Smith Urges FAA Action on Highline Amendment Guidance

Statement

Congressman Adam Smith sent a letter to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Acting Administrator Daniel Elwell urging the agency to implement guidance in response to Section 1044 of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Smith secured this provision in the legislation to allow Highline School District to qualify for over $14 million in Airport Improvement Grant (AIP) funds that the school district was promised in 2002.

"Highline School District needs the FAA to implement guidance my amendment calls for so that the district can apply for the funding that it was promised in 2002 and that Congress clarified the FAA should provide. My hope is that the FAA acts quickly and that both Highline High School and Des Moines Elementary can finally apply for funding to finish critical construction projects that will allow the school district's students to have quiet learning environments free from distraction and noise annoyances."

Background:
Sea-Tac Airport is located in the center of Highline School District and many of the district's schools are impacted by airport noise. A 2002 Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Port of Seattle, the FAA, and Highline School District outlined noise mitigation for a number of Highline School District schools. Since the MOA was signed, the Port and the Highline School District met their portion of the funding obligation. During that time, the noise contours around the airport changed, leaving the two schools in areas where they did not qualify for the previously agreed upon funding.

The bipartisan and bicameral amendment that clarified the FAA's ability to provide the funding promised in the 2002 MOA was incorporated into the FY 2019 NDAA and was signed into law.

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