TagPort Of Seattle(2611)

Memorandum dated August 7, 2001 from Dave Garland, NWRO Water Quality Watershed Unit Supervisor, Washington State Department of Ecology, to Ann Kenny, Kevin Fitzpatrick, and Ray Hellwig, reviewing Parametrix Inc.’s July 2001 “Low Flow Analysis, Flow Impact Offset Facility Proposal” prepared for the Port Of Seattle regarding the proposed third runway at Sea-Tac Airport. Reviews

A August 6, 2001 letter from Water Resources Consulting L.L.C. on behalf of the Airport Communities Coalition critiques the Port of Seattle's 'Low Flow Analysis - Flow Impact Offset Facility Proposal' submitted in support of its Section 404/401 permit application for SeaTac Airport expansion. The letter argues that the Port's plan fails to provide reasonable assurance that the airport's stormwater management will meet water quality standards in Miller Creek, Walker Creek, and Des Moines Creek. Key concerns include an incomplete and unfinished proposal, insufficient stormwater storage capacity, unproven water quality treatment methods, and reliance on vague future 'adaptive management' rather than concrete, enforceable designs.

This August 2001 letter from Northwest Hydraulic Consultants, submitted on behalf of the Airport Communities Coalition, raises technical concerns about the Port of Seattle's Low Streamflow Analysis for the proposed Sea-Tac Airport third runway project. The letter argues the Port's document is incomplete, inconsistent with the Stormwater Management Plan, and lacks critical design details needed to demonstrate that impacts to low streamflows in Walker, Des Moines, and Miller Creeks will be adequately mitigated. Key issues identified include missing sections in the analysis report, unaddressed impacts from airport expansion activities, conflicting information about proposed storage facilities, and failure to account for water transit losses during dry periods.

Email from Katie Walter (KLW@shanwil.com) to Ann Kenny (Ecology), forwarded to Erik Stockdale, dated August 6, 2001, marked ‘Do not Disclose Deliberative’ (AR 018322, DOE 8/13/01 0251). Discusses outstanding issues in a draft permit or approval for Port Of Seattle wetland mitigation, including mitigation ratios, construction oversight team, web site/CD-ROM for document availability, restrictive covenants

A technical review letter from Northwest Hydraulic Consultants, written on behalf of the Airport Communities Coalition, raises serious concerns about the Port of Seattle's Low Flow Analysis related to the proposed 3rd runway at SeaTac Airport. The letter identifies the July 23, 2001 document as incomplete and inconsistent with other project plans, citing missing sections, absent facility drawings, and unresolved questions about how water storage and release systems would function in practice. Key technical issues flagged include inadequate accounting for water transit losses, potentially impractical small-orifice flow controls, and poor calibration of streamflow models for Walker Creek.

A biological scientist hired by the Airport Communities Coalition reviewed the Port of Seattle's plan to store airport stormwater in detention vaults and release it into Miller, Walker, and Des Moines Creeks during summer low-flow periods. The review found that the plan could worsen water quality in those creeks, because stored sediments may release toxic levels of copper and zinc, and potentially harbor human pathogens from airplane wastewater. The scientist concluded that regulators lacked sufficient information to approve the proposal without further testing, modeling, and independent scientific review.

Email from Ann Kenny (Washington State Department of Ecology) dated August 5, 2001, circulating a revised Draft 401 Water Quality Certification for the Port Of Seattle’s Third Runway construction at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (STIA). Recipients include Gordon White, Raymond Hellwig, Erik Stockdale, Kevin Fitzpatrick, John Drabek, Dave Garland, Ching-Pi Wang, Katie Walter, Kelly Whiting, Joan

Email from Ann Kenny (Washington State Department of Ecology) dated August 5, 2001, distributing a revised Draft 401 Water Quality Certification for the construction of a Third Runway and related projects at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (STIA) in the Miller, Walker, and Des Moines Creek watersheds and wetlands in SeaTac and Auburn, King County, Washington. The

Email chain between John Drabek and Ann Kenny (Washington State Department of Ecology) dated August 3, 2001, regarding a preliminary deliberative draft Section 401 Water Quality Certification (WQC) for the Sea-Tac Airport Third Runway. Drabek raises question about RCW 90.48 required AKART implementation in NPDES permit reissuances and integration with the 401. Kenny’s original email

Letter dated August 3, 2001 from Pam Bissonnette, Director of King County Department of Natural Resources, to Ann Kenny, Senior Permit Specialist at Washington Department of Ecology Northwest Regional Office, conveying King County’s technical review findings on the Port Of Seattle’s Comprehensive Stormwater Management Plan (SMP) for Master Plan Update (MPU) Improvements at Seattle-Tacoma International