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UPDATE AS OF NOVEMBER 29, 2022
SAMP Near-Term Projects Environmental Review Schedule Update
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.
UPDATE AS OF JUNE 23, 2022
Since the summer of 2018, the Port of Seattle (Port) has been assisting the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) with preparation of an environmental review for the proposed Sustainable Airport Master Plan Near-Term Projects (SAMP NTP) for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). The first stage of the environmental review was scoping which was completed in 2019.
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.
UPDATE AS OF FEBRUARY 11, 2022
The Port of Seattle continues its work to complete the environmental review of the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) Near-Term Projects (NTP). The release of the first environmental review analysis – the draft National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Environmental Assessment (EA) – is taking additional time due to the need for additional analysis.
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.
UPDATE OCTOBER 2021
The Port of Seattle continues its work to complete the environmental review of the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) Near-Term Projects (NTP). The release of the first environmental review analysis – the draft National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Environmental Assessment (EA) – is taking additional time due to the need for additional analysis.
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.
UPDATE AS OF JANUARY 2021
The Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) Near-Term Projects (NTP) environmental review schedule is being extended.
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.
UPDATE AS OF JULY 2020
The Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) Near-Term Projects (NTP) environmental review schedule is delayed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The delay is intended to provide the ability to host effective and safe public meetings, and includes a partial deferral of spending in 2020. The release of the first environmental review analysis, the draft NEPA Environmental Assessment (EA), and the accompanying public outreach, will now occur in the first quarter of 2021. The Port continues to refine the detailed schedule.
The master plan is a necessary step forward for the future of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). The Port continues work to complete the environmental review of the SAMP NTP. Once the environmental review is complete, which is expected in 2021, Commission authorization is required to initiate any individual project.
See updated schedule below.
UPDATE AS OF JANUARY 2020
The Port of Seattle and FAA are conducting an environmental review of the SAMP Near-Term Projects.
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
UPDATE AS OF DECEMBER 2019
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.
UPDATE AS OF FEBRUARY 2019
Thanks to all who completed agency and public comment submittals during the scoping for the SAMP Near-Term Projects, which closed on September 28, 2018. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Port of Seattle take each comment very seriously and appreciate the efforts each agency and individual took to participate.
Comments received during scoping were reviewed and will be taken into consideration during the environmental analyses. The Port of Seattle and its consultant, in conjunction with the FAA, are currently conducting the environmental analyses.
As the Port and FAA go through the environmental analyses and better understand the timing of the draft environmental documents, the Port will provide updates on timing and next steps on this website.