TagPollution Control Hearings Board(1532)

In this 2001 declaration filed with Washington State's Pollution Control Hearings Board, fisheries biologist Dr. John A. Strand argues that proposed modifications to the Port of Seattle's stormwater discharge permit would harm Walker and Gilliam Creeks near Sea-Tac Airport, which support salmon, trout, and other aquatic life. Dr. Strand contends that Ecology failed to identify specific locations of new construction-related stormwater outfalls, denying the public a meaningful chance to assess environmental impacts. He supports a stay of the permit modification until its compliance with the Clean Water Act can be fully reviewed.

In this 2001 legal declaration, Washington Department of Ecology official Kevin Fitzpatrick addresses water quality concerns raised by the Airport Communities Coalition regarding stormwater discharges from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport during its Third Runway expansion. Fitzpatrick explains that while stormwater discharges have shown elevated levels of copper, lead, and zinc, these instantaneous exceedances do not necessarily constitute violations of state water quality standards, since stormwater fluctuates rapidly by nature. He further outlines steps the Port of Seattle was taking to address pollution, including rerouting de-icing runoff, replacing zinc-emitting metal roofs, and conducting required studies to establish specific effluent limits under the Clean Water Act 401 Certification.

This document outlines Washington State water quality standards for surface waters, including criteria for total phosphorus levels in lakes across different ecoregions (Cascades and Columbia Basin) and limits for toxic substances such as heavy metals, pesticides, and radioactive materials. It establishes trophic state classifications and action values that trigger lake-specific studies when exceeded, and sets numerical criteria for aquatic life protection in both freshwater and marine environments.

This document is the curriculum vitae of Dr. Peter Willing, a water resources consultant based in Bellingham, Washington, who was retained to review surface and ground water hydrology related to the possible construction of a third runway at Sea-Tac Airport from November 1999 to February 2001. His investigation addressed issues including stormwater management effectiveness, compliance with the King County Surface Water Design Manual, and potential project effects on wetlands, stream flows, and anadromous fish. Dr. Willing holds a Ph.D. from Cornell University and has broad experience in flood analysis, water rights, and geohydrologic investigations across the Pacific Northwest.

Greg Wingard, an environmental consultant and Executive Director of Waste Action Project, submitted this declaration in a 2001 Pollution Control Hearings Board appeal challenging a permit modification for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's stormwater discharges. Wingard argues that the modified NPDES permit failed to identify the specific locations of new discharge outfalls into local waterways including Miller, Des Moines, Gilliam, and Walker Creeks, preventing meaningful public participation and environmental review. He contends that without knowing where discharges will occur, it is impossible to evaluate potential cumulative impacts on downstream waterways and riparian property owners.

In this legal declaration, ecologist James C. Kelley, Ph.D., testifies about the environmental impact of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's Master Plan Update, which permanently fills 18.37 acres of wetland. He describes a comprehensive mitigation plan designed to replace lost ecological functions in the Miller, Walker, and Des Moines Creek basins. Kelley also notes that the affected wetlands and streams were already significantly degraded by decades of logging, farming, and urban development before the airport expansion.

Joseph Brascher, a hydrologic modeling expert at Aqua Terra Consultants, submitted this declaration in a 2001 Washington State Pollution Control Hearings Board case involving the Port of Seattle's Master Plan Update for Sea-Tac International Airport. He describes how the HSPF (Hydrologic Simulation Program – Fortran) computer model was used to analyze stormwater runoff and flow impacts on Miller and Walker Creeks resulting from planned airport construction. The declaration also outlines additional studies and design details requested by the Washington State Department of Ecology as conditions of its §401 water quality certification for the project.

AR 018450 (DOE Misc 0033, Exhibit 191). Handwritten notes from a conference call between Seattle and City of Des Moines discussing what emergency action will override Section 401, Army Corps of Engineers regulation of indirect impacts, buffer activity language, and mitigation design. Dennis Ostencorp referenced as thinking about writing a letter on circular and mitigation

Exhibit 175 (AR018443) summarizes wetland mitigation credit for Sea-Tac Airport Master Plan Update improvements. Tables detail in-basin mitigation (102.27 acres, 29.80 credit) and out-of-basin mitigation (65.38 acres, 42.91 credit) for a total of 167.65 acres and 72.71 mitigation credits. Specific mitigation sites include Vacca Farm, Miller Creek Wetland and Riparian Buffer, Tyee Valley Golf Course,

Exhibit AR018442 is a detailed map of wetland and stream impacts in the Miller Creek Basin associated with the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Third Runway project. The map shows delineated wetlands verified by the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE), wetlands not verified by ACOE, water features, Third Runway embankment, Runway Safety Areas (RSAs), relocated S 154th