EXH0553023709

PCHBPollution Control Hearings Board of the State of Washington

am writing to protest, in the strongest possible terms, the removal of Mr. Tom Luster from his role as the Department of Ecology lead Environmental Specialist on the Port of Seattle third runway 401permit process. The apparent intrusion of politics into this very important environm.ental process raises very troubling issues and reinforces the widely held perception that inappropriate pressure is being exerted to push this project through the regulatory process. Earlier this year the Port of Seattle launched an extensive public relations campaign intended to bring pressure to bear on the Department of Ecology to issue the permits required for the third runway project. _ This campaign has included a number of questionable tactics, including: • The intervention of Trade and Economic Development Director Martha Choe - at the request of Port • "' officials - that resulted in a May 16 meeting with Governor Locke, Chief of Staff Joe Dear, yourself and Port Executive Director Mic Dinsmore to discuss the third runway permit status. • Publication of opinion colunms critical of the DOE by former Seattle Mayor Norm Rice and Bellevue developer Bob Wallace. The Rice article was authored by a local public relations company under conmact to the Port of Seattle - the same PR fn'm retained by the Port to draft letters "supposedly" from the public to the regulatory agencies in support of the project. • A secret meeting at Port offices on September the day _ the Port withdrew their 40 l certification application), between Joe…
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