December 17, 1999August 2, 2026

EXH AR043243: NMFS Comments on Biological Assessment for Sea-Tac Airport Master Plan Update Improvements

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NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service) Office of Counsel comments dated 12/17/99 on the Biological Assessment (BA) for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Master Plan Update Improvements. AR 043243. Comments identify deficiencies in action area definition (50 CFR 402.02), matrix/checklist completeness, direct and indirect effects analysis, and cumulative effects regarding Puget Sound Chinook salmon critical habitat, Coho salmon, Pacific herring (Clupea harengus pallasi), Miller Creek relocation (1500 ft), Auburn Wetland Mitigation Site, buffer enhancement (6500 ft), stormwater PGIS impacts, groundwater withdrawal, and wetland fill (18.33 acres). Requests analysis of metals, suspended solids, gasoline, oil, glycol, Pacific sand lance (Ammodytes hexapterus), surf smelt (Hypomesus pretiosus), and marine invertebrates in the estuary action area.

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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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