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Northwest Hydraulic Consultants, retained by the Airport Communities Coalition (ACC), submitted comments on the proposed modification to NPDES Permit No. WA-002465-1 for the Port of Seattle’s Sea-Tac International Airport. The letter raises two concerns: the lack of clear design criteria for stormwater flows that trigger untreated wastewater overflows under Permit Conditions S1.E and S5.B, and an inconsistency between Permit Condition S14’s stormwater detention standard and the more stringent ‘updated’ detention standards sought by Ecology as a condition of Section 401 Certification. The consultants recommend the permit be amended to include enforceable IWS system design criteria and updated detention standards for all new and retrofit construction.

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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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