Port of Seattle
Residents who live near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport will soon have a chance to weigh in on future airport projects that could affect surrounding communities.
SAMP Comment Period Opens Friday
The Port of Seattle announced that the public comment period for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) is expected to open May 22, 2026. The review covers near-term airport projects including potential terminal expansion, transportation changes, cargo facilities, and related airport improvements.
Background Information
If you need to catch up on SeaTac SAMP impact concerns, here is a link to STNI (Sea-Tac Noise Info,) an independent, informational website on Sea-Tac Airport. The site provides a comprehensive library of articles and resources. This includes its recently published SAMP/SEPA Preview, released on May 17.
Burien Airport Committee Meeting - Tuesday AGENDA
The Port of Seattle issue is also expected to be discussed locally at the Burien Airport Committee meeting on Tuesday, May 19, where the agenda includes a SAMP SEPA EIS Planning Session. Committee members are expected to review the environmental process and discuss next steps before the public comment period begins.
Burien Airport Meeting Topics Include:
• SAMP/SEPA planning discussion and environmental review planning session (30 min)
• Discussion on proposed changes to the StART community advisory structure (15 min)
• Update on the federal NEPA review process (5 min)
• Public comment limited to two minutes per speaker
• Email comments accepted until 4:45 p.m. the day of the meeting at AirportCommittee@burienwa.gov.
Why residents may want to pay attention
Environmental reviews do not simply ask whether someone supports or opposes airport projects. Instead, the process is intended to identify potential impacts and determine whether concerns have been fully studied and addressed before future decisions move forward.
Residents do not need to be experts to participate in the SAMP comment process. Helpful comments often include:
• Specific concerns such as aircraft noise, traffic, air quality, health impacts, or neighborhood effects
• How a project may affect your family, school, business, or community
• Questions you believe need answers
• Information or impacts you feel may have been overlooked
Comments can generally be submitted online, by email, by mail, or during public meetings once the comment period officially opens.
SeaTac Airport Near-Term Projects (NTPs) in the master plan include:
• Building a second terminal with 19 gates to reduce crowding, ensure more on-time flights, and generate more jobs
• Airfield updates to improve safety and efficiency
• Increased fuel storage
• Off-site air cargo facilities
• New roads to connect existing and new facilities
Residents can follow SAMP information and make comments here:
Members Discussion
Highline Journal Comment Guidelines
We believe thoughtful conversation helps communities flourish. We welcome respectful, on-topic comments that engage ideas, not individuals. Personal attacks, harassment, hateful comments, directed profanity, false claims, spam, or sharing private information aren't allowed. Comments aren't edited and may be removed if they violate these guidelines.