MUKILTEO — Just the whisper of a chance that Paine Field could be targeted for commercial air service has state lawmakers from Mukilteo and Edmonds preparing to make some noise.
A town hall meeting on the issue will be 2-4 p.m. Saturday at Harbour Pointe Middle School, 5000 Harbour Pointe Blvd., in Mukilteo.
State Sen. Paull Shin, D-Edmonds, said Tuesday the meeting is in response to a bill sponsored by Sen. David Schmidt, R-Mill Creek, which calls for $100,000 to study the feasibility of commercial air service at Paine Field airport.
People living in Mukilteo and north Edmonds fought hard in the 1990s to keep Paine Field from expanding. Converting Paine Field to commercial service was then pitched as one alternative to the construction of a controversial third runway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
Shin said he fears increased jet traffic at Paine Field would detract from the quality of life in the "pristine residential area" around the airport.
He also is worried that a change in Paine Field’s operations could put at risk the Boeing Co.’s plans for a long-term presence in Snohomish County. Boeing recently chose its Everett plant as the assembly site for the new Boeing 7E7.
Also participating in the meeting will be State Reps. Mike Cooper, D-Edmonds, and Brian Sullivan, D-Mukilteo.
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