Notes

Email chain from Raymond Hellwig (Washington State Department of Ecology) to Thomas Fitzsimmons and Bill Alkire, cc’ing Carol Jolly, Ron Langley, Tom Luster, Kevin Fitzpatrick, Dave Garland, Erik Stockdale, Roger Nye, and Paul David Carr, dated September 17, 1999. Discusses Governor’s reported commitment to Sea-Tac legislators (Paterson et al.) that the Section 401 Water Quality Certification should not be issued until after studies are complete for the Sea-Tac Third Runway project. References Mic Dinsmore of the Port Of Seattle, budget proviso, OFM staff, February deadline, and the need for consistent messaging at an upcoming outreach meeting with legislators. Original email from Fitzsimmons raises implications for the 401 Certification process. Document identifier Exhibit 165, AR 018378.

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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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