TagClean Water Act(246)

This September 2000 internal briefing document from the Washington State Department of Ecology (ECY) outlines the agency's long-running regulatory review of the proposed Third Runway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, covering key environmental concerns such as wetland mitigation, stormwater management, and wildlife hazard management. It describes ongoing conflicts with the Port of Seattle over compliance with environmental permits, including a Clean Water Act Section 401 certification that was heavily conditioned in 1998 and subsequently withdrawn by the Port. The document also notes intensifying political pressure from legislators, the Governor's office, and community opposition groups threatening legal action over perceived environmental violations.

Fax cover sheet and two-page letter dated September 7, 2000 from Richard A. Poulin of Smith & Lowney, P.L.L.C. to Raymond Hellwig (Director, NW Regional Office, Washington Department of Ecology) and Tom Luster (Permit Coordination Unit, Ecology), on behalf of Citizens Against Seatac Expansion (CASE) and Waste Action Project (WAP). Letter transmits a 60-day Notice

Technical memorandum dated September 5, 2000 from Elizabeth Leavitt (Port Of Seattle) to Ray Helwig (Washington State Department of Ecology), cc’d to Erik Stockdale, Nancy Groves (Ecology), Jim Kelley and Paul Fendt (Parametrix), Project No. 556-2912-001(03). Addresses CWA Section 401 permit issues for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Master Plan Update projects involving wetlands and streams. Topics

A September 2000 report by Azous Environmental Sciences, commissioned by the Airport Communities Coalition, critically analyzes the Port of Seattle's wetland mitigation plan for the SeaTac Third Runway construction project. The report identifies numerous errors in wetland acreage accounting, inadequate mitigation ratios, and flaws in the proposed compensatory measures, including out-of-basin mitigation that fails to replace lost wetland functions in the affected Miller, Walker, and Des Moines Creek watersheds. The author concludes that the Port's plan falls short of Washington State Department of Ecology standards and the regulatory goal of no net loss of wetland functions.

AR017487. Email from Chung K. Yee (Ecology, NWRO Water Quality Program) to Kevin Fitzpatrick dated August 24, 2000, commenting on draft clean fill criteria language for the 401 Certification for the Third Runway at Sea-Tac Airport. Comments address sections E6, E7c.2.(b), E7c.2.(e), and E7c.3, covering inappropriate fill, EPA databases, Confirmed & Suspected Contaminated Sites Report,

Raymond Hellwig (Washington State Department of Ecology) emails Joe Dear and colleagues on May 15, 2000, as an addendum to a memo preparing for a May 16 meeting with Port Of Seattle regarding the Sea-Tac Third Runway. Explains that the one-year 401 Water Quality Certification evaluation period restarted September 1999, with a possible July 2000

State of Washington interagency policy guidance (AR 034771, Exhibit 2193) adopted by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and Washington Department of Ecology (WDOE) for evaluating aquatic mitigation alternatives under section 401 of the Clean Water Act, the Shoreline Management Act (RCW 90.58), and the Hydraulic Code (RCW 75.20). Covers mitigation sequencing (avoiding, minimizing,

Email chain dated February 8, 2000 among Washington State Department of Ecology staff (Roger Nye, Raymond Hellwig, Steve Alexander) regarding fill criteria compliance for the Third Runway at Sea-Tac Airport. Roger Nye describes the 401/404 permit fill acceptance policy developed with Port Of Seattle governing contaminant criteria for borrow sources used in Third Runway construction

Desk Manual for Washington State Department of Ecology’s Federal Permit Team covering Section 401 Water Quality Certifications and Coastal Zone Management Act (CZM) consistency determinations. Covers SEPA compliance, JARPA application procedures, public notice and hearings, permit review timelines, waivers, 303(d)-listed waters, wetlands mitigation, sediment management standards, Puget Sound Dredged Disposal Analysis (PSDDA), NPDES coordination, antidegradation,

This is a procedural desk manual for Washington State Department of Ecology's Federal Permit Team, outlining how staff should review and process Section 401 Water Quality Certifications and Coastal Zone Management (CZM) consistency determinations for federally permitted projects. It covers application procedures, public notice requirements, review timelines, and technical guidance for evaluating impacts to water quality, wetlands, and sediments. This document does not contain content related to Sea-Tac Airport noise policy.