July 3, 2001August 2, 2026

Follow-Up Response to Port Of Seattle Response to 401/404 Comments, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

Notes

Water Resources Consulting LLC, engaged by the Airport Communities Coalition, responds to the Port of Seattle’s April 30, 2001 reply to earlier 401/404 permit comments regarding stormwater management at Sea-Tac Airport. The document challenges Port claims about impervious area increases, hydrologic divide changes affecting Miller, Des Moines, and Walker Creeks, and the effectiveness of biofiltration swales for pollutant removal. Technical literature is cited to dispute the Port’s assertion that bioswales adequately remove soluble metals and other contaminants from airport runoff.

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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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