Washington State Department of Ecology

Department of Ecology News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Nov. 29, 1999

99-253

Contact: Dave Garland, Water Quality Program, (425) 649-7031
Ron Langley, Public Information, (425) 649-7009

Sea-Tac third-runway independent environmental studies under way

BELLEVUE - The state Department of Ecology (Ecology) has launched a group of studies that will independently review many of the environmental effects of building a proposed third runway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Ecology, with advice from interests on all sides of the project, hired Pacific Groundwater Group of Seattle to study the effects of building the new runway on top of 17 million cubic yards of fill brought in to make the site level with the existing runways. The 1999 state legislature ordered Ecology to conduct the studies and provided $250,000 to pay for them. The deadline for completion is June 30, 2000.

A public workshop this week will cover initial work by the contractor and outline what will be done between now and June 30. The workshop is scheduled for 7-9 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 1, at Highline High School Cafetorium, 225 S. 152^nd St. in Burien. A second workshop will be held next summer to discuss final data and conclusions.

"Normally, we expect project proponents to pay for these kinds of studies, but in this case the legislature wanted a second opinion," said Ray Hellwig, Ecology's regional manager. "We are confident the consultant we've chosen will deliver independent, high-quality information based on solid science."

Hellwig said the studies will generate new information in addition to verifying some of the existing data and conclusions about the airport site. In particular, they will include:

An analysis of the hydrologic models used by the Port of Seattle to predict how the fill project and runway will affect Miller, Des Moines and Walker creeks;
New data and a hydrologic model to predict how the project will change groundwater flow and recharge, and how it will affect streamflow in the creeks;
An analysis of the effects of the project on wetlands and habitat for local plant and animal life, particularly threatened and endangered species;
An evaluation of whether potential contaminants in fill dirt used on the site could affect creatures living in area creeks and wetlands.

Hellwig said Ecology will send a report on data and conclusions from the studies to state, federal and local agencies making environmental decisions about the third runway, and make it available to the public. If data or conclusions from the studies conflict with existing information, Ecology will use the new information when it considers or, if necessary, reconsiders any of its own permit decisions related to the project.