Template revised April 12, 2018.
COMMISSION
AGENDA MEMORANDUM
Item No.
11b
BRIEFING ITEM
Date of Meeting
May 26, 2026
DATE: May 8, 2026
TO: Stephen P. Metruck, Executive Director
FROM: Sarah Cox, Director, Aviation Environment and Sustainability
Steve Rybolt, Senior Environmental Program Manager, Aviation Environment and
Sustainability
SUBJECT: Sustainable Airport Master Plan Near-Term Projects Environmental Review – SEPA
Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Public Comment Period
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This briefing will provide an overview of the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) findings for the SAMP NTPs that will be published on
May 22, 2026. This will include a summary of the rigorous and thorough analysis that was
completed for the sixteen SEPA elements of the environment categories that are required to be
evaluated by the Port’s SEPA Policy (Commission Resolution No. 3650) and State of Washington’s
SEPA provisions (Washington Administrative Code [WAC] 197-11). It will also provide an overview
of the outreach and engagement plan for the 60-day public comment period that will occur
between May 22, 2026, to July 21, 2026. It is anticipated that SEPA will be completed by the end
of 2026.
DETAILS
The Port of Seattle has completed the SEPA DEIS of the SAMP NTPs. The SEPA DEIS built upon the
rigorous Environmental Assessment (EA) that was completed by the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The purpose of SEPA
and this DEIS is to assess if the NTPs have the potential to result in impacts to sixteen different
SEPA element of the environment resource categories. When impacts were identified, the
analysis evaluates the extent of those impacts, and if required, identified ways to reduce, avoid,
or mitigate them. The following SEPA elements of the environment categories were evaluated:
COMMISSION AGENDA – Briefing Item No. 11b Page 2 of 3
Meeting Date: May 26, 2026
Template revised September 22, 2016.
• Air Quality
• Plants and Animals
• Climate
• Recreation
• Hazardous Materials, Solid Waste,
and Spill Prevention
• Historical Architectural,
Archeological, and Cultural Resources
• Land and Shoreline Use
•
Energy and Natural Resources
• Noise
• Socioeconomics and Environmental
Justice
• Surface Transportation
• Aesthetics, Light, and Glare
• Water Resources
• Public Services and Utilities
• Earth
• Housing
The DEIS identified that surface transportation had significant impacts, but these impacts can be
mitigated. There were other impacts identified, however these impacts did not exceed regulatory
or human health standards and do not require any additional action. For many of these
categories, the Port has incorporated minimization measures that currently minimize and will
further reduce impacts into the future. For example, if these projects move forward there will be
increases in air emissions that do not exceed the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (i.e.,
standards that meet human health requirements). The Port has many programs to minimize air
emissions at SEA such as providing pre-conditioned air to aircrafts or implementing efficiencies
to the central mechanical plant, both of which minimize fossil fuel use.
There will be four public meetings in the cities of SeaTac, Burien, Des Moines, and Federal Way
on June 22, 23, 25, and 27, as well as two virtual public meetings. These meetings will allow
agencies and the public to speak with subject matter experts and submit comments. Agencies
and the public will also have the option to provide comments during the 60-day public comment
period by email, the project website (sea-samp.com), and by mail.
The Port will provide a thorough and broad outreach that will include, and is not limited to, local,
BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), and underrepresented communities. This
includes using variety of media outlets, information on the project website, community meetings,
and translating materials into multiple languages.
Once the public comment period closes, the Port will review and respond to comments received
and these comments will be considered within SEPA Final Environmental Impact Statement
(FEIS). It is expected that the SEPA FEIS will be published in in late 2026.
SCHEDULE
Quarter 2 2026
SEPA Draft EIS released for public comment (5/22) + comment period
(60 days: 5/22 – 7/21)
Quarter 4 2026
SEPA EIS Final Document & Determination (Port issues decision
document) + 21-day appeal period
COMMISSION AGENDA – Briefing Item No. 11b Page 3 of 3
Meeting Date: May 26, 2026
Template revised September 22, 2016.
ATTACHMENTS TO THIS BRIEFING
(1) Presentation slides
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS
March 24, 2026 – Commission Action: “Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) Near-Term
Projects Environmental Review – Additional Contract Authorization”
October 22, 2025 – Commission Briefing: “Sustainable Airport Master Plan Near-Term
Projects Environmental Review - Draft NEPA Environmental Assessment Findings and
Public Comment Period”
June 27, 2023 – Commission Action: “Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) Near-Term
Projects Environmental Review – Update and Budget Increase”
February 25, 2020 – Commission Action: “Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) Near-Term
Projects (NTP) Environmental Review Briefing and Request for Additional Funds”
January 28, 2020 – Commission Briefing: “Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) Near-Term
Projects (NTP) Environmental Review Briefing – Forecast and Schedule Update”
February 26, 2019 – Commission Briefing: “Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) Near-
Term Projects (NTP) Environmental Review Briefing – Scoping Report”
May 8, 2018 – Commission Briefing: “Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) Planning and
Environmental Update”
February 13, 2018 - Commission Briefing: "Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) Planning
Update"
