Notes

Attachment B table summarizing wetland acreage impacts by wetland function, associated with AR034994. Lists nine wetland functions including Resident/Anadromous Fish (8.6 acres), Passerine Birds (14.9 acres), Waterfowl (1.9 acres), Amphibians (9.8 acres), Small Mammals (13.2 acres), Exports Organic Matter (10.9 acres), Ground Water Exchange (13.0 acres), Flood Storage (4.6 acres), and Nutrient/Sediment Trapping (16.3 acres). Wetlands assessed include those on a golf course and Vacca Farm. Functional ratings use a low-moderate threshold; impact acreage included if rated greater than low. References surface water connections to streams or channels, groundwater discharge observations, floodplains, shallow depressions, and shrub/forest cover in wetland buffers.

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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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