September 27, 2000August 2, 2026

Preliminary comments (Set 3) on August 2000 Stormwater Management Plan for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Master Plan Update improvements

Notes

This letter is the third installment of preliminary review comments on the August 2000 Stormwater Management Plan for Sea-Tac Airport Master Plan Update Improvements. It addresses two main issues: the SMP’s failure to demonstrate compliance with the Governor’s Certification requirement regarding the hydrologic divide between Miller and Des Moines Creeks, and problems with the SMP’s reliance on future modifications to the airport’s Industrial Wastewater System (IWS). The letter raises concerns about improper basin boundary modeling, lack of continuous simulation modeling, FAA wildlife hazard guideline conflicts, and unestablished IWS discharge rate feasibility.

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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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