TagEcology(797)

A 2012 presentation to the Highline Forum provides an update on the Lora Lake Apartments cleanup site near Sea-Tac Airport, where dioxin contamination is being addressed through a combination of excavation and capping. The Port of Seattle submitted a draft Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study to the Washington State Department of Ecology, which was reviewing the document and planning to issue it for public comment before selecting a final cleanup action. The site was not found to be contributing significant amounts of dioxin to the nearby Miller Creek.

A periodic review by the Washington State Department of Ecology’s Toxics Cleanup Program of post-cleanup site conditions at the Continental Airlines Hydrant Fuel System located at SeaTac International Airport, Concourse C and North Satellite. The review evaluates whether cleanup actions conducted under the Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA) are protecting human health and the environment,

This Summer 2009 edition of Air Mail, published by the Port of Seattle for Sea-Tac Airport neighbors, covers the planned demolition of the former Lora Lake Apartments near the third runway, where soil contamination required cleanup under an Agreed Order with the Washington Department of Ecology. The newsletter also announces an upcoming Part 150 Noise and Land-Use Compatibility Study to assess real-world noise conditions, including the impact of the new third runway, and recognizes Virgin America and Federal Express with 2009 Fly Quiet Awards for minimizing aircraft noise. Additional community updates include Sea-Tac Airport scholarships awarded to Highline School District graduates and an environmental curriculum program at Aviation High School.

A 2001 EPA air quality study measured toxic airborne pollutants across six Seattle-area neighborhoods, including a site near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport that was notably impacted by emissions from nearby freeways and congested streets. Researchers collected air samples over the course of a year to track levels of harmful compounds including volatile organic chemicals (VOCs), carbonyls, and metals. The findings were intended to help assess community health risks and guide the development of a long-term national air toxics monitoring network.

In August 2005, the Port of Seattle and Citizens Against SeaTac Expansion (CASE) jointly wrote to the Washington Department of Ecology presenting a unified position on proposed changes to the NPDES wastewater permit for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The two parties collaborated to resolve disputed permit conditions — covering issues such as BOD discharge limits and pipeline compliance schedules — and categorized each comment as requiring a permit change, a response only, withdrawal, or unresolved. Both parties agreed not to appeal any permit modifications that fell within the mutually agreed categories, aiming to avoid litigation while achieving a workable final permit.

In June 2004, the Washington State Department of Ecology granted a Water Quality Certification to the Port of Seattle for the construction of a third parallel runway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac), along with related projects such as taxiways, navigational aids, and runway safety areas. The certification, designated Order #1996-4-02325 (Amended-2), was updated to reflect a Washington Supreme Court ruling and confirms that the project complies with applicable provisions of the Clean Water Act and state environmental laws. The approval is subject to conditions including compliance with hydraulic project approvals and stormwater permits issued by state agencies.