This document explains the regulatory approval process required for filling wetlands as part of Sea-Tac Airport's third runway expansion, which requires both a federal permit under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and a state certificate under Section 401. The Port of Seattle filed its third application in October 2000 after two previous attempts failed, facing significant environmental obstacles including contaminated fill material, threats to stream flow and salmon habitat, destruction of nearly 20 acres of wetlands, flooding risks, embankment stability concerns in an earthquake-prone area, and existing pollution levels that already exceed allowable limits. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers must also weigh the public need for the project against these environmental harms, raising broader questions about whether the expansion is justified at all.Open full document
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This document explains the regulatory approval process required for filling wetlands as part of the Sea-Tac Airport third runway expansion, specifically the sec. 401 certificate from Washington State Department of Ecology and the sec. 404 permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers under the Clean Water Act. It details the history of prior failed applications and summarizes the major environmental problems including embankment fill contamination, stream flow impacts, flooding, wetland destruction, embankment stability concerns, and pollution.