I. INVESTING IN OUR AIRPORT
SEA is continuing to invest in our facilities – both to provide
a safe, healthy travel experience as well as to prepare for the
return of passengers as the pandemic ends. This year alone,
SEA is investing billions in airport renovations and new
infrastructure. In particular, we seek to:
a. Increase Self-Funding Flexibility: We will be a
national leader on the eort to modernize the
Passenger Facility Charge user fee – raising the
federal cap from $4.50 while maintaining the Port
Commission’s ability to determine whether or not to
change the user fee based on locally determined needs
and competitive dynamics.
b. Increase Federal Funding: We support passage
of additional federal relief for airports, airport
concessionaires and other aviation stakeholders, as
well as an infrastructure investment package that
includes environmental sustainability enhancements.
c. Build Federal Support: We will work closely with
federal agencies and members of Congress to
ensure their support for in-progress and future
capital projects, including the Sustainable Airport
Master Plan near-term projects currently under
environmental review.
II. ACCOMMODATING THE RETURN TO TRAVEL
As the pandemic subsides, SEA is working to accommodate
the return of passengers in the most ecient and safe
manner possible. In particular, we seek to:
a. Institute New Travel Protocols: We support
comprehensive national protocols that protect
the health of passengers and employees while
simultaneously restoring traveler condence in a
return to air travel. In addition, we will look to play a
supportive role in vaccine distribution.
b. Partner with Federal Agencies: We will work with U.S.
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and U.S.
Customs & Border Protection (CBP) leadership on the
safe and healthy return of air travel passenger levels,
through proper stang, necessary federal funding to
supplement lost user fees, appropriate health protocols
and the deployment of touchless technology solutions.
In addition, we will ght to preserve TSA funding for
Law Enforcement Ocer reimbursement grants and
reimbursements for checkpoint-area janitorial services.
c. Increase the Eciency and Safety of our Airport
and Airspace: We support airport industry
recommendations to improve the integration,
detection, identication, and mitigation of Unmanned
Aircraft Systems (UAS) in and around airports. Similarly,
we encourage a consistent and predictable federal
approach to urban air mobility (UAM) deployment.
Finally, we encourage expedited deployment of the
FAA’s Terminal Flight Data Manager (TFDM) aireld
congestion management program at SEA in order to
improve ow and eciency on the aireld.
COVID19 IMPACTS AT SEA AIRPORT
COVID-19 Impacted had a major impact on travel through SEA Airport 2020 vs 2019 Trac
www.flySEA.org
AVIATION 2021 FEDERAL AGENDA
Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is committed to creating a safe
and healthy travel experience and to serving as a key contributor to regional and statewide economic recovery. In addition to
our FlyHealthy@SEA eorts, 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:
Total Passengers (-61%)
• 2020: 20,061,507
• 2019: 51,829,239
Domestic Passengers (-60%)
• 2020: 18,690,119
• 2019: 46,101,340
Int’l Passengers (-76%)
• 2020: 1,371,388
• 2019: 5,727,899
Total Air Cargo (+.2%)
• 2020: 454,584
• 2019: 453,549
Age
nda Item: 8e_Attach_01
Meeting Date: January 25, 2022
P.O. Box 1209
Seattle, WA 98111
(206) 787-3000
www.portseattle.org
02/2021
For more information on the Port of Seattle’s
federal legislative agenda, contact:
Eric Schinfeld, Port of Seattle
Senior Manager Federal & Int’l Gov’t Relations
(206) 787-5031 |
Schinfeld.E@portseattle.org
III. CONNECTING US TO THE WORLD
SEA is an international gateway, and the success of our
airport depends being able to reopen international travel in
a safe, healthy manner while presenting a welcoming face to
the international visitors, immigrants and refugees who travel
through or work at our facility. To achieve these goals, we
seek to:
a. Welcome International Travelers and Residents: We
will be a leading voice on comprehensive immigration
policies that ensure the Port, its partner and its
customers have the workforce to succeed in the global
economy, and that immigrants and refugees are fully
welcomed into the opportunities that our region’s
economy provides.
b. Lower Trade Barriers: We support policies that
level playing elds for international commerce while
protecting workers and the environment. In addition,
we believe that taris should be a measure of last
resort and – when necessary – carefully and narrowly
targeted to minimize impacts on American producers
and consumers.
c. Facilitate International Air Travel: We support global
agreements that set clear health and safety standards
and protocols to facilitate the recovery of international
travel and trade. In addition, we will coordinate with
CBP leadership to ensure operational readiness and
stang for the opening of our new International
Arrivals Facility.
IV. ADDRESSING COMMUNITY IMPACT
As air travel rebounds, we are focused on how increased
sustainability and addressing impacts on our surrounding
communities. Federal legislation and regulation can help us:
a. Fight Climate Change: We support comprehensive
proposals for sector-specic and economy-wide
solutions to address the climate crisis with legislation
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other
harmful toxic pollutants while providing exibility
to respond to changing market conditions and
technological advances.
b. Implement Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF): We
will engage federal partners to help us take next
steps toward widespread use of SAF at our airport.
In particular, we will seek additional federal funding
for SAF research and implementation, tax credits
for blending of these fuels, and to leverage the U.S.
Departments of Defense, Agriculture, Energy and
Transportation as key partners.
c. Address Airplane Noise and Air Quality: We will
advocate for the shared federal agenda developed by
the airport and its six surrounding cities – including
changes to federal funding, policies, regulations and
programs such as studying aviation-related ultrane
particulates and allowing for secondary noise mitigation
investments in certain previously insulated homes.
We will work to better understand potential indoor air
quality investment benets near airports as well.
d. Protect Passenger, Employee and Community
Safety: We will partner with federal agencies
to improve human tracking prevention and
intervention eorts. In addition, we will engage
with FAA leadership to speed the transition to non-
uorinated aireld re-ghting foams.
e. Increase Economic and Workforce Development:
We will engage actively in supporting policies and
programs that boost economic, workforce and tourism
development, and augment existing Port eorts to
support small and minority-owned businesses. We
support realigning federal funding, programs and
policies to support rebuilding the U.S. small business
sector, reviving entrepreneurship, and closing the
racial wealth gap.
f. Address Racial Equity: We will advocate for
comprehensive federal policing reforms that further
the goals of the Port Commission’s Task Force on
Policing and Civil Rights. In addition, we support federal
legislation on biometric technology that ensures
protections for privacy, equity and civil liberties.
