The Puget Soundkeeper Alliance challenged the 2003 water discharge permit issued to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, arguing that the Port of Seattle had been releasing harmful pollutants — including aircraft de-icing fluids — into Puget Sound without proper treatment or enforceable limits for nearly a decade. The group contended that Washington State's Department of Ecology improperly extended the airport's compliance deadline beyond the legally allowed 10-year period, pushing it from 2004 to 2007. The case centered on whether the permit violated both Washington State law and the federal Clean Water Act.Open full document
Notes
Pre-hearing brief submitted by Puget Soundkeeper Alliance (PSA) to the Pollution Control Hearings Board regarding the Port of Seattle’s 2003 NPDES permit for Sea-Tac Airport. PSA argues that Ecology failed to require implementation of AKART and enforceable effluent limitations for pollutants like BOD5 from deicing and anti-icing activities discharged into Puget Sound. PSA contends the 2003 permit impermissibly extends Washington State’s 10-year compliance schedule limitation to 13 years, rendering it invalid under both Washington law and the Clean Water Act.