Dent issues statement on new airport siting bill that passes state House

The Washington State House of Representatives passed legislation before the house of origin cutoff that would replace the Commercial Aviation Coordinating Commission (CACC) established in 2019 to recommend possible locations for a new airport.

House Bill 1791 would replace the CACC and appoint a work group to provide a comprehensive look at new and existing airport sites in Washington.

13th District Rep. Tom Dent, a co-sponsor of the legislation, issued the following statement regarding the passage of HB 1791.

“The CACC established in 2019, didn’t have enough time to do a thorough review of what they set out to accomplish. COVID played a role, but the commission was also lacking adequate resources and did not provide enough outreach and notice to those who could have been impacted.

“This new, strong bipartisan piece of legislation is the culmination of hours and hours of work. The new workgroup will involve more stakeholders, take a closer look at environmental and infrastructure considerations, and the strengths and weaknesses of each site.

“With the Sea-Tac International Airport having no facilities plan to meet demand forecast beyond 2027, and regional aviation demand forecasted to double by 2050, it is imperative we move forward on addressing our airport and overall transportation needs immediately.”

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Washington State House Republican Communications
houserepublicans.wa.gov