[EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is a Letter to the Editor, written by a Reader. It does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The B-Town Blog nor its staff:]
I’m writing to tell all Des Moines residents about a very important public meeting with the Port Of Seattle at Highline College on Monday, September 10 at 5:30 p.m.
At this meeting, the Port will explain something you may not be aware of: The Sustainable Airport Master Plan or ‘SAMP’. In one sentence, The SAMP is the Port’s plan to build infrastructure to accommodate projected growth of up to 500 extra planes PER DAY by 2027. That’s almost 50% growth in less than 10 years. In private, the Port has acknowledged that they may reach that goal even faster. Now the Port Of Seattle is required by both State and Federal law to inform the public and get your comments as part of a review process. This process is meant to insure that their plans will impact us as little as possible.
I am pretty sure that you are not happy at the thought of even more flights over your head every day. In fact, I’m pretty sure you already think there are far too many planes going over your head every day! And you’re right. It’s out of control. Totally. Out. Of. Control.
So I cannot stress enough how important it is that YOU SHOW UP for this meeting. The single most effective thing you can do to limit or even prevent this expansion is simply to show up. Really. The one thing that the Port does not want is a big public outcry and so they have made every effort to do only the absolute minimum of informing the public about the SAMP.
Do your research. You can get a very informative one page flyer created by Quiet Skies Puget Sound by clicking here: http://seatacnoise.info/wp-content/uploads/2018.08.17-flyer-samp-scoping-v4.pdf. And you can learn a LOT more about the issues of noise and pollution at http://seatacnoise.info and the Quiet Skies page on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/quietskiespugetsound/
Now, you may be asking yourself “Well if it’s so important, then why hasn’t the City Of Des Moines told me about it?” Good question. The SAMP did not just spring up overnight. In fact, it’s been in the planning stages for several years. So I am confused and angry that such an important issue is not being talked about by your City Government. A lot. Everyone in the city should at least be aware of the SAMP by now because the effects of 500 new planes over our heads every day (and that also means more flights AT NIGHT) will be HUGE. Just think about how much worse the noise has gotten since 2012. It’s going to be that many more flights on top of the current noise and pollution.
Perhaps the City is working on the issue behind closed doors. But regardless of whatever they may or may not be doing, I have to say it again: There is NO legal or bureaucratic action in the world that can take the place of you making your presence felt. Even if you don’t say a word, just packing that meeting with concerned residents will send the fear of God through the Port. The very last thing they want is an actively engaged public.
I don’t want to gas on too much longer, but I also hope that once you attend this meeting, you will continue to support this issue and the people in the area who have been working so hard on your behalf. We can win this thing. But we cannot do it without you. But I want to be clear: this issue will never go away. The Port Of Seattle will always be wanting to expand. And your city government needs to know that you want them to not just fight The SAMP today, but keep working year after year to control the airport and help make Des Moines quieter and less polluted. We have one of the most beautiful cities in the region. But we’ve seen how much it’s deteriorated as a result of the airport’s growth and our lack of effort. We need to push back. Now. And keep pushing back for as long as it takes, until they get the message. Tell the Port Of Seattle that you care about this issue. And then tell your city council that you care about this issue even more.
So go get your flyer at http://seatacnoise.info/wp-content/uploads/2018.08.17-flyer-samp-scoping-v4.pdf. Check out the websites for http://seatacnoise.info and Quiet Skies Puget Sound on Facebook.
Offer to volunteer (we desperately need people to knock on doors and pass out flyers throughout the city.)
Or leave your comments on the Port’s SAMP page: https://sampenvironmentalreview.org/more-information/#how-you-can-participate
And above all: SHOW UP!
I will see you at Highline College on Monday, September 10th at 5:30 p.m.
– JC Harris
Des Moines
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