Snohomish County’s Paine Area has the best financial influence of any airport within the state, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation. In 2019, Paine Area had a yearly financial influence of almost $60 billion and accounted for over 150,000 jobs. That 12 months, the airport additionally began usually scheduled industrial service by the privately owned passenger terminal. A well-run and rising Paine Area is vital for financial growth. Our aerospace cluster is the crown jewel of our area’s financial system.
As world demand for air journey reaches all-time highs, I’m excited to look to Paine Area’s way forward for innovation and expanded industrial service.
Seattle-Tacoma Worldwide Airport had a document of almost 53 million passengers in 2024. In the event you’ve visited the airport lately, you probably seen the lengthy traces and stress that include capability challenges. Whereas progress in air journey is encouraging for our area’s aerospace trade, it additionally highlights the problem we face in assembly future demand and decreasing aviation-related carbon emissions. Right this moment, aviation is accountable for almost 3% of all world emissions, however by 2050 it might account for nearly 23% if unmitigated.
Thankfully, these challenges result in alternative at Paine Area (additionally recognized by its code, PAE). It’s a possibility that may profit our complete area and state if we will seize the second.
Paine Area’s first 12 months of passenger service noticed almost one million vacationers. The pandemic severely disrupted that progress trajectory, however with the latest announcement that Frontier Airways will be part of Alaska in working flights out of Paine Area, we anticipate to quickly return to that stage of service. Our Airport Grasp Plan, adopted final 12 months, initiatives demand of as much as 3 million passengers by 2035 and over 4 million by 2040. This helps take up some regional demand whereas conserving our progress modest.
However we have to act. The time is now for us to start significantly making ready for that progress.
On Might 20, I issued an order to research, plan and put together for infrastructure and neighborhood wants related to industrial terminal growth past the prevailing three gates at PAE. Right this moment, solely 3% of runway capability is being utilized at Paine Area. Carried out thoughtfully with neighborhood enter, cautious planning and powerful monetary accountability, we will increase to assist commerce, create jobs and meet passenger journey calls for to assist our county, state, and the Pacific Northwest develop and thrive.
On the identical time, there’s an pressing want for clear, sustainable aviation fuels to turn out to be extensively accessible. Within the subsequent 20 years, greater than 24,000 new plane will likely be wanted to satisfy demand. By 2050, 200 billion gallons of gasoline will likely be wanted for industrial aviation, whereas SAF accounts for lower than one-half of 1% of jet gasoline manufacturing right now.
I consider Snohomish County and Washington would be the world chief in SAF analysis, growth and innovation.
We have now been working towards the planning and design of a first-of-its-kind SAF analysis and growth heart. With assist from the state of Washington, Washington State College, Boeing, Alaska Airways and others, Snohomish County plans to construct an SAF testing and qualifying facility on 8 acres of land at Paine Area. Constructing on 50 years of native aerospace manufacturing and innovation, this heart will permit for large-scale testing that’s unavailable and cost-prohibitive right now and can assist firms convey new sustainable fuels to market.
We consider SAF would be the sustainable answer for aviation for the following 70-plus years. It can profit rural areas with vital woody particles that may be a supply for domestically produced fuels. This trade will yield billions of {dollars} of financial influence. If we will transfer shortly to safe our world place as a pacesetter for SAF, it may be as transformative to our area because it was when Boeing opened its Everett manufacturing unit in 1967.
Additionally on Might 20, Gov. Bob Ferguson signed a state funds that features $10 million for our SAF heart, additionally securing a separate $10 million matching donation from a personal household basis.
It has been an incredible month for information round Paine Area Airport. I feel we’re poised for a really vibrant and clear future.
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