October 16, 2000August 2, 2026

Clarifications Regarding Issue of Changing Scope of Agreed Order to Include Cleanup Actions or a CAP

Notes

A memo from Roger Nye to Steve Alexander at NWRO clarifying the history of Ecology’s agreement with the Port of Seattle regarding cleanup actions at Sea-Tac Airport. It describes the background of the Agreed Order for a groundwater evaluation and pollution prevention activities, including a risk-based presumptive remedy scenario known as the ‘side letter.’ The memo also notes that the Agreed Order contains no language regarding remedial actions if the evaluation demonstrated a risk needing to be addressed.

Sidebar On/Off

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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