TagAirport Communities Coalition(268)

A water resources consultant, writing on behalf of the Airport Communities Coalition, argues that the Port of Seattle's July 2001 Low Flow Analysis for Sea-Tac Airport expansion fails to provide reasonable assurance that the project will meet water quality standards in Miller, Walker, and Des Moines Creeks. The letter criticizes the submission as incomplete and rushed, noting missing figures, unfinished sections, and an unresolved plan to store the required 46 acre-feet of stormwater across the three watersheds. The consultant contends that the Port's proposed water quality protections—including filtration, aeration, and biofiltration swales—are unproven, inadequately designed, and fall short of the regulatory standard required for Section 401/404 permit approval.

A declaration by civil engineer William A. Rozeboom, filed with Washington's Pollution Control Hearings Board, raises concerns about the environmental impact of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's Third Runway construction project. Rozeboom, a stormwater and hydraulics expert retained by the Airport Communities Coalition, warns that the project will reduce low streamflows in Des Moines, Miller, and Walker Creeks during summer months due to increased impervious surfaces and changes to the industrial wastewater system. While the July 2001 Stormwater Management Plan addresses peak flood flows, Rozeboom argues it fails to adequately assess or mitigate the project's impact on low-flow stream conditions.

In this July 27, 2001 letter, attorney Kevin L. Stock of Helsell Fetterman LLP writes to the Washington Department of Ecology on behalf of the Airport Communities Coalition (ACC), protesting that the Port of Seattle submitted a massive two-volume Low Flow Analysis on July 24 while Ecology planned to issue its Clean Water Act 401 certification decision as early as August 6. The ACC argues that this timeline denies the public a meaningful opportunity to review and comment on a critical water quality report, as required by the Clean Water Act and state law. The letter urgently requests that Ecology grant the public a minimum of thirty days to comment on the Port's latest low stream flow analysis before issuing any certification decision.

In a July 2001 letter to the Washington State Department of Ecology, Northwest Hydraulic Consultants raised concerns on behalf of the Airport Community Coalition that the Port of Seattle's ongoing low streamflow analyses for Des Moines, Walker, and Miller Creeks near Sea-Tac Airport were likely underestimating the airport's impact on local waterways. The consultants argued that the models were poorly calibrated for upper-basin conditions and failed to account for post-1994 improvements to the Industrial Wastewater System or the future loss of forested areas due to planned airport development. They requested that a final report on the streamflow analysis and any proposed mitigation measures be made available for public comment before Ecology used it to make its 401 Certification decision.

Northwest Hydraulic Consultants submitted follow-up technical comments to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Washington State Department of Ecology regarding stormwater, hydrology, and hydraulics concerns related to the proposed third runway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The letter, written on behalf of the Airport Communities Coalition, challenges the Port of Seattle's responses to earlier criticisms, raising unresolved issues about stormwater management standards, independent design review, cost estimates for detention facilities, and the accuracy of hydrological modeling. Key concerns include ambiguity in which stormwater standards will apply, inadequate quality assurance processes, and inconsistencies in the project's Stormwater Management Plan.

GeoSyntec Consultants, hired by the Airport Communities Coalition, wrote to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Washington State Department of Ecology in June 2001 raising serious technical concerns about the proposed Third Runway Expansion at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The letter challenges the Port of Seattle's geotechnical analysis for the West Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) Wall, arguing that soil strength testing was insufficient, the extent of liquefiable material may have been underestimated, and seismic stability analyses were being performed incorrectly. GeoSyntec concluded that the Port had not yet demonstrated the wall could be safely and economically constructed to withstand potential seismic loads without unacceptable deformation.

Motion for Voluntary Dismissal filed by Mark C. Rutzick on behalf of petitioners Airport Communities Coalition (ACC), City of Des Moines, City of Normandy Park, City of Burien, City of Federal Way, City of Tukwila, and Highline School District No. 401 in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Case No. 00-70848. Petitioners sought dismissal under

An independent wetland scientist, writing on behalf of the Airport Communities Coalition, raised concerns with the US Army Corps of Engineers about potential mapping errors affecting Wetland 44a near the proposed SR509 Temporary Interchange for Sea-Tac Airport's Third Runway project. The letter warned that discrepancies between engineering drawings and actual field conditions could mean the wetland was closer to the construction zone than documented, risking illegal filling or sediment discharge into protected wetlands. The scientist urged the Corps to verify the wetland's true location and review erosion control measures before approving any construction permits.

Port Of Seattle response to agency and public comments on Section 404 Clean Water Act permit application (JARPA, permit 1996-4-02325) for Master Plan Update improvements at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Document AR050378 covers comments received following the December 27, 2000 second revised public notice issued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Responds to Tom Luster,

In this March 30, 2001 letter, attorney Kevin L. Stock of Helsell Fetterman writes to Washington State Department of Ecology Director Tom Fitzsimmons on behalf of the Airport Communities Coalition, confirming agreements reached at a March 27 meeting regarding Sea-Tac Airport expansion. The letter asserts that Ecology's 1999 Agreed Order with the Port of Seattle must be fulfilled before a Section 401 water quality certification can legally be issued, and confirms Ecology's commitment to hold a follow-up technical meeting with key staff and legislators present. The ACC argues that strong scientific and legal grounds preclude issuing a defensible 401 certification until the Port completes its obligations under the Agreed Order.