Port of Seattle
Residents planning to speak at the Port of Seattle's July 9 public hearing on the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) Draft Environmental Impact Statement should be aware of several important deadlines and logistical details. This information draws on an interview with Sandy Hunt of Defenders of Highline Forest and the official Port of Seattle July 9 meeting agenda.
Virtual Speakers: Deadline is July 8, Wednesday, 5 p.m.
If you want to speak virtually, you MUST sign up by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, July 8. After that time, registration closes and no additional requests will be accepted. As the agenda states:
"Requests to speak virtually will not be accepted outside of this stated timeframe... Anyone signing up to speak virtually will be contacted prior to the meeting and will be provided with meeting access information."
In-Person Speakers: Tips for Success
If you plan to attend in person, sign-up begins at 4 p.m. on Thursday, July 9, and public comment starts at 4:30 p.m.
Speaking time depends on the number of people who sign up—expect to have one or two minutes, so prepare your most important points to deliver in your first minute. Sandy Hunt offers these additional tips:
Leave plenty of time: Budget time to drive to Sea-Tac, park, reach the main terminal, and navigate to the mezzanine.
Locating the room: The conference room is at the south end of the airport. From the main level (check-in/baggage drop), go south/east past all the counters. Use the stairs or the elevator to reach the mezzanine level.
Parking validation: Bring your garage ticket with you to the meeting. Obtain your parking voucher when you arrive, as the receptionist may be gone by the time the meeting concludes.
Watching and Listening
Anyone may watch the meeting online or listen by phone without registering.
To View: https://meetings.portseattle.org/
To Listen (Audio Only): +1 (206) 800-4046 or 833-209-2690, Conference Code: 777 943 261#
Additional Resources
SeaTac Noise - Independent informational website.
Port of Seattle to Hold July 9 Public Hearing on Airport Expansion Draft Environmental Review (The Highline Journal)
The Back Story: Why No Time Extension?
Sandy Hunt suggests listening to the final minutes of the June 23 Port Commission meeting (specifically starting at the 3:14:24 mark) to hear why the Port refuses to extend the 60-day comment period.
Commissioner Felleman argued that the technical data in this SEPA document is largely the same as the previous federal (NEPA) review. While he acknowledged that the new sections on Environmental Justice and Cumulative Impacts are the parts "most of interest to the public," he dismissed them as "a small part" of the overall EIS, which totals 6000 pages.
Felleman emphasized the importance of the public hearing as a place for residents to be heard and to respond to others. However, the tone of his remarks suggests a lack of interest in how the substance of those public comments might influence the Port's decisions. To him, the hearing itself, rather than an extended comment period, "would go a long way to addressing some of the concerns we’ve heard."
Get Involved
How to Get Involved We want to hear from you! The DEIS will be available for review and comment beginning May 22 and ends July 21, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. PDT. It will be posted here and printed copies will be available at SEA Mezzanine Level above Checkpoint 2, Port of
shendersonmaulfoster.com
July 9 AGENDA for Public Hearing
Members Discussion
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