Notes

Confidential discussion draft talking points prepared by Curt Hart (Ecology) for the Third Runway Section 401 water quality certification permit appeal filed by the Airport Communities Coalition (ACC) to the Washington State Pollution Control Hearings Board (PCHB). Document addresses Ecology’s defense of the permit issued to Port Of Seattle for construction of a third runway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, citing stormwater controls for Des Moines Creek, Miller Creek, Walker Creek, a 60-acre Auburn wetland near the Green River, monitoring of 17 million cubic yards of fill, and three to five new Port-funded Ecology compliance positions. Emailed to Raymond Hellwig, Ann Kenny, Joan Marchioro (ATG), and Gordon White. AR 017852–017853.

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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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