TagThird Runway(1092)

A April 6, 1998 internal memorandum from Paul Tappel to Jim Kelley identifies minor technical inconsistencies and questions in the Sea-Tac Airport JARPA permit application, focusing on discrepancies in engineering drawings, stream buffer widths, channel elevation profiles, and hydraulic calculations for a proposed Miller Creek relocation. Tappel raises concerns that the plan overstates the environmental benefits of the reconstructed creek channel and contains contradictory goals regarding wildlife habitat and airport bird-strike safety. He notes these issues are not critical to the overall assessment but could cause confusion as the design moves forward.

A March 1998 fax exchange between the Port of Seattle and Herrera Environmental Consultants concerns the scope of work and cost estimates for Third Runway Water Quality Compliance Services. Carlos Herrera of Herrera Environmental sent documents to Port of Seattle contacts Barbara Hinkle and Kym Mattress, arguing that routine project water quality monitoring should be Herrera's responsibility, covering both compliance and BMP performance monitoring. Herrera noted he believed this approach would be most credible to the Washington Department of Ecology and neighboring airport communities, and requested review and discussion of the cost estimates to potentially reduce the budget.

This 1998 newsletter from the Regional Commission on Airport Affairs covers several controversies surrounding Sea-Tac Airport's expansion, including a 24% cost overrun on the new parking garage, Port staff admitting they lack the capacity to manage over 100 simultaneous expansion projects, and the Highline School District launching an independent study of airport noise impacts on classrooms after failed negotiations with the Port. Additional issues covered include a proposed wetlands destruction permit for the third runway site, plans to extend King County International Airport's runway closer to Georgetown neighborhoods, and legal battles over city comprehensive plans that opposed airport expansion.

A Lynnwood contractor proposed using conveyor belts instead of trucks to haul the 23 million cubic yards of fill dirt needed for Sea-Tac Airport's third runway construction in the late 1990s. The plan would have barged dirt to Des Moines, then carried it 2.5 miles to the airport via belt, cutting the estimated haul time from five years to two and a half. Des Moines residents, already angry about the runway routing air traffic over their downtown, reacted skeptically and accused the contractor of trying to bribe the city with promises of new parks in exchange for cooperation.

In February 1998, the U.S. EPA Region 10 wrote to the Army Corps of Engineers recommending denial of a permit for the Port of Seattle's proposed third parallel runway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, citing concerns over the filling of more than 11 acres of wetlands and portions of Miller Creek and Des Moines Creek. The EPA objected that the applicant's mitigation plan relied almost entirely on off-site wetland replacement in the Green River Valley rather than within the affected watersheds, and questioned whether alternatives to wetland fills for the South Aviation Support Area and on-site borrow areas had been adequately explored. The agency indicated it was willing to work with the Corps and the Port to identify solutions that would satisfy both aviation safety needs and Clean Water Act Section 404(b)(1) requirements.

This January 1998 geotechnical engineering report by AGI Technologies provides design recommendations for Phase 1 embankment construction related to the Third Runway Project at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The report covers site conditions including subsurface soil layers and groundwater, as well as design concepts addressing embankment stability, settlement, and drainage. It was prepared for HNTB Corporation as part of the engineering groundwork for the airport's runway expansion.

US Army Corps of Engineers Seattle District public notice of permit application 96-4-02325, filed by Port Of Seattle (contact: Barbara Hinkle, (206) 439-6606) under Section 404 of the Federal Clean Water Act. Proposes filling 7.38 acres of wetlands to construct an 8,500-foot parallel third runway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac), plus 2.34 acres for Runway

This November 1997 environmental update from Washington State's Department of Ecology covers the Sea-Tac Airport third runway expansion project, detailing the FAA's air quality conformity determination, state environmental certification conditions, and required permits. The Port of Seattle was fined for soil erosion violations during construction of an employee parking lot, and was required to implement stormwater controls, groundwater studies, and erosion management plans. Several permits were under active review at the time, including an NPDES stormwater permit and a 404 wetland permit issued by the Army Corps of Engineers.

This November/December 1997 newsletter from CASE (Citizens for an Accurate and Safe Environment) reports on environmental and noise concerns related to Port of Seattle airport expansion projects near Sea-Tac Airport. Key issues include the Port allegedly lacking required Army Corps of Engineers permits to destroy wetlands for a new parking lot, potential contamination threats to Seattle Water Department drinking water aquifers, and citizen complaints about early-morning aircraft engine run-ups disturbing nearby residents. The newsletter also highlights a legal victory in Burbank, California affirming local governments' rights to control land use decisions related to airport expansion.