Town hall on anti-airport efforts in Pierce County set for Jan. 13. Here are the details
Opponents of siting a major airport in rural Pierce County are hosting a town hall in Graham on Friday, Jan. 13. They expect to provide an update on ongoing efforts to prevent a two-runway facility from landing in their backyards.
The community meeting is slated from 7-9 p.m. at Graham-Kapowsin High School, 22100 108th Ave. E. People interested in attending can RSVP online.
“We will be coming together to let you know ... what actions have been taken, what we need help with, and next steps,” organizers with the Coalition Against Graham and Eatonville-Roy Airports wrote on Facebook.
The coalition has amassed nearly 7,500 members on its Facebook page. The group is encouraging those interested in attending to invite others. A coalition-organized meeting in October at Frontier Park Lodge drew roughly 200 people, including via Zoom.
With Seattle-Tacoma International Airport facing projected capacity issues near-term, the state-created Commercial Aviation Coordinating Commission is presently studying the viability of three greenfield sites for a potential new airport: two in Pierce County and another in Thurston County.
The prospective locations were chosen from a broader list of 10 in September, a decision that almost immediately was criticized by local residents and government leaders who expressed a bevy of concerns, including traffic and environmental. Expanding Snohomish County Airport (Paine Field) is also under review.
The 2019 state legislation that tasked the commission with identifying a single preferred site by June also indicated that a new airport would be operational by 2040. The heated topic is expected to be broached when the Washington legislative session begins next week.
