TagThird Runway(1067)

A March 1999 internal email from Patrick Cagney of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers discusses potential disposal sites for excavated soil material related to a construction project near Seattle. Three options were identified: the Port of Seattle's third runway project (no tipping fee, hauling costs only), ProCon at 16 miles away (costs ranging from $32–$124 depending on truck size and material wetness), and Sunset at 13 miles away ($1.75 per yard). The email notes that hauling distances would be the primary cost driver across all options.

This is a HartCrowser engineering calculations document dated 3/16/99, related to a '3R Wall Alternative Selection Process' peer review. It contains technical notes on retaining wall construction considerations, including settlement allowances, corrosion rates, MSE (Mechanically Stabilized Earth) wall facing under seismic conditions, geosynthetic material quality checks, and construction contingencies. The document also outlines action items including verbal records, memos, and specifications on plumbness and connections, with a meeting scheduled for the following week.

A March 16, 1999 outgoing phone call was made to Elizabeth Leavitt of POS regarding her questions about the WER (Work Element Review) outline, review process, and mixing zones. Elizabeth was advised she could discuss the WER outline directly with Kevin Fitzpatrick and Mark Hicks, and that the team was preparing written thoughts on mixing zones for further discussion. The call also addressed scheduling a Port review of the WER workplan outline, with a suggestion to coordinate the review alongside a Fooogy (likely Ecology) meeting the following week.

This 1999 email chain between Washington State Department of Ecology staff discusses the challenges of applying water quality standards to stormwater discharges related to the proposed Sea-Tac Airport third runway project. Officials from the Water Quality and Shorelines/Environmental Assistance programs agreed that strictly enforcing numeric water quality criteria on stormwater is scientifically and legally difficult, and recommended an 'adaptive management' approach requiring monitoring and ongoing improvements rather than immediate full compliance. The correspondence also highlights resource limitations, the relationship between Section 401 and 402 Clean Water Act permits, and the need for a consistent statewide policy on stormwater review.

A 1999 memo from Washington State Department of Ecology staff member Roger Nye to Assistant Attorney General Kathy Gerla raises legal questions about reinstating a full-time 'prepaid' regulatory position at Sea-Tac Airport, funded by the Port of Seattle. The memo outlines the history of the position from 1992–1996, noting it was cancelled due to the lack of a signed Agreed Order, and describes public concerns that the arrangement gave the Port undue influence over Ecology. Key issues flagged include whether the prepaid role can legally extend beyond the scope of an Agreed Order, whether a new Interagency Agreement is needed, and whether reinstatement would require a public comment period likely to draw strong opposition.

Email chain dated March 4, 1999 among Tom Luster, Kevin Fitzpatrick, Raymond Hellwig, and Paula Ehlers (Washington State Department of Ecology, NWRO) regarding a Friday meeting at the Army Corps of Engineers about Sea-Tac Airport Third Runway citizen group concerns. Attendees included Corps staff Tom Mueller, Gail Terzi, Jonathan Freedman, Siri Nelson, and citizen group

This document presents results from a 48-hour acute toxicity test conducted in February 1999 for the Port of Seattle, exposing water fleas (Ceriodaphnia dubia) to copper-contaminated water collected from Miller Creek. The test found that all organisms survived at concentrations up to 50 micrograms per liter, while complete mortality occurred at concentrations of 100 micrograms per liter and above. Water quality parameters including pH, dissolved oxygen, and specific conductivity were monitored throughout the test period.

These are field records from a water quality sampling event conducted on January 14, 1999, at the Miller DS site near McD NC, documenting storm water measurements taken from a culvert. Samplers recorded water levels, flow rates, pH, temperature, and dissolved oxygen at 12 intervals throughout the morning. A flow-weighting calculation worksheet was used to determine subsample volumes, with a total storm flow of 122,400 units recorded from a 4x4.3 pipe.

In January 1999, the King County Superior Court denied the Port of Seattle's motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by Citizens Against SeaTac Expansion, ruling that a potential injury from wetland filling near the airport could not be ruled out. The case centered on the Port's plan to fill wetlands in Auburn as part of its Master Plan Update, which included construction of a proposed third air carrier runway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The court stayed all further proceedings until the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a final decision on the Port's wetland-filling permit under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.

In January 1999, the Port of Seattle filed a legal memorandum in King County Superior Court supporting a proposed order to stay (pause) a lawsuit brought by Citizens Against SeaTac Expansion (CASE) regarding the expansion of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The central dispute concerned the construction of a proposed third runway and the filling of nearby wetlands, with the Port arguing that court proceedings should be paused until the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a final decision on the Port's wetland-fill permit under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. The two parties disagreed on the exact language defining how long the stay should last, with the Port seeking a clear end date tied to the Corps' permit decision and CASE proposing broader conditions related to Port environmental decisions.