From: Kimberly Lockard <KLockard@cityofdesmoines.com><BR>
Subject: Third Runway - A Fatal Blow and a Major ACC Win<BR>
Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2001 08:45:32 -0800<BR>
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<BR>
Good Morning Everyone,<BR>
<BR>
We are so pleased to announce that we've won a major milestone in our fight
against the third runway.  (See the front page article in the Seattle PI -
link to the article is:
<A HREF="http://seattlep-i.nwsource.com/local/51202_runway19.shtml">http://seattlep-i.nwsource.com/local/51202_runway19.shtml</A>
<P>
The State Pollution Control Hearings Board has dealt a potentially fatal
blow to the ill-fated third runway at Sea-Tac International Airport by
putting on hold the State Department of Ecology's recently issued 401 Clean
Water Certificate. This means that after 15 years of work, $250 million of
public money spent, importation of 3 million cubic yards of fill material
and three unsuccessful attempts to obtain needed permits - the Port is still
stuck at the starting line with nothing to show for all the effort and
money.
<P>
In issuing the stay, the PCHB made it clear that the Airport Communities
Coalition case had a "likelihood of success" in three key areas; wetland
mitigation, contaminated fill and stream flow augmentation. These areas
represent the core of the Port's permit application.
<P>
How much longer will this region allow the Port to continue down this
dead-end? When will we wake up and realize that shoehorning this region's
entire airport infrastructure on to the relatively small and very
constrained land area at Sea-Tac makes no sense?
<P>
We have been saying for a long time that the Port of Seattle has been
relying on political muscle and public relations to compensate for bad
science in their 10-year quest to build the third runway. Yesterday's
decision by the PCHB to stay the permit issued by the DOE validates that
position.
<P>
This is more than a victory for the ACC - this is a victory for the
residents of the communities surrounding the airport and our natural
environment.
<P>
ACC representatives are available for briefings and/or interviews today.
Please contact me at 206-870-6581 to make arrangements.
<P>
Kimberly Lockard, Executive Director<BR>
Airport Communities Coalition<BR>
206.870.6581<BR>