Notes

Washington State Department of Ecology’s response to Airport Communities Coalition (ACC) motion for stay of Ecology Order No. 1996-4-023525 (amended to Order No. 1996-4-02325 Amended-1), a Clean Water Act § 401 Certification, RCW 90.48 Order, and Coastal Zone Consistency determination issued August 10, 2001 for Port Of Seattle’s third runway construction at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (STIA). Filed before the Pollution Control Hearings Board (PCHB No. 01-133). Ecology argues ACC fails to meet burden under RCW 43.21B.320(3) and WAC 317-08-320 to show likelihood of success on merits or irreparable harm. Discusses § 404 Permit application history (1997–2001), public comment process, wetlands fill estimates, and ‘reasonable assurance’ standard from Friends of the Earth v. Ecology PCHB No. 87-63.

Sidebar On/Off

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.

continue...

V V

Notes

Message