September 11, 2000August 2, 2026

EXH AR017488: Internal Email — Clean Fill Criteria Language for 401 Water Quality Certification on Sea-Tac Third Runway

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Internal email exchange between Peter Kmet and Kevin Fitzpatrick (Supervisor, Industrial Permit Unit, Water Quality Program, NWRO) dated September 11, 2000, regarding Clean Fill Criteria language for the 401 Water Quality Certification on the Sea-Tac Third Runway project. Document marked ‘Deliberative Document Currently Exempt From Public Disclosure.’ Kmet comments on draft certification conditions E6 (borrow sites), E7c.2.(b) (Confirmed & Suspected Contaminated Sites Report, EPA databases), and E7c.2.(e) (fill material analysis for TPH and Priority Pollutants metals, MTCA Method A and Method B soil cleanup levels, WAC 173-340-740). Discusses problems with referencing MTCA Method A standards (unrestricted vs. industrial soils, standards being revised), critique of Method B ‘100 X Groundwater’ standard, environmental professional requirements, and as-built reporting for fill placement locations. AR 017488-017490.

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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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