October 23, 2000August 2, 2026

EXH AR018385: Internal Email from Tom Luster re 3rd Runway 401/404 Review Issues — NPDES, Des Moines Creek, Lagoon #3, Tyee Pond

Notes

Internal email chain dated October 23, 2000 from Tom Luster (Ecology) to Raymond Hellwig, Kevin Fitzpatrick, Erik Stockdale, and Joan Marchioro (ATG), forwarded November 20, 2000 to Thomas Fitzsimmons, concerning 401/404 review of SeaTac airport Third Runway expansion. Luster raises unresolved issues including: NPDES major modification and stormwater plan approval for SR-509 interchange as prerequisite to 401 issuance; South Access/Tyee Pond spill containment impacts and 401 conditions; Des Moines Creek flow augmentation language requiring no fill placement until augmentation approved; temporary construction in SASA footprint causing low summer baseflows to Des Moines Creek; Lagoon #3 direct and indirect hydrologic impacts to Wetland #28; and 401 relationship with Agreed Order including Governor’s certification letter conditions and groundwater study reopener. AR 018385–018387, DOE 5/17/01.

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