Notes

The Washington State Department of Ecology responds to the Airport Communities Coalition’s motion to publish deposition transcripts under CR 32(a)(2). Ecology argues the motion should be denied because ACC failed to show the depositions are admissible, the witnesses do not fall within the terms of the rule, and the motion was filed untimely on the last working day before trial. The response also argues that ACC never successfully designated witnesses under CR 30(b)(6) and that several witnesses will testify in person, making admission of depositions unnecessary.

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.

continue...

V V

Notes

Message