
The Airport Communities Coalition (ACC) filed a motion with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals requesting permission to submit a legal brief that exceeds the standard 14,000-word limit, seeking to file one of 15,195 words instead. The case challenges the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' approval of the Sea-Tac Airport Third Runway Project, one of the largest public works projects in Washington state history, involving the importation of over 23 million cubic yards of fill material. ACC argued the extra length was necessary due to the extreme complexity of the case, which spans a 100,000-page administrative record and raises multiple legal issues under the Clean Water Act and NEPA.Open full document
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Airport Communities Coalition (ACC) moves the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals for leave to file a principal brief of 15,195 words, exceeding the standard 14,000-word limit under FRAP 32(a)(7)(B)(i). ACC argues the overlength brief is necessary due to the complexity of the Sea-Tac Airport Third Runway Project, which involves a 100,000-page Corps of Engineers administrative record and multiple highly technical issues including water quality, wetlands, and NEPA compliance. The motion covers four main issues: water quality certification, arbitrary permit conditions, need and public interest analysis, and supplemental NEPA documentation.