From Bernie Mckinney (b.mckinney@comcast.net)

We have just learned about this proposed International Airport idea. We hope you understand the serious nature of the intentions of the FAA and our State Legislature.  Enumclaw Plateau Community Association (EPCA) a CSA sponsored by King County Local Services are rallying major pushback on this crazy idea. All of this work we have been doing at the Green River Coalition along the Soos and the Newuakum Creeks is in jeopardy. 

 Land Conservation Initiative in S.E. King County is in jeopardy.  How many millions have we spent on these thousands of acres of conservation land?

Not to mention the Green River Gorge, the majority of the farm land and all natural resources within an 8 mile radius. 

 The impact would be much much wider.

All the farm land and most of the natural areas would become pavement to accommodate warehouses,, support facilities, rental car lots, etc.etc.

Ground Zero is the Bitney Farm just east of the reservation between 400th and SE 384th. These landowners are part of our EPCA group.

EPCA  just had a meeting and attracted 60 local land owners. 

We’re rallying the people, we are non political and non faith based organization — so we are in position to organize this fight.

How can anyone, at any level justify ruining the last of the wild places in all of King County?

How can we work together on this?  We could certainly use any data you may be able to provide to help us out.

From Peter Rimbos (primbos@comcast.net)

Below please find a very good response I received this morning from PSRC to my queries about all of this and where PSRC fits. Here is what I learned from this response:

• There are two parallel efforts underway right now, both managed by WSDOT.
• The WASP work will narrow the list of options and provide same next month to the CACC, which will discuss it at its October meeting.
• The CACC provided a list of six identified sites for commercial service in February (https://wsdot.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2022-02/Commercial-Aviation-Coordinating-Commission-Report-February2022.pdf). Only one of the airports on that list was identified as having potential for additional commercial service – Paine Field. The CACC is now required to provide a list of two sites by October.
• The CACC is legislatively prohibited from recommending any sites in King County. So, unless the enabling legislation changes, the site could not be included in the list of two sites that the CACC will be voting on in October.
• While the CACC will make recommendations, support of the local site owner is needed to move forward. Per the CACC/WASP overview above: “The state cannot direct the expansion of an existing airport or construction of a new one; that authority resides with local governments.”

BTW on p. 3 of the February report cited above it states: “Although the original legislative direction was for a new, large airport site, or expanding existing airport sites, analysis indicates that meeting all of the projected demand for air transportation will require a combination of both existing airports and a new airport due to the complex capacity challenges facing Washington State.”  This is why there are two efforts underway with one being a “greenfield” site we have all seen in the presentation by the WASP Consultants at the June 23 CACC Meeting.