October 21, 2002August 2, 2026

EXH AR015700: Direct Testimony of Katie Walter on Behalf of Ecology — PCHB No. 01-160 (ACC v. Ecology & Port Of Seattle)

Notes

Direct testimony of Katie Walter, senior principal wetland scientist at Shannon & Wilson, Inc., submitted on behalf of the Washington State Department of Ecology in PCHB No. 01-160, Airport Communities Coalition and Citizens Against Sea-Tac Expansion v. State of Washington Department of Ecology and Port Of Seattle. Walter reviews the Port Of Seattle’s Natural Resources Mitigation Plan (NRMP) for the proposed Third Runway and Master Plan Update. Testimony addresses 2:1 wetland mitigation ratio, no net loss of wetland functions, riparian wetland restoration in Miller Creek, Walker Creek, and Des Moines Creek, salmon habitat restoration, stream buffers, waterfowl habitat exclusion due to bird strike hazards, and 401 Certification permit conditions. AR 015700–015702.

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