June 13, 2001August 2, 2026

EXH AR017301: Email on Acceptable Fill Criteria Language for Draft 401 Certification — MTCA Requirements for Sea-Tac Airport Third Runway

Notes

Internal deliberative email from Chung K. Yee to Kevin Fitzpatrick (cc: Craig E. Thompson, Curtis A. Dahlgren, Tim Nord), dated June 13, 2001, regarding acceptable fill criteria language for the Draft 401 Certification for the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Third Runway project. Pete Kmet of HQ/TCP recommended MTCA (Model Toxics Control Act) should not be used for establishing clean-fill criteria; if used, all MTCA requirements must apply, including expanded contaminant testing, groundwater monitoring for compliance with groundwater/surface water criteria, and terrestrial ecological evaluation. Document marked as deliberative and exempt from public disclosure. AR 017301.

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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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