The League of Quiet Skies Voters this week provided summary information from multiple candidate responses to the League’s election questionnaire on airport expansion issues.

Among other things, the League questionnaire asked candidates:

How they prioritize economic growth, meeting the need for increased travel and cargo, and addressing human health and environmental impacts;
If they endorse adoption of the World Health Organization’s Environmental Noise Guidelines;
If the Port of Seattle should delay expansion until pending scientific and aviation impact studies are complete;
If they endorse the Port of Seattle Airport Neighbor Community Accords.

See the League’s questionnaire for primary candidates (including the Accords) hereÂ (PDF file). The League is processing and preparing to post all candidate responses in full, and anticipates responses will be available to the public on Friday, July 26, 2019.

Many candidates provided extensive narrative responses.

“The League is extremely grateful to each candidate that took the time to complete the questionnaire. While the trends are clear in the metrics, the League encourages voters to closely review the accompanying narrative and detailed statements provided by many of the candidates,” the League said in a written statement.

Nearly all candidates prioritized addressing human health and environmental impacts from aviation above economic growth. According to the League, only one Port candidate – incumbent Fred Felleman – and three city candidates, Jeremy Nutting of Des Moines, Susan Honda of Federal Way, and Tony Pagliocco of Federal Way, prioritized economic growth over addressing human health and environmental impacts from aviation (note that nearly all candidates provided commentary discussing their responses).

Another interesting point of differentiation – 19 of the 22 respondents supported delaying Port-planned capital improvement projects, including Sea-Tac Airport expansion, until the results of the pending University of Washington aircraft ultrafine particle emission study and the pending Department of Commerce aviation impact study are completed. Again in the minority, Port incumbent Fred Felleman did not appear to agree to a delay; Port candidate Nina Martinez stated she would consider a delay; and SeaTac candidate Mohamed Ali Egal responded to the questionnaire but did not respond to this question. Again, nearly all candidates provided commentary discussing their responses.

Also popular with the clear majority of candidates was adoption of the World Health Organization’s Environmental Noise Guidelines (17 of 22 candidates), and endorsement of the Port of Seattle Airport Neighbor Community Accords (16 of 22 candidates).

The League reported an overall candidate response rate of 36% (22/61 candidates).

Responding Candidates

Port of Seattle – 4 of 10 candidates responding (Dominic Barrera; Sam Cho; Nina Martinez; Fred Felleman)
Burien – 3 of 9 candidates responding (Kevin Schilling; Sofia Aragon; Debi Wagner)
Des Moines – 6 of 7 candidates responding (Luisa Bangs; JC Harris; Jeremy Nutting; Susan White; Rob Back; Anthony Martinelli)
Federal Way – 3 of 9 candidates responding (Susan Honda; Tony Pagliocco; Linda Kochmar)
Normandy Park – 3 of 11 candidates responding (Earnest Thompson; Shawn McEvoy; Kathleen Waters)
Seatac – 2 of 9 candidates responding (Peter Kwon; Mohamed Ali Egal)
Tukwila – 1 of 6 candidates responding (Kate Kruller)

Did Not Respond

Port of Seattle – Garth Jacobson; Jordan Lemmon; Kelly Charlton; Preeti Shridhar; Grant Degginger, Ali Scego
City of Burien – Cydney Moore; Joel Manning; Lucy Krakowiak; Charles Schaefer; Omaha Sternberg; Robert L. Richmond, III
Des Moines – Brianne Mattson
City of Federal Way – Lydia Assefa-Dawson; Rose O’Sharon (Sharry) Edwards; Lamont Styles; Mark Koppang; Jamila Taylor; Katherine Festa
City of Normandy Park – Dave Emert; Terry West; Dan Hignite; Jonathan Chicquette; Craig Daly; Michelle Sipes-Marvin; Kathleen Sherry; Sue-Ann Hohimer
City of SeaTac – Senayet Negusse; Tony Anderson; Rita Palomino Marlow; Damiana Merryweather; Stan Tombs; Takele Gobena; Erin Sitterley
City of Tukwila – Kathy Hougardy; Nancy J. Manos; Dennis Martinez; Cynthia Delostrinos Johnson; Tosh Sharp

The League will sponsor a candidate forum for Port of Seattle general-election candidates on Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2019, at the Burien Community Center, 14700 6th Ave SW, Burien, WA 98166, from 6 – 8 p.m.

About the League of Quiet Skies Voters (www.LOQSV.org)
As aircraft noise and emissions present increasing human health and environmental concerns, impact property values and public safety, and create social, economic, and environmental justice disparities, the League of Quiet Skies Voters seeks to empower voters living in the shadow of the 8^th busiest airport in the United States with the information to fully understand the risks of this expansion, the alternatives, our rights and choices, and how to engage our policymakers for change. The League was created as an association of regional citizen-led groups including: