TagThird Runway(1067)

A 2003 Port of Seattle memo updates the Commission on the ballooning costs of the Sea-Tac Third Runway project, which had grown from an approved budget of $773 million to an estimated $1.1–1.15 billion due to environmental permitting delays, litigation, and stricter regulatory requirements. The project, intended to reduce airport congestion by allowing simultaneous landings on two runways during poor weather, was projected for completion in 2008 if construction contracts were advertised promptly. Key cost drivers included $151 million in additional environmental permit requirements, $55 million in delay costs, and $55 million in project scope additions.

This June 2003 Capital Improvement Program briefing provides an update on the Third Runway project at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. It outlines the revised 1999 project cost of $773 million, a target completion date of Fall 2006, and the assumption that an Army Corps of Engineers 404 Permit would be obtained by December 1999. A project schedule chart shows the planned phases—permitting, runway embankment, and runway pavement—spanning from 1999 through 2006, along with progress made to date.

Des Moines City Councilman Don Wasson resigned in March 2003 amid a campaign finance scandal, after allegations that he concealed $49,000 in undisclosed contributions funded by businessman Hank Hopkins, who sought to build a conveyor system for SeaTac Airport's proposed third runway. The contributions were intended to elect council members more favorable to the runway project, and the state Public Disclosure Commission was investigating whether Wasson and Hopkins broke state law. Wasson's resignation left the six remaining council members deadlocked, raising uncertainty about city governance during a critical period for airport expansion policy.

This document is a catalog of 31 reports and studies published in 1999 related to Sea-Tac Airport expansion and environmental review, including wetland assessments, stormwater monitoring, subsurface conditions reports, and community health studies. Sources range from the Port of Seattle and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to environmental consultants such as Parametrix and Hart Crowser. The materials primarily concern the proposed third runway project and its impacts on local ecosystems, waterways, and surrounding communities.

This figure (2.1-2) is a map showing the locations of wetlands in the Miller Creek Basin near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. It identifies water features, delineated wetlands verified by the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE), unverified wetlands, streams, prior converted cropland, and individual wetland numbers across the basin area bounded roughly by S 154th Street to the north and S 176th Street to the south. The map was entered as Exhibit 250 and witnessed by Sheldon on 2/15/02.

This document is a bibliography listing published reports, environmental impact statements (EIS), and other key planning documents related to the Port of Seattle's U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 404 permit for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac), covering the period 1993–2001. It catalogs a wide range of studies including runway construction specifications, wetland mitigation plans, stormwater pollution prevention, safety area improvements, and master plan updates. Each entry identifies the document's author, finish date, and a Corps file number where applicable.

A 2003 Seattle Times investigation revealed a campaign-finance scandal in Des Moines, WA, where Mayor Don Wasson, businessman Hank Hopkins, and political consultant Tom Hujar allegedly concealed $49,000 in unreported spending to influence the November 2001 City Council elections. The goal was to elect council members who would reduce the city's opposition to a proposed third runway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. State Public Disclosure Commission investigators charged Wasson and Hopkins with violating campaign-finance disclosure laws, with all three men blaming each other for the scheme.