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Declaration of Robert Sheckler, Mayor Pro Tem and City Councilmember of Des Moines WA and Chair of Airport Communities Coalition (ACC) Executive Committee, filed in PCHB cases No. 01-133 and No. 01-160 in support of ACC’s reply on motion for stay of Section 401 Certification No. 1996-4-02325 and CZMA concurrency statement issued by Washington State Department of Ecology for Port of Seattle Third Runway. Sheckler attests to community stewardship of Des Moines Creek, Miller Creek, Walker Creek, Gilliam Creek, and surrounding wetlands; disputes Ecology and Port of Seattle characterizations of affected neighborhoods as neglected; argues 401 Certification lacks reasonable assurance that water quality standards will not be violated. ACC member jurisdictions include Burien, Des Moines, Federal Way, Normandy Park, Tukwila, and Highline School District.

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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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