Aircraft Noise Abatement Legislation on Governor’s Desk

GREAT NEWS – HB 1847 Aircraft Noise Abatement PASSED!

Beacon Hill scores a palpable victory with the passage of HB 1847. The bill removes the geographic limit to allow Beacon Hill in Seattle to be eligible for aircraft noise abatement. It is now on Governor Jay Inslee’s desk for his signature. Kudos to our community members in Beacon Hill and Federal Way who actively communicated the need and importance of HB 1847’s passage!

Why this Victory is Important
Communities across the nation continue to experience an increased and disproportionate share of noise and other environmental impacts stemming from commercial aviation. Beacon Hill is directly under the flight path, and 70% of inbound flights go over our heads. The noise is disruptive and bad for our health. There are many low-income families, including elderly who live in our Beacon Hill neighborhood. This bill will help relieve this unjust burden.

Mil gracias!
This legislation has been a long time coming. Beacon Hill’s activism on air and noise pollution has been continuous because of its direct location under the flight path.

Our heartfelt thanks to House Representative Mike Pellicciotti for introducing the bill and Representatives Tina Orwall, Mia Gregerson, Kristine Reeves, and Sharon Tomiko Santos for co-sponsoring the bill. On the Senate side, our thanks to Senator Bob Hasegawa for getting the bill on the list for a Senate vote, Senator Karen Kaiser and Senator Claire Wilson for their leadership, and to Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig and Senate Floor Leader Senator Marko Liias for putting it to vote. Most of all, our thanks to our House and Senate representatives who voted for HB 1847.

A special gracias to fellow community members who contacted their representatives in support of past mitigation bills for air and noise pollution, Sheila Brush, and Maria Batayola. For questions and additional detail, contact Maria Batayola, volunteer Environmental Justice Coordinator at El Centro de la Raza via email at mbatayola@elcentrodelaraza.org.

Next steps
Please note an HB 1847 celebration is being planned with a briefing by U.S. Representative Adam Smith on his Airport-Impacted Communities Act on Monday, April 6, at 6 PM at the Centilia Gathering Center to allow for social distancing. Community members can choose to participate either in-person or online. The event may be conducted entirely online depending on the emerging developments of the Novel COVID-19 virus. More details to come. Click to read how we are responding to COVID-19.