Template revised April 12, 2018.
COMMISSION
AGENDA
MEMORANDUM
Item No. 10b
BRIEFING ITEM
Date of Meeting
August 8, 2023
DATE: July 21, 2023
TO: Stephen P. Metruck, Executive Director
FROM: Eric Schinfeld, Senior Manager of Federal and International Government Relations
SUBJECT: Commercial Aviation Coordinating Commission Briefing
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Commercial Aviation Coordinating Commission was created by the State Legislature in 2019,
and tasked with recommending a single preferred location for a new commercial service airport
by June 15, 2023. In addition, the CACC aimed to recommend additional ways to accommodate
capacity needs at existing aviation facilities. The Washington State Department of
Transportation’s Aviation Division provided staff support for coordinating and administering the
Commission, as well as technical assistance as requested by commission members. The Port of
Seattle served on the CACC in a technical advisory committee.
In 2023, the State Legislature voted to shift from the CACC to a new Commercial Aviation Work
Group (CAWG). However, Governor Inslee vetoed the portions of the legislation that immediately
repealed the CACC and its mandate. Therefore, the CACC proceed with delivering its final report
to the State Legislature on June 15, 2023. The presentation at the August 8 Port of Seattle
Commission meeting will summarize the history, process, findings, and next steps from the
CACC’s final report.
BACKGROUND
The CACC began in October 2019 with three specific deadlines:
1. Phase 1: Provide an initial list of six possible locations to the Legislature by January 1, 2021
2. Phase 2: Provide a list of the top two locations (options) by October 15, 2022
3. Phase 3: Provide a single preferred location recommendation by June 15, 2023
The Commission was comprised of 15 voting members and 12 non-voting members; the Port of
Seattle was represented in the second category. The overall mission of the CACC was to provide
COMMISSION AGENDA – Briefing Item No. 10b Page 2 of 2
Meeting Date: August 8, 2023
Template revised September 22, 2016.
recommendations to the Legislature to solve the forecast shortage of capacity for commercial air
passenger service, air cargo, and general aviation.
The Legislature mandated that a recommendation on a new commercial aviation facility could
not be in King County, and could not include siting a facility on, or in the vicinity of, a military
installation that would be incompatible with the installation’s ability to carry out its mission
requirements (such as Joint Base Lewis McChord).
The CACC built on past efforts to address this challenge, including the 1992 “Flight Plan” study –
a joint effort between Puget Sound Regional Council and the Port of Seattle – that resulted in
recommendations to build a third runway at SEA, initiate commercial service at Paine Field and
construct a new airport in south Puget Sound. In addition, the Puget Sound Regional Council
completed its Regional Aviation Baseline Study, which forecasted a 27 million passenger
enplanement gap if no new commercial aviation capacity was developed in the region.
Based on significant public resistance to siting of a new airport in any of the identified locations,
the State Legislature passed a bill during the 2023 Legislative Session to sunset the work on the
CACC and shift to an ongoing Commercial Aviation Work Group. The CAWG does not have a
specific deadline for recommendations.
ATTACHMENTS TO THIS REQUEST
(1) Commercial Aviation Coordinating Commission Final Report to Legislative
Transportation Committees
(2) Presentation slides
