Dear Friends,

Sometimes life gets overwhelming. There are many special interests that compete with each other and for our time. It is a challenge to keep up. The possibility of locating an airport in Pierce County is one of those challenges. Yesterday, the Council and the Executive were unanimous in agreeing that a national airport is not feasible in Pierce County.
 
This e-letter is to share a quick update on the airport issue that has many of you, including me, concerned with our property…our future…all that we have dreamed of…planned for…and labored for, should the legislature determine to put an airport in Pierce County.
 
I truly believe the Commercial Aviation Coordinating Commission (CACC) was not given pertinent information regarding the lack of infrastructure or the environmental constraints in the two Pierce County sites. To address that, I am pleased to share that the Pierce County Council and the County Executive signed a letter informing the CACC of the obstacles they may not have been aware of. 
 
Below is the content of the letter sent yesterday:

Re: Airport Site Selection Study - Greenfield Site Evaluation

Dear Chair F,

Pierce County is writing to express its strong objection to the inclusion of greenfield sites Pierce County Central and Pierce County East on the short list of new primary airport locations. Development of either of these greenfield sites faces significant infrastructure and environmental barriers, as well as other challenges, and Pierce County requests that these sites be eliminated from further consideration.

Both greenfield sites are in the rural area, approximately five miles outside Pierce County’s Urban Growth Area, and do not have the infrastructure capable of supporting an airport. For 30 years Pierce County has complied with the requirements of the Growth Management Act and limited its infrastructure investments primarily to the Urban Growth Area consistent with state law. The transportation, sewer, and water infrastructure necessary to support the contemplated airport simply does not exist and there are no plans to provide this infrastructure in the future. Both sites are also outside the boundaries of the Public Transportation Benefit Area and no transit service is available or planned for the sites. Providing the required infrastructure is likely cost prohibitive and brings with it concerns regarding development and growth outside the Urban Growth Area.

The two greenfield sites also face serious environmental challenges. For example, both sites sit on top of the Central Pierce County Aquifer and are critical aquifer recharge areas. This aquifer is the main source of drinking water for many Pierce County communities. Both sites are also in the Nisqually River Watershed and WRIA 11 with both the Mashel River and Muck Creek providing critical salmon habitats. Locating the proposed facilities in these areas has the potential to adversely affect aquifer recharge and to generate pollutants that could compromise groundwater quality. The proposed use also has the potential to generate pollutants that could adversely affect local salmon populations including those with a federal status of “threatened”. Other serious environmental challenges with both sites also exist.

Given the challenges inherent with either Pierce County Central or Pierce County East sites, we respectfully request that both sites be removed from further consideration as locations for a future primary airport.

We will be asking for a presentation to the Council from the Commission. The current report with their recommendations by the CACC Is to be given to the legislature in a few days. CACC is scheduled to meet again in February and will submit their final recommendation to the legislature by June 15, 2023. Your support in protecting our properties and livelihoods is most appreciated.
 
Grateful for you!