December 28, 2001August 2, 2026

Review of November 2001 Natural Resource Management Plan (NRMP) for Construction of Sea-Tac Third Runway

Notes

A letter from Azous Environmental Sciences (AES) to the US Army Corps of Engineers reviewing the November 2001 Natural Resource Management Plan (NRMP) for the Port of Seattle’s proposed Third Runway construction at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The letter identifies fatal inadequacies in the Port’s wetland mitigation proposal, including mischaracterization of Vacca Farm enhancement activities as restoration, insufficient mitigation to achieve no net loss, and vague drainage channel design. AES argues the mitigation package remains inadequate to offset adverse impacts to wetlands, streams, and fisheries resources.

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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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