by Christian Poulsen and the King County International Airport Community Coalition

The Duwamish River Valley is home to some of Seattle and King County’s most vibrant and diverse communities. These neighborhoods have the least amount of green spaces available to residents, the lowest regional air quality, and host one of the most polluted sites in the nation in the Lower Duwamish Waterway and Harbor Island Superfund Sites. King County International Airport-Boeing Field (KCIA) is one of the many sources of environmental pollution adjacent to these underserved and overburdened communities. Asthma rates in Georgetown and South Park are among the highest in the United States, and residents living within a mile of an airport can expect to live lives five years shorter than others, while mothers face a staggering 43% increased rate of premature birth compared to the rest of King County.