TagRCAA(188)

The Regional Commission on Airport Affairs (RCAA) submitted formal scoping comments on the proposed Sea-Tac Airport Master Plan Update, which includes the addition of a third runway, calling for the Environmental Impact Statement to comply fully with both federal NEPA and state SEPA requirements. The RCAA emphasized that the EIS must be a comprehensive, nonpartisan document that is accessible to ordinary citizens and public officials, complete with proper citations, consistent terminology, indexed appendices, and clearly sourced maps and data. The comments also urged that all environmental impacts be analyzed across multiple time horizons, including the full useful life of the proposed runway, and that all study documents be made freely available to the public throughout King and Pierce Counties.

This U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit (No. 1996-4-02325) authorized the Port of Seattle to construct a third runway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, allowing permanent impacts to nearly 20 acres of wetlands and the filling or relocation of up to 980 linear feet of Miller Creek. The permit required the Port to implement a detailed Natural Resource Mitigation Plan, including wetland restoration projects at multiple sites such as Auburn, Vacca Farm, and Tyee Valley Golf Course, monitored over a 15-year period. Additional conditions mandated stormwater quality controls, water toxicity testing, and regular compliance reporting to the Corps of Engineers.

This U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Record of Decision evaluates a permit application from the Port of Seattle (case 1996-4-02325) for construction work in the Seattle area, assessing environmental impacts including effects on wetlands, fish habitat, water quality, air quality, and noise. The document reviews compliance with numerous federal and state laws—such as the Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, and National Environmental Policy Act—and addresses public and agency concerns, including those related to airport and aircraft safety. It ultimately documents the Corps' findings and determinations regarding whether to issue, conditionally issue, or deny the requested permit.

This engineering cross-section diagram from Sea-Tac International Airport illustrates the dramatic 179-foot elevation drop adjacent to the proposed Third Runway, showing how a massive retaining wall and new embankment would be constructed alongside Miller Creek. The exhibit depicts key infrastructure features including a permanent chain-link security fence, rock underdrain, silt fence, inner collection swale, and a minimum 50-foot creek buffer zone designed to protect the existing waterway. The drawing is part of the Miller Creek Instream and Buffer Enhancements project documentation associated with the Third Runway expansion.

This is an application form from the Washington State Office of the Governor, inviting citizens to apply for appointment to one of over 200 state boards and commissions. Applicants are asked to submit personal and contact information, employment history, references, and a current résumé to be considered for advisory or policy-setting roles in state government. The form was issued under Governor Christine O. Gregoire and can be submitted by mail or fax to the Governor's Olympia office.

This is a nomination form from the Washington State Office of the Governor used to recommend individuals for appointment to state boards and commissions. It collects the nominee's contact information, background, education, and demographic details, as well as a statement from the nominator explaining why the person should be considered. Completed forms can be submitted by mail, fax, or email to the Governor's Office in Olympia.

This archive documents a long history of water pollution discharged from Seattle-Tacoma (Sea-Tac) Airport into nearby waterways, dating back to 1948. It includes Discharge Monitoring Reports filed by the Port of Seattle showing high concentrations of glycol and other chemicals flowing into local stormwater systems and ultimately Puget Sound, as well as historical letters from the 1950s describing fish kills in Miller Creek and Des Moines Creek caused by airport runoff. The records reveal decades of regulatory correspondence between the Port of Seattle and Washington State pollution authorities over inadequate waste disposal practices.

The Puget Soundkeeper Alliance challenged the 2003 water discharge permit issued to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, arguing that the Port of Seattle had been releasing harmful pollutants — including aircraft de-icing fluids — into Puget Sound without proper treatment or enforceable limits for nearly a decade. The group contended that Washington State's Department of Ecology improperly extended the airport's compliance deadline beyond the legally allowed 10-year period, pushing it from 2004 to 2007. The case centered on whether the permit violated both Washington State law and the federal Clean Water Act.

In 2003, Washington State's Department of Ecology issued a water pollution permit (NPDES No. 002465-1) for Sea-Tac International Airport, which was then challenged by multiple parties including the Port of Seattle and several community groups. The appeals, heard in July 2004, centered largely on concerns about aircraft deicing and anti-icing chemicals being discharged into Puget Sound and nearby waterways, where they can deplete dissolved oxygen levels critical to aquatic life. The Pollution Control Hearings Board reviewed the permit's terms and conditions to determine whether adequate environmental protections were in place.

This document assesses the ecological functions of wetlands and aquatic resources in the Miller Creek and related basins near Sea-Tac Airport, evaluating their roles in water quality, flood storage, and wildlife habitat. Wetlands in the Runway Safety Area and Vacca Farm areas are rated across functions such as nutrient trapping, groundwater exchange, and habitat for fish, waterfowl, amphibians, and small mammals. The assessment finds that interconnected wetland complexes like Lake Reba provide high-value flood attenuation and baseflow support for Miller Creek, while farmed wetlands perform at lower functional levels due to sparse vegetation and agricultural runoff.