Notes

The Washington State Department of Ecology’s pre-hearing brief submitted to the Pollution Control Hearings Board regarding the Airport Communities Coalition’s appeal of Ecology’s 401 Certification for the Port of Seattle’s Master Plan Update improvements at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The brief outlines Ecology’s position that the 401 Certification was appropriately issued after extensive coordination with experts in wetlands science, hydrology, stormwater management, water quality, and toxics. Ecology argues that the ACC has failed to meet its burden of proof and that the Board should affirm Ecology’s decision.

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As the source for federal transportation grants, the Puget Sound Regional Council was charged with developing a system to meet the growing need for commercial aviation. When the search for a second airport failed, they authorized the Port of Seattle to build the Third Runway, with a mandate to develop a noise abatement and mitigation program. In their effort to stop the Third Runway, the ACC argued over every detail of the Port's efforts--including property buyouts and sound insulation. The dispute was meant to be settled by a three member Expert Arbitration Panel. This is their final report. It finds 2-1, that the Port's program was insufficient in several respects. Despite that, funding for the Third Runway was approved by the PSRC, and the 'Port Package' program, proceeded largely unchanged. Expert Arbitration Panel's final decision finding that the Port of Seattle had not shown sufficient reduction in real on-the-ground noise impacts to satisfy noise reduction conditions required for approval of a third runway at Sea-Tac International Airport. The majority decision concluded the Port's noise abatement programs were insufficient despite being impressive in scope.

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