A new state-created committee tasked with resolving Washington’s projected aviation capacity shortage held its inaugural meeting on Thursday, July 11, at the Capital Event Center in Tumwater.
The Commercial Aviation Work Group (CAWG), while evidently the heir apparent to the defunct Commercial Aviation Coordinating Commission (CACC), officially is a separate entity from its predecessor. In 2022, the CACC had designated a location in central Thurston County as one of three potential sites for a Sea-Tac International Airport-size facility.
CAWG’s website states, “The Commercial Aviation Work Group is separate from the Commercial Aviation Coordinating Commission.
“The Commercial Aviation Work Group has different members and a different mission. The Commercial Aviation Work Group will use the previous information found during the Commercial Aviation Coordinating Commission as a baseline of information to continue their work.”
The meeting, which lasted for several hours, included time for the CAWG members to introduce themselves, hear their charge from the state legislature, and discuss their next steps and plans.
Community members had a 20-minute window to provide comment (a maximum of two minutes per person), open to those in physical attendance at the meeting and those observing it online via Zoom.
Ann Richart, Director of Aviation for the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), led the initial portion of the meeting, including public comment, member introductions, and an explanation of the group’s scope. She then turned the meeting over to the group members and answered their questions as needed.
The challenge the new group faced in diving into their work was the fact that only 11 of the 19 seats on the committee have been filled so far. Eight members were present in person, and another two attended virtually. They agreed that they cannot accomplish much with nearly half the vacant positions.
Washington Governor Jay Inslee’s office appoints the voting board members, and each position includes certain requirements. The following individuals are CAWG members, with their CAWG position and profession.
Reuben and Krauter attended the meeting via Zoom, while the others attended in person. The governor’s website lists one more appointed member, Jason Waldo, Eastern Washington citizen rep, but he was not at the meeting; nor is he listed on the CAWG website.
The ten members attending the meeting agreed that they could take very little action while nearly half the seats remain vacant. They voted to schedule the next meeting for Thursday, October 3, at the same location, the Capital Event Center, expecting the governor’s office to appoint the remaining members before then.
The following positions remain vacant:
Citizen representatives “must represent the public interests in the communities that are included in the work group's site research and understand the impacts of a large commercial aviation facility on a community,” according to the board’s profile.
While the governor’s office appoints the voting members, the current members may recommend people. Crank volunteered to organize efforts to nominate members to the remaining positions in the group.
Individuals who meet the above-stated qualifications may apply for vacant positions at the governor’s website.
In discussing the vacancies, Taft asked if people are not applying. Several members of the public immediately said that yes, they or people they know have applied but were not appointed. Taft remarked that it is “surprising that there is no environmentalist on the committee.”
As for accomplishing business at the first meeting, Taft observed, “We're here as half a group, skewed toward aviation. It doesn’t seem right to move forward when we don’t have the entire group together.”
He stated, “We’re in limbo until we have a chair and all the members. We need to get the team and the process together. We don’t know when these people will be appointed. There’s no clue when the governor will appoint them.”
Not only are many of the positions vacant, but Richart noted that some of the members’ terms have already expired. “Gov. Inslee intends to reappoint them for a full three-year term,” she reassured the CAWG. Riordan, Oris, and Mueller all had been tagged with June 30, 2024, term expiration dates, but Richart said that the instruction from the governors’ office was to have them stay with the group, and the governor would see to their reappointment.
In addition to the 19 voting members, the committee will include non-voting members, which the CAWG will invite. They include the following.
In addition to deciding on the next meeting time and location, the committee unanimously elected Nordby interim chair until the full group meets and elects a chair. He will start working on a draft for a charter for the CAWG, and Riordan volunteered to help with the endeavor.
A tentative agenda for the next meeting includes discussing the draft charter, non-voting members, a military air safety person from McChord Air Force Base, and a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for consultants.
Krauter urged, “We want to be clear about media inquiries; we should defer them to WashDOT. Members and the interim chair shouldn’t be making statements to the media.” The group members concurred, although no formal vote was taken.
An important issue under consideration is the group’s first progress report, due to the state government on December 1. Annually reports will be due on that date thereafter. Given that the group is still awaiting appointment of nearly half its members and the next meeting is scheduled for October, the CAWG members observed that the first report may have to be limited to something such as the board, non-voting members, and charter have been established. Or if the governor’s office does not get all the appointments made, it might even be a statement that “we don’t have a fully constituted board yet.”
To stay up to date on the Commercial Aviation Work Group, keep an eye on its website. Members of the public are welcome to submit comments to the CAWG contact page, and they may submit questions via email.
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BobJacobs
This study represents a huge threat to our quality of life here in Thurston County. A commercial airport like SEATAC would transform our county, and not for the better. And this has been and continues to be a possibility as this group proceeds.
Thanks to JOLT for making this issue public. The state has apparently tried to keep it "under the radar".
A good first step would be for all of us to demand that our local elected bodies take a firm stand in opposition to a major airport being located in our county. This includes the County Commissioners, the Port Commissioners, and the city councils.
Bob Jacobs
Wednesday, July 24 Report this
JanWitt
To address a projected future commercial aviation capacity deficiency at SeaTac Airport (as well as to accommodate the current trend of unfettered growth in general aviation - including ever-increasing numbers of corporate, private, recreational users) the new Aviation Work Group has been directed to "explore a variety of transportation strategies that may include the creation or expansion of other airports".
The Olympia Airport was specifically identified during meetings of that previous (now disbanded) Commercial Aviation Coordinating Commission as an existing airport having potential to accommodate commercial passenger and cargo operations.
A new Master Plan Update for the Olympia Airport is currently being prepared. That Update outlines plans to accommodate commercial service at the airport as well as increased general aviation activity (via plans for a new passenger terminal, 400 parking spaces and room for more, an aircraft deicing facility, a new turf runway and more aircraft hangers to accommodate private users, etc.)
While promoting airport growth, Olympia Airport officials have stated that local citizens have no control over where aircraft fly, over numbers or types of aircraft that utilize the airport or over hours of operation.
The Olympia Airport is an urban airport. Flight paths go directly over nearby residential neighborhoods, schools and parks to the north as well as a State Park, wildlife preserves and farms to the south. Increased aircraft flights in Thurston County - either due to a new airport or expansion of the existing Olympia Airport - would bring significant adverse impacts, including increased noise and air pollution, serious public health risks, depreciation of residential property values (particularly under ever-increasing numbers of flight paths) and diminished quality of life. An expanded Olympia Airport or a new mega airport here would undermine years of climate mitigation planning and change the character of our communities.
Plans for a new airport in Thurston County or for an expanded Olympia Airport should be opposed. More sustainable alternatives must be explored and promoted - including expanded rail service and life-style changes.
Wednesday, July 24 Report this
TomBoucher
Thank you JOLT for monitoring this. I just subscribed to the CAWG newsletter. I hope that a major airport never occurs. More traffic to the existing one could make sense to me, if accompanied by a light rail extension from SeaTac to here. Given what I've heard are broken promises about the level of use of the extra runway at SeaTac, my suspicion will unfortunately remain high.
Wednesday, July 24 Report this
FirstOtter
Last year, about 60 of us citizens, many who live next to the regional ailrport, met with the Port in their chambers. We said we do NOT want an expansion of runways, we do NOT want a expanded airport, we do NOT want over 600 departures and landings every day at the airport. The commissioners stated that that number was wrong, whereupon one of us read it verbatim from their own report/plan.
The entire time we were there..and we were all polite and civil...their expressions were that of Oh god not you bunch of ninnies. There was plenty of eye rolling and heavy sighs from the Commission, they were Very Tired of us.
They merely tolerated us, probably because the proceedings was being recorded. They have NO intention of listeing to us. They are going to ram this mega airport..for that is what is..up our backends and expect us to pay for it. We will have NO say in the number of flights. We will be like SeaTac in King County...living underneath a large commercial airport, serving corporations like Amazon, and tough rocks if we don't like it.
The entire Port of Olympia needs to be disbanded and the Port, the airport, and the outholdings the Port has should be returned to us, the taxpayer.
Wednesday, July 24 Report this
Boatyarddog
I do not agree on All comments of First Otters BUT i 100% Agree with this comment.
The Question remains SO, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT THIS! A Commerical Airport would be A Disaster to THURSTON COUNTIES way of life.
It is NOT Wanted.
Some SERIOUS PROTESTS NEED TO BE ORGANIZED.
Friday, July 26 Report this
UrsulaEuler
Ports do not represent the interests of the general public any more. And, expansion of commercial aviation is simply incompatible with climate cooling needs and goals. It does not matter how much propaganda the aviation industry and high elected officials put out there about "sustainable" aviation fuels, and electric flying, continued combustion-engine-flying growth is simply going to outpace whatever little progress clean flying can make in real life. Who wants to work on legislation that begins to define realistics steps how to dismantle a port? What a prime location the Olympia airport would be for housing and a livable community. Just saying. And the Olympia General aviation services could perhaps be moved?
Regarding the CAWG itself: I read in this article that: "Krauter urged, “We want to be clear about media inquiries; we should defer them to WashDOT. Members and the interim chair shouldn’t be making statements to the media.” The group members concurred, although no formal vote was taken." Is that free speech? I figured they would do this. CAWG members should be able to make statements to whomever they like, as long as they are respectful and factual. That is what I understand to be a constitutional right.
Friday, July 26 Report this