By Gwen Davis

It’s on everyone’s mind: “You’re going to cut down 3,000 trees?! That’s crazy!"

The Port of Seattle held an emotional commission meeting on Tuesday afternoon, at the airport’s Central Auditorium. The commission discussed several items related to the airport. However, the conversation and testimony regarding the near 3,000 tree-hacking project was the beef of the meeting.
The room was packed — around 40 citizens showed. In addition to the commission members, over a dozen Port of Seattle employees attended, who both stood throughout the meeting, and were seated, scattered throughout the general audience.

A number of public officials attended the meeting, including state rep. Tina Orwell.

“As a result of fairly extensive outreach to the public, we have incorporated feedback and will notify you about the changes,” said Ted Fick, commission member, at the beginning of the meeting.

Port commissioners then discussed a number of initiatives including new signs, light rail changes and walkway improvements.

The public testimony about the trees was arousing.

State senator Karen Keiser kicked off the testimony: “I want to report, from my constituents an increasing number of complaints and expressions of anxiety and fear about their environment and their quality of life,” she said. The runway repairs, among other advancements within the past several years have been taking a toll. She talked about the tree project. “I commend you and appreciate your responsiveness to changing your approach on the trees. I do want to caution you… please think about our quality of life to our people here in King County.”

Another testifier said that airplane landing and departure changes are creating challenges regarding heightened airplane emissions. “Our trees are our only mitigation, they protect us from sound and environment,” he said.

“I’m here to talk about trust and responsibility,” another testifier said. An activist in the city, he said he recently requested information from the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration). “It goes to the issue of trust. We were originally told that the FAA made [the tree project." However, one of the FAA’s letters stated: "I want to make it clear that at this time the FAA has not said that the airport should be doing this. Based on the information we have [the is not in violation.”

The citizen said that information like this degrades trust. Why not have an environmental review, he asked? “Just because you can do something, it doesn’t mean you should. There are a lot of alternatives to save the trees. There is a lot of suspicion that there is an alternative motive for this.”

Another citizen also testified about the tree-cutting project, dubbed the Flight Corridor Safety Program. “We ask that you include additional and ample opportunities for community input and that they are clearly discussed,” before the trees are cut. He also thanked the commission for funding awards it received, as well as work done regarding Sound Transit.

“I want to thank you for involving the community,” in the tree-cutting project, another testifier began. “Cutting trees breaks my heart, though sometimes it is necessary and if it is, I ask you keep [the trees Memorial Drive.” She said she would also like to take each of the commission members on a drive in Memorial Drive to point out how it needs to be restored. “We need a place in the community to give a place to folks who gave their lives for this country,” she said.

Yet another citizen asked the commission to “postpone” the first phase of the tree-cutting project. “We want you to do an [environmental on the first phase. "Deviding this project into phases does not relieve you of the responsibility to bypass the,” she said.

Another citizen, with an environmental group said, “there is no way to run an airport to protect our children’s rights without cutting emissions by 10 percent,” he said. “Our chances for improving life for our children is becoming unmanageable… These trees, especially trees in urban areas are precious. We’re taking away our kids’ ability to breath so more trees can fly around. That’s a crime against humanity.”

“I am speaking for the trees,” another citizen said. “Trees over 30 years old is the average age of trees in our neighborhood and that’s when they start to give back their value,” she said. “We need to keep the older ones,” since they provide the most health benefits. “Our health is physical, economical and emotional. We don’t have to do the old way of doing things — cutting everything. The necessity and benefit of trees has been well known.” She read a piece of writing from the Duwamish culture, which articulated how trees vitally improved children’s health.

“The age of the trees are very much being considered,” commission member Fred Felleman responded to her testimony.

"It doesn’t look like the FAA requires trees to be cut at all", another testifier said. She stated that not doing an environmental review for phase one is unusual and unnecessary. She also said that it would be nice for the Port to have all their documentation in one, transparent place for community members to see. “This is inappropriate,” she said. Additionally, the Port should go to the private property owners to ask for permission to cut down their trees before it goes ahead with the three-year project. “This gives me a lot of angst,” she said.

4th grader Theo Faloona testified* (see his prepared comments below), and said he is Climate Justice Ambassador with an organization called Plant For The Planet. “These trees provide a large part in blocking sound, which is already very loud.” The youth said he plays baseball in the area. "This unjust plan will impact me and everyone else. The trees can’t speak for themselves, that’s why I’m here.”

The young person’s testimony received a round of applause.

Another citizen said the reason why the trees are being cut in the fist place is to make money. However, residents don’t care about the Port’s profits — they care about their personal health and physical wellbeing. He said the tree-cutting project is similar to Flint, Michigan’s situation with the government allowing the drinking water to be poisoned, just because it was economically advantageous to politicians. “If you really care about us, you’ll really care about all aspects of our society,” he said.

Felleman responded that the Port needs to readdress its mission statement.

The commission heard more testimony, and discussed other agenda items.

*Theo Faloona's prepared remarks:
"Thank you for letting me have this opportunity to tell you what I think about re-evaluating the tree removal. My name is Theo Paz Faloona. I am a Climate Justice Ambassador with Plant For The Planet, a non-profit organization started 9 years ago by a fourth grader in Germany which has now spread to 193 different countries.

As a Climate Justice Ambassador, one of the main things that I do is help plant trees to capture C02. So, one of the things I do not want is trees cut down, especially these large trees which capture much more C02 than the smaller trees that will be planted. These trees provide a good sound buffer to the neighborhoods around Seatac Airport. I played a baseball game in the SeaTac area and the trees play a large part in blocking the sound, which is already VERY loud.

If you cut these remarkable trees it will be against your current goal to be the greenest Port in North America.

So, this environmentally unjust plan will affect not just me, but truly everybody on earth.

The trees can’t speak for themselves, that’s why I’m here. Thank you."