TagMiller Creek(252)

This 1998 newsletter from the Regional Commission on Airport Affairs covers several controversies surrounding Sea-Tac Airport's expansion, including a 24% cost overrun on the new parking garage, Port staff admitting they lack the capacity to manage over 100 simultaneous expansion projects, and the Highline School District launching an independent study of airport noise impacts on classrooms after failed negotiations with the Port. Additional issues covered include a proposed wetlands destruction permit for the third runway site, plans to extend King County International Airport's runway closer to Georgetown neighborhoods, and legal battles over city comprehensive plans that opposed airport expansion.

In February 1998, the U.S. EPA Region 10 wrote to the Army Corps of Engineers recommending denial of a permit for the Port of Seattle's proposed third parallel runway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, citing concerns over the filling of more than 11 acres of wetlands and portions of Miller Creek and Des Moines Creek. The EPA objected that the applicant's mitigation plan relied almost entirely on off-site wetland replacement in the Green River Valley rather than within the affected watersheds, and questioned whether alternatives to wetland fills for the South Aviation Support Area and on-site borrow areas had been adequately explored. The agency indicated it was willing to work with the Corps and the Port to identify solutions that would satisfy both aviation safety needs and Clean Water Act Section 404(b)(1) requirements.

US Army Corps of Engineers Seattle District public notice of permit application 96-4-02325, filed by Port Of Seattle (contact: Barbara Hinkle, (206) 439-6606) under Section 404 of the Federal Clean Water Act. Proposes filling 7.38 acres of wetlands to construct an 8,500-foot parallel third runway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac), plus 2.34 acres for Runway

This November/December 1997 newsletter from CASE (Citizens for an Accurate and Safe Environment) reports on environmental and noise concerns related to Port of Seattle airport expansion projects near Sea-Tac Airport. Key issues include the Port allegedly lacking required Army Corps of Engineers permits to destroy wetlands for a new parking lot, potential contamination threats to Seattle Water Department drinking water aquifers, and citizen complaints about early-morning aircraft engine run-ups disturbing nearby residents. The newsletter also highlights a legal victory in Burbank, California affirming local governments' rights to control land use decisions related to airport expansion.

A 1997 public comment letter from a Seattle resident raises concerns that a planned ground water study near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is too limited in scope to accurately assess pollution risks to local drinking water. The author documents an airport outfall discharging oil, grease, and glycols just south of a drinking water well head, and argues the study must be expanded to include outfalls, fuel depot leaks, abandoned underground tanks, and the effects of massive planned construction. The letter urges regulators to require more rigorous sampling conditions and to openly address the water quality impacts of the airport's proposed Third Runway expansion.

This June 1997 report, prepared by the Port of Seattle for Washington State's Department of Ecology, presents storm water receiving environment monitoring results conducted under NPDES Permit No. WA-002465-1. It covers water quality topics including instream toxicity bioassays, sediment quality, identification of pollution sources, metals speciation, vegetation management, and streambank erosion in Miller Creek and Des Moines Creek watersheds near Sea-Tac Airport. The findings assess the environmental impact of airport storm water runoff on local waterways and identify contributing pollution sources within each creek basin.

This 1996 plan by Parametrix, Inc. outlines the proposed relocation of Miller Creek to accommodate expansion improvements at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. It assesses the creek's existing ecological conditions—including fish habitat, hydrology, and riparian vegetation—and identifies the construction impacts the relocation would cause. The document then presents mitigation goals, site selection rationale, and engineering details for redesigning the creek channel to offset environmental impacts.

This 1996 document outlines the Port of Seattle's wetland impact and mitigation plan associated with the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Master Plan Update. It includes vicinity maps showing the airport's location in King County, Washington, and identifies numerous wetland sites affected by planned airport improvements. Detailed tables classify each impacted wetland by type—forested, shrub-scrub, or emergent—and quantify the acreage disturbed across sections of Townships 22N and 23N, Range 4E.

This 1996 document summarizes public responses to a proposed modification of the water discharge permit (NPDES Permit No. WA-002465-1) for Sea-Tac International Airport, operated by the Port of Seattle. It addresses concerns raised at a June 1996 public hearing in Burien, WA, including questions about self-monitoring of water samples, erosion and water flow in Miller Creek, and the Department of Ecology's enforcement and fining process. The document outlines how Ecology responded to community concerns and describes permit changes, such as a new condition requiring the Port to assess the airport's impact on local creek hydrology.

A 1995 letter from Allan M. Furney to Chester Beattie of the Airport Communities Coalition summarizes a 1974 settlement agreement between King County, the Washington State Highway Commission, and local citizens regarding flooding and drainage problems in the Miller Creek watershed. The settlement requires King County to improve water quality, prevent excess stormwater runoff into Miller Creek, and construct appropriate drainage facilities, while prohibiting full channelization of the creek. The letter raises concerns that proposed SeaTac Airport third-runway expansion plans, as outlined in the Draft EIS, would violate these settlement provisions by significantly increasing impervious surface area and stormwater flows into the Miller Creek drainage basin.