SENATE BILL REPORT

 

 

                                    SB 5259

 

 

BYSenators Talmadge, Lee and Moore

 

 

Requiring considering of alternative when a port district considers expansion of an airport runway.

 

 

Senate Committee on Transportation

 

      Senate Hearing Date(s):February 22, 1989

 

      Senate Staff:Gene Baxstrom (786-7303)

 

 

                              AS OF MARCH 7, 1989

 

BACKGROUND:

 

Port districts are authorized to own and operate airports.  The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is owned and operated by the Port of Seattle.  Regional airport planning for the Puget Sound area indicates that Sea-Tac has sufficient capacity to serve demand for the next ten to fifteen years but that it will be unable to accommodate projected growth in air travel demand through the year 2020.  Proposals to increase capacity at Sea-Tac by the addition of a third runway have met with local community opposition. 

 

The Washington State Transportation Commission is charged with developing both a state transportation policy and statewide transportation plan for Washington.  The policy and the plan are to address the multimodal needs of the state, including airports. 

 

SUMMARY:

 

A port district operating an airport in a class AA county is prohibited from expanding or constructing a runway unless the following conditions are met:  the port district identify alternatives to expansion, including the impact and cost effectiveness of those alternatives; the district hold at least one public hearing in all class I or larger counties sharing a boundary with the AA county; and a presentation of the proposal and alternatives is made to the Transportation Commission.  The Transportation Commission is to make a recommendation on any proposal for airport expansion to the port district and the Legislature.  The commission must provide its recommendation to the port district within 180 days. 

 

The Transportation Commission is required to review airport expansion proposals. 

 

Appropriation:    none

 

Revenue:    none

 

Fiscal Note:      none requested

 

Effective Date:The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.