TagEcology(797)

A September 2000 letter from Northwest Hydraulic Consultants, written on behalf of the Airport Communities Coalition, raises serious technical concerns about the Stormwater Management Plan for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's proposed third runway. The letter highlights findings from King County reviewers showing that multiple stormwater facilities in the plan were unverified, potentially infeasible, or unlikely to meet required flow control performance standards. The consultants argue that the review timeline was insufficient and that the Port of Seattle had a history of failing to deliver promised stormwater mitigation measures.

In September 2000, King County's Department of Natural Resources provided a technical review of the Port of Seattle's Comprehensive Stormwater Management Plan (SMP) for proposed Master Plan Update improvements at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The review found no fatal flaws in the plan's approach to meeting King County's stormwater standards, but identified inconsistencies in flow control calculations and water quality measures that needed to be resolved before final permitting. King County also emphasized the importance of rigorous erosion and sediment control during construction and recommended that Ecology and the Port establish a joint compliance team to oversee implementation of the complex, multi-year project.

A September 2000 letter from environmental consulting firm Azous Environmental Sciences alerts Washington State Department of Ecology officials to an unidentified tributary of Miller Creek that was overlooked in the Port of Seattle's environmental planning documents for Sea-Tac Airport's proposed third runway. The tributary, listed in King County Sensitive Areas records and confirmed to have active water flow, feeds into a Class 2 salmon-bearing stream but was never assessed for potential impacts in the Port's Natural Resource Mitigation Plan. The letter argues this omission—despite four years of environmental analysis—leaves the creek unprotected from planned construction and future aviation operations in the area.

A water resources consultant wrote to the Washington State Department of Ecology in September 2000, arguing that Seattle Public Utilities' Lake Youngs water supply is too warm to effectively cool Des Moines Creek during summer months. Temperature data showed that Lake Youngs outlet water exceeds 16°C from mid-June through mid-October — the exact period when cooler stream temperatures are needed — reaching as high as 20°C in summer 2000. The letter concludes that the Port of Seattle's proposed flow augmentation facility for Des Moines Creek cannot rely on this water source for temperature improvement, undermining the Port's claims about its water supply plan.

Hart Crowser report prepared for Port of Seattle, dated September 12, 2000 (J-4978-13), evaluating perched groundwater zone interception at Borrow Area 3 for the Sea-Tac Third Runway project. Analyzes shallow perched groundwater flow from northwest to southeast beneath Borrow Areas 3 and 4, its role in sustaining Wetland 29, and the impact of borrow area

Email from Peter Kmet to Kevin Fitzpatrick, Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology), dated September 11, 2000, providing comments on proposed Clean Fill Criteria language for the Section 401 Water Quality Certification for the Sea-Tac Airport Third Runway project. Kmet comments on sections E6, E7, E7a, E7b, E7c regarding Port Of Seattle borrow sites, fill

Email chain dated September 11, 2000 among Kevin Fitzpatrick, Peter Kmet, Chung K. Yee, Joan Marchioro, and Tom Luster of Washington State Department of Ecology (Water Quality Program, NWRO) regarding clean fill criteria language for the 401 Water Quality Certification on the Sea-Tac Third Runway project. Document marked ‘Deliberative Document Currently Exempt From Public Disclosure.’

Internal email exchange between Peter Kmet and Kevin Fitzpatrick (Supervisor, Industrial Permit Unit, Water Quality Program, NWRO) dated September 11, 2000, regarding Clean Fill Criteria language for the 401 Water Quality Certification on the Sea-Tac Third Runway project. Document marked ‘Deliberative Document Currently Exempt From Public Disclosure.’ Kmet comments on draft certification conditions E6 (borrow

Email chain dated September 11, 2000 among Chung K. Yee, Kevin Fitzpatrick, Peter Kmet, Joan Marchioro (ATG), and Tom Luster of Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) regarding clean fill criteria language for the 401 Water Quality Certification for the Sea-Tac Third Runway project. Key issues include arsenic limits (Pete Kmet concerned 20 ppm is

Internal email dated September 11, 2000 from Peter Kmet to Chung K. Yee (cc: Kevin Fitzpatrick) discussing new Method A soil cleanup levels under MTCA (Model Toxics Control Act) and their use as a basis for defining clean fill. Kmet addresses specific chemicals including arsenic (recommends 7 PPM background value from USGS statewide study instead