October 21, 2002August 2, 2026

EXH AR015746: Direct Testimony of Kelly Whiting on Behalf of Ecology — PCHB No. 01-160 (ACC and CASE v. Ecology and Port Of Seattle)

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Direct testimony of Kelly Whiting, Engineer III at King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, submitted on behalf of the Washington State Department of Ecology in PCHB Case No. 01-160. Appellants are Airport Communities Coalition (ACC) and Citizens Against Sea-Tac Expansion (CASE); respondents are Ecology and Port Of Seattle. Whiting reviewed the Port of Seattle’s Comprehensive Stormwater Management Plan (SMP) and Low Flow Impact Analysis-Low Flow Impact Offset Facility proposal for Master Plan Update Improvements at Sea-Tac Airport (STIA). Review conducted under contract between Ecology and King County. Testimony covers HSPF-based hydrologic computer modeling, stormwater management, low flow analysis, 1998 King County Surface Water Design Manual, and Ecology’s 2001 stormwater manual update. Whiting holds a BS in Civil Engineering, University of Washington (1990), and is a licensed professional civil engineer in Washington State.

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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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