September 25, 2001August 2, 2026

EXH AR012942: Declaration of James L. Morasch in Support of Port Of Seattle Third Runway, PCHB 01-133

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Declaration of James L. Morasch, Director of Airports for the Port of Pasco, filed in PCHB case No. 01-133 (Airport Communities Coalition v. Department of Ecology and Port of Seattle). Morasch supports the new all-weather third runway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac). States Sea-Tac is the #1 destination for Tri-Cities Airport passengers, accounting for 47% of annual passenger traffic; 172,494 passengers in 1996 and 196,860 in 2000 traveled between the Tri-Cities and Sea-Tac. Argues third runway will reduce delays at Tri-Cities Airport caused by Sea-Tac bad-weather operations, and that a stay would cause substantial injury to Tri-Cities businesses and citizens. Morasch is past President of Washington Airport Manager Association, past President of Northwest Chapter of AAAE, Second Vice Chairperson of National AAAE, and Chairperson of Small Airports Committee for Airports Council International. Filed by Foster Pepper & Shefelman PLLC.

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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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