FINAL BILL REPORT

                 ESHB 2609

                     Synopsis as Enacted

                         C 190 L 92

Brief Description:  Making airport expansions consistent with the state air transportation policy plan.

By House Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Representatives Hine, G. Fisher, R. Fisher, Brough, Heavey, Locke, Chandler, Leonard, Valle, Wood, Prentice, Hochstatter, Mitchell, Horn, Rasmussen, Paris, R. King, Beck, Spanel, Nelson, Appelwick, Wilson, Franklin, Wang, Jacobsen and Belcher).

House Committee on Transportation

Senate Committee on Transportation

Background:  The Air Transportation Commission (ATC) is a 27-member body that is conducting studies to determine Washington State's long-range air transportation policy.  The commission's work program will address the following issues:  investment in air transportation or other modal alternatives; the needs of commercial and general aviation; air transportation as an economic development tool; air transportation as part of the state's environmental policy;  air transportation as part of the state's growth management policy; and the suitability of existing governance structures.

The ATC will submit its findings and recommendations to the Legislative Transportation Committee by December 1, 1994, with an interim report by December 1992.

The Puget Sound Air Transportation Committee (PSATC) is a 39-member committee responsible for addressing the air capacity needs of Sea-Tac Airport.  The committee's project, known as "Flight Plan," is sponsored by the Puget Sound Regional Council and the Port of Seattle.  After two years of work the committee has selected as its preferred alternative a multiple airport system, which will be implemented in the following phases:

(1)Add a new air carrier runway at Sea-Tac (1995-2000).

(2)Initiate commercial service at Paine Field (1995-2000).

(3)Add a supplemental airport after 2010 at one of the following:

(a)Ft. Lewis or McChord if military coordination can be achieved;

(b)Ft. Lewis East if airspace coordination can be resolved; or

(c)Olympia/Black Lake if no military sharing is possible.

The PSATC's findings, supporting material and draft programmatic Environmental Impact Statement are subject to public review.  Construction of the new runway at Sea-Tac would begin no earlier than 1996.

Summary:  Public entities that intend to extend or construct new runways may proceed with the planning process as required by the Growth Management Act, the State Environmental Policy Act and the National Environmental Policy Act.

City, county, and county-wide port districts in King, Pierce, Snohomish, Kitsap and Thurston Counties may not construct or extend a runway of 1,000 or more feet, or permit an air carrier to initiate new service at any airport not presently receiving commercial service until the Air Transportation Commission (ATC) submits its final report to the Legislative Transportation Committee (LTC). 

The commission must provide the LTC with the following reports by December 1, 1992: an evaluation of the importance of air transportation to the economic and social vitality of the state, including costs and effects of delay of air capacity expansion; an analysis of air transportation demand, aviation industry trends, and air capacity in Washington State through 2020; and a review of the final draft of the Puget Sound Air Transportation Committee's "Flight Plan" assessments of air capacity and demand.  The ATC must also submit these reports to regional transportation planning organizations to assist them in their planning responsibilities under the Growth Management Act.

By July 1, 1993, the ATC must submit to the LTC a transportation systems planning evaluation of air transportation planning options.

The final report of the ATC, due in December 1994, must include a review of the environmental, social and economic costs associated with the state's air transportation system.  The commission must also review and comment upon mitigation practices related to the air transportation system.

Votes on Final Passage:

House  97   1

Senate 47   0    (Senate amended)

House            (House refused to concur)

Senate 42   5    (Senate amended)

  House  97   0    (House concurred)

Effective:    April 1, 1992