A text excerpt from a document forecasting Sea-Tac Airport passenger and aircraft operations, projecting growth from 16.2 million annual passengers in 1990 to 45 million by 2020. The document notes Sea-Tac's capacity limit of 380,000 aircraft operations per year and references a state commission review of Flight Plan forecasts due December 1, 1992.

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Flight Plan forecasts show commercial air passenger demand increasing more rapidly than population or employment, from 4.6 million annual passengers in 1970 to 16 million in 1990. Between 1990 and 2020, passenger volumes are projected to nearly double with forecasted passengers expected to increase from 355,000 aircraft arrivals and departures in 1990 to 411,000 in 2000 and 524,000 in 2020.

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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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