A 'Decade of Construction' Looms at KCIA
Proposed taxiway shift and tower expansion raise local health concerns as public comment period opens on draft environmental assessment.
Georgetown residents could face years of construction traffic and noise from closer jet engines if King County International Airport-Boeing Field expansion plans move forward.
The airport says it needs to repave a runway and move the adjacent taxiway and turnaround area up to 75 feet closer to Georgetown residents. The extensive project includes moving and doubling the height of KCIA's existing air traffic control tower, alongside demolition and land acquisition the airport says are needed to enhance operational safety and meet current FAA standards.
A recently released draft Environmental Assessment (EA) details these plans, which were shared with the community at two meetings—one virtual and one in-person—on Oct. 14. Public comment is now open on the EA until Nov. 13.
An EA 'doing the least'
According to the EA, the proposed construction will create no significant environmental impacts on air quality, wildlife, or children’s health. Nor will it increase the risk of hazardous materials, solid waste, or pollution.
However, many neighbors and community organizations argue that the EA's conclusions fall woefully short. They contend it fails to adequately measure—and in some cases overlooks entirely—the negative impacts Georgetown residents will face during and after construction, which is slated to begin in 2028 and extend through 2037.
“I call it environmental assessment light. It’s doing the least they can do to push this through,” said Dan Corum, a Georgetown resident and sustainability analyst who attended the in-person open house. Speaking at the Georgetown Community Council meeting on Oct. 20, Corum urged residents to review the project and submit feedback to KCIA before the comment period closes on Friday, Nov. 13.
“A decade of construction is going to go on. If we have to suffer through a decade of noise, there should be a full assessment,” Corum said, noting that the EA omits study of construction noise, or the impacts on traffic, demolition debris, or emissions.
Velma Veloria, a former 11th District state representative and chair of the King County International Airport Community Coalition, attended the virtual open house.
“I can’t speak for the whole KCIACC,” she told the Gazette in an email, “but I am concerned about the negative impacts of the taxiway and the tower on Georgetown.”
“First, there is the construction, which will bring in more air pollutants, noise and traffic. Then there’s the closer proximity of the taxiway to residential housing, which will bring increased noise, intense lighting and more dust circulating around the community. Finally, what health effects will all these changes have on the residents of Georgetown? They already experience a life span five to eight years shorter than those in other neighborhoods away from KCIA.”
Representatives from the Duwamish River Community Coalition (DRCC) echoed those objections.
“Our biggest concern is the health burdens,” said Alexandra Johnson, Senior Climate and Environmental Policy Analyst for the DRCC. She cited the limited geographic study area and an incomplete review of noise, stormwater drainage and children’s health impacts as major failings of the assessment.
"They write off children’s health. They looked at whether there are any daycares or cultural facilities that could have children around them, and said there are none, so there’s no anticipated impact to children’s health, when that’s not true,” Johnson said.
“There are over 350 children living within a mile or half-mile of the airport boundaries outlined in the report, and about a quarter of those are under five years old. So that's something we are really concerned about, especially when 10 years of construction represents pretty much the whole timeline of a child living in the home.”
“We think the community deserves a lot more answers, especially about noise impact, over the next 10 years,” Johnson added. “They haven't really parsed out any of these other impacts. They've kind of just brushed them off and kept going.”
The DRCC also raised concerns regarding groundwater contamination risks and the cumulative environmental impacts of undertaking major construction near the Lower Duwamish Waterway Superfund site.
Noise impact on residents not measured
Beyond construction, residents face the long-term reality of the completed project. After a decade of demolition, digging and dust, they will be situated 75 feet closer to the new taxiway—and 75 feet closer to roaring jet engines. Plans also feature a 155-foot control tower visible from nearby residences, new runway lights at each end, and a turnaround pad at the north end of the runway near homes and businesses on Ellis Avenue and Albro Place.
The EA cites the airport's recent Part 150 Noise Exposure Maps study to argue that overall noise won't change because flight patterns, fleet mix and runway use will remain the same. But critics point out that relying on macro-level Day-Night Average Sound Level (DNL) contours misses the real-world impact by failing to address noise from closer taxiing, idling or turning aircraft, or how shifting infrastructure 50 to 75 feet closer affects immediately adjacent residents.
KCIA is accepting public comments on the Draft EA through Nov. 13. King County and the FAA will review the feedback before publishing the final EA and submitting it for the FAA’s final decision this winter.
To learn more, Georgetown residents can read the Draft EA online in full, watch the recording of the virtual open house, or review the presentation shown at the Oct. 14 events.
How to Provide Comments:
Email: Send electronic comments to KCIACommunityOutreach@kingcounty.gov
U.S. Mail: Send written comments to:
Eric Miller, C.M., PMP, ENV SP
Capital Project Manager
King County International Airport, Department of Executive Services
7277 Perimeter Road South, Suite 200
Seattle, WA 98108
Comments must be received by 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 13, to be part of the review and included as an appendix in the published final EA.
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