October 21, 2002August 2, 2026

Declaration of Donald E. Weitkamp, Ph.D in support of Port’s opposition to ACC’s motion for partial summary judgment

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Fish biologist Donald E. Weitkamp declares in support of the Port of Seattle’s opposition to the Airport Communities Coalition’s motion for partial summary judgment in PCHB No. 01-160. He opines that the MPU projects and §401 Certification conditions will adequately protect water resources around Sea-Tac Airport, and that the streams adjacent to STIA have been highly altered by urban development. He also addresses fish and salmon use of STIA area creeks, concluding that salmonids are not likely to inhabit the headwater portions of Miller, Walker, Des Moines, and Gilliam Creeks near STIA.

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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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