June 14, 2001August 2, 2026

Draft Meeting Notes: Low Flow Analysis, 401 Permit Decision-Making, Sea-Tac International Airport Third Runway

Notes

Draft meeting notes from a June 14, 2001 technical meeting regarding the low flow analysis for the Sea-Tac International Airport Third Runway 401 Permit decision-making process. The meeting addressed additional technical issues raised by the Washington Department of Ecology, including out-of-basin groundwater transfers to Walker Creek, Des Moines Creek calibration, embankment infiltration documentation, and water availability for reserve vaults. Action items were identified for follow-up work affecting groundwater flow evaluations.

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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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