In our last episode (This Airport Discount), we talked about how lower property values are the uncomfortable 'bargain' we all get by living under the flight path. This time, we use the end of year as an excuse to take a break, give people some word on what we're doing in 2026, shamelessly ask for support to cover our costs. And also respond a variety of questions--and save Paula from re-typing the same answers over and over! Topics Section 8810 SeaTac Blog articleThe Airport DiscountA-We...

In our last episode (This Will Never End), we talked about a stat most people miss: 1.6%. Although passengers have more than doubled, over the past 25 years, flights have only increased 1.6%. The airport obsesses over passengers because passengers are money. They talk far less about operations because that is the noise and pollution. This time, we talk about another cognitive disconnect: property values vs. affordability, aka 'the airport discount'. Over the years, many people concerned about...

In our last episode (The Airport Director's Dad Joke), we talked about the truth that all airports are really ongoing construction projects. They are built, from the ground up, by the express will of congress, to grow. This time, we focus on a stat most people miss: 1.6%. Although passengers have more than doubled over the past 25 years, flights have only increased 1.6%. The airport obsesses over passengers because passengers are money. They talk far less about operations because that is the ...

In our last episode (A-Weighted), we talked about just one of the ways noise is misrepresented to the public. Even the way it is measured misleads decision makers (and the public) as to how bad it is–using a system that depicts flights only a few hundred feet from the runway with the same numbers as routine yard work tasks. This time we talk about a related topic, something that will sting: the main reason we keep losing. Airport communities have never really agreed on what winning means–unle...

Last week told the crazy story of Tagamet to describe something economists call perverse incentives--how people can waste so much money addressing a problem in the wrong way, you can't even get research money to figure out how to address it in the right way. In another episode, we described No Data, No Problem. How industries slow walk research for decades by saying we can't fix it until we get better research. We've received some comments telling us these ideas are too abstract. So, this wee...

We open this week's episode by talking about how little information sharing there ever really is among any airport community. Even candidate forums on airport issues here are now semi-private! More broadly, we are not alone with airport expansions. But on the plus side, more and more, we're noticing other airport communities using our resources. Which is great! Traditionally, few airport communities share information--except on very broad federal legislation that never goes anywhere. To...

Last week we talked about how the SAMP EA can say that the air quality is within standards. There was this (brief) 'golden age' of NEPA where you could get pollutants reviewed and problems fixed. It made dramatic improvements to the environment and public health. This week, we start providing some history on the Sea-Tac Communities Plan, our 'golden age' following the second runway. And how that rapidly fell apart. The STCP was passed before the dawn of what you now call DNL65. It established...

Last week we answered a series of questions from the previous week. (We get many of the same questions every week.) Host JC came across the book Particles of Truth at a recent UWDEOHS seminar on community air quality projects. Researchers were enthusiastic about it and after reading it, we can understand why. Particles of Truth provides a history of resarch on PM2.5 particles -- the last addition to the list of criteria pollutants in 1997. The book discusses the challenges faced in gett...