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to provide
More than $2.8 billion in direct earnings                                 structure and systemic context to safety management.
Over $565 million in state and local taxes

III. CONNECTING US TO THE WORLD               IV. ADDRESSING COMMUNITY IMPACT
Sea-Tac is truly an international gateway, and the success           As our airport grows, we are focused on how that growth
of our airport depends being able to present a welcoming         impacts our surrounding communities. Federal legislation
face to the international visitors, immigrants and refugees          and regulation can help us:
who travel through or work at our facility. To continue in this           a.   Implement Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF): We
capacity, we seek to:                                                       will engage federal partners to help us take next
a.  Welcome International Travelers and Residents: We              steps toward widespread use of SAF at our airport. In
will be a leading voice on comprehensive immigration            particular, we will seek authority for airports to use
policies that ensure the Port, its partner and its                     airport revenue and federal grant funding to support
customers have the workforce to succeed in the global            the air quality and carbon reduction benefits of
economy, and that immigrants and refugees are fully              fuel switching, and to leverage the U.S. Department
welcomed into the opportunities that our region's                 of Defense as a key partner in SAF research and
economy provides  including permanent legal                  implementation. We also support new and expanded
protections for immigrant children currently eligible               federal funding for research on SAF, as well as for
for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)              feedstock processing and fuel production facilities.
program and partnerships with key local stakeholders          b.   Address Airplane Noise and Air Quality: We will
to implement programs that showcase the Port as a               engage appropriately in the federally funded study of
welcoming gateway for immigrants and refugees.                the impact of overflight noise on human health that
b.  Lower Trade Barriers: We support policies that                     includes Seattle as one of the regions to be examined.
level playing fields for international commerce while               We will advocate for a federal study on the relationship
protecting workers and the environment. In addition,              between aviation activity and ultrafine particulate
we believe that tariffs should be a measure of last                  emissions, as well as changes to FAA policies that
resort and  when necessary  carefully and narrowly              restrict noise insulation investments to once per home
targeted to minimize impacts on American producers             so that broken or antiquated infrastructure can be
and consumers. We believe tariff collection revenues               replaced. In addition, we will also track any proposed
should be prioritized toward trade promotion and                changes or alternatives to the current 65 DNL standard
freight infrastructure, as well as programs that lessen               for noise mitigation, as well as any other proposals
retaliatory tariff losses by U.S. exporters.                             or funding to help us reduce carbon emissions from
c.  Facilitate International Travel: We support steps                  Port operations, promote energy efficient operation
to increase and facilitate tourism into the United                   of transportation infrastructure, improve water quality
States, including funding for tourism promotion and              and allow innovative strategies to offset local air
additional preclearance agreements. In addition, we               quality impacts.
will continue to coordinate with federal agencies on            c.  Engage Communities on Flight Paths, Noise
implementation of REAL ID by the 2020 deadline.                 and Emissions: We will pursue expedited hiring
of the regional community engagement and noise
ombudsman staff approved by Congress in the past
year that will increase FAA direct engagement with
local communities on flight path changes, noise issues
and airplane environmental impacts.
d.  Protect Passenger and Airport Worker Safety: We
will partner with federal agencies to improve human
For more information on the Port of Seattle's                   trafficking prevention and intervention efforts. In
federal legislative agenda, contact:                            addition, we will engage with FAA leadership to speed
the transition to non-fluorinated airfield fire-fighting
Eric Schinfeld, Port of Seattle                              foams. Finally, we will engage appropriately in the
Senior Manager Federal & Int'l Gov't Relations                formation and work of the National In-Flight Sexual
(206) 787-5031 | Schinfeld.E@portseattle.org                  Misconduct Task Force.
e.  Increase Economic & Workforce Development:
We will engage actively in supporting policies and
P.O. Box 1209                           programs that boost economic, workforce and tourism
Seattle, WA 98111                     development, and augment existing Port efforts to
(206) 787-3000                        support small and minority-owned businesses and
www.portseattle.org
local residents' quality of life.
Printed on recycled paper                              02/2019