Notes

The Port of Seattle’s pre-hearing brief submitted to the Pollution Control Hearings Board defending the Department of Ecology’s 401 water quality certification for the third runway and Master Plan Update (MPU) projects at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The brief argues that reasonable assurance exists that the projects will not violate state water quality standards, highlighting extensive mitigation measures including creation of over 60 acres of new wetlands and stormwater system retrofits. The Port contends that appellants Airport Communities Coalition and Citizens Against Sea-Tac Expansion have failed to meet their burden of proof.

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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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