In March 1996, an independent expert panel concluded by a 2-1 vote that the Port of Seattle had not done enough to reduce real-world noise impacts from Sea-Tac Airport to meet the conditions set by the Puget Sound Regional Council for approving a third runway. While the panel acknowledged the Port's extensive noise abatement programs, the majority found they fell short of the meaningful reductions required under Resolution A-93-03. The panel also determined that neither demand management improvements nor alternative transportation options, such as rail, would sufficiently reduce air travel demand to eliminate the need for the additional runway.Open full document
Notes
A press release from the Puget Sound Regional Council announces that an independent expert panel concluded the Port of Seattle’s noise reduction efforts were insufficient to meet conditions imposed for authorization of a third runway at Sea-Tac Airport. The three-member panel issued a split decision, with two members finding the Port had not sufficiently reduced on-the-ground noise impacts and one member dissenting. The document also includes the panel’s formal Final Decision on Noise Issues.