SEATTLE — A new major airport in western Washington is looking more and more unlikely after Gov. Jay Inslee signed a bill that resets the study for one, with added vetoes.
“It does lift quite a burden,” said Dawn Sonntag, who founded "Stop the Airport."
As Sonntag walked along a trail steps from her Thurston County home, she reflected on a difficult year.
Sonntag lives in one of the Greenfields previously chosen as a potential site for a new airport by the Commercial Aviation Coordinating Commission (CACC).
That sight will no longer be chosen after Inslee signed a bill Monday to reset the study for a new airport. In a letter to the state House, Inslee said the new group had to fully consider expanding already existing airports throughout the state before looking at building a new one.
“We were stunned. We have been writing letters asking for this outcome since day one,” said Sonntag.
“My concern is that the analysis that’s already been done in this case for existing airports in Puget Sound has already been ruled out. So what’s left?” said Robert Hodgman, who was a lead planner for CACC as well as the airport director for Yakima Air Terminal. He agrees more public input will help the process.
Hodgman said with Seattle-Tacoma International Airport projected to reach its 56 million capacity in 2032, smaller flights will likely be cancelled.
“Many of the communities in central and eastern Washington are at great risk of losing air service all together. This is a big problem, there’s a lot at stake here,” said Hodgman.
Though it appears green fields will not be the priority, Sonntag said it’s important to stay vigilant.
“My hope and plan for the future is we form a permanent coalition for protecting the green spaces in western Washington.”
The new study group will provide progress reports yearly with the first due July of 2024. That report will highlight which airports won’t work based on military operations.