February 29, 2000August 2, 2026

Summary of Evidence Demonstrating the Absence of Impacts to Miller and Des Moines Creeks from STIA Stormwater

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A draft memorandum from Parametrix, Inc. to Keith Smith summarizing testing and monitoring of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (STIA) stormwater to demonstrate that it does not impact aquatic life in Miller and Des Moines Creeks. The memo covers three categories of evidence: Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) testing on SDS outfalls, Water Effect Ratio (WER) range-finding studies for copper toxicity, and metals monitoring during a January 1999 storm event. Results indicate that three of four outfalls tested show no acute toxicity, copper concentrations fall below water quality criteria in receiving waters, and WERs demonstrate significant mitigation of copper toxicity by creek water chemistry.

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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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