Notes

An email from Martha Choe of CTED to Tom discussing a meeting with the Port of Seattle and Bob Drewel regarding concerns about the 401 permit for Sea-Tac Airport’s third runway. The email covers issues including FAA’s takeover of the ESA review from the Corps of Engineers, King County’s delayed stormwater work, and the political implications of a post-July 21 permit issuance on the Puget Sound Regional Council’s metropolitan transportation plan. Martha suggests weekly meetings between the Port and DOE to coordinate requirements and notes the Port has requested a meeting with the Governor.

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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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