June 15, 2000August 2, 2026

EXH AR045021: FAA Letter to NMFS Transmitting Final Biological Assessment for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

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Letter dated June 15, 2000 from Lowell H. Johnson, Manager of FAA Northwest Mountain Region Airports Division, to Steve Landino, Branch Chief of the Washington State Branch of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), transmitting the Final Biological Assessment (FBA) for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (STIA) development actions under ESA section 7 consultation. The FBA evaluates effects on threatened Puget Sound Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and designated critical habitat, concluding STIA actions ‘may affect’ but are not likely to jeopardize chinook salmon or adversely modify critical habitat. The letter also addresses Magnuson-Stevens Act section 305(b) essential fish habitat (EFH) consultation for pelagic and groundfish species, concluding no adverse effect and no EFH consultation required. FAA requests formal consultation with NMFS. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers also involved. AR 045021–045022.

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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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