Where Have All
The Dollars Gone?

Sea-Tac Airport's third-runway project has apparently chewed through $180 million in grants from the FAA, and the $141 million raised from a bond issue secured by future passenger facility charges.  There are no current estimates from the Port for the complete cost.  The Port has admitted that it has no current budget for the project.  Over the years, the official estimates have grown from $229 million (June 1992) to $773 million (June 1999).   
Kenneth Meade, the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Transportation, has agreed to conduct a review of the third-runway project, partly in response to a request by U.S. Rep. Adam Smith (D, 9).   According to Rep. Smith, the Inspector General's office originally agreed to make an initial "scope" of both the budgetary and the environmental concerns about the project.  However, Mr. Meade now proposes to skip over the environmental concerns.  His review

of Sea-Tac will be part of a study of "baseline data" on 14 pending runway projects in various parts of the U.S.  Mr. Meade expects to report on each project's current estimate cost, milestones, status, funding sources, and major risks to completion of the projects.
Rep. Smith has asked that the Sea-Tac portion of the study look at the Airport's failure to live up to its agreements with the Department of Ecology, which, as Rep. Smith puts it, is a "violation of the terms of the certification of the [project]".  He has also stressed the failure of the Port to have a complete budget - outgo and funding sources alike - as a violation of public accountability, responsible management, and US DOT regulations for federally-aided projects;  the regulations, he says, require project budgets.
Sea-Tac critics welcomed the prospect of a prompt, outside report on the current estimated cost and the funding sources that the Port relies on for complete funding.  Even using the out-of-date June 1999 figures, there appears to be a shortfall of

more than half a billion dollars in funding.◄

Flight Simulator Used in Studies of Noise Abatement Procedures

Boeing and NASA are putting flight simulators to work in developing quieter departure and arrival methods for the airlines.  Using a 747 flight simulator at NASA Ames Research Center, Boeing supplied noise calculation algorithms for incorporation in the flight simulator. 
The result is that the noise levels that would exist in  nearby communities during take-offs and landings are continually calculated and displayed on a monitor in the simulator cockpit.◄

Audit Of Third Runway Stopped by State House

The budget adopted by the Washington State Senate on June 8, 2001 included an item proposed by Sen. Julia Patterson, D-33, for an appropriation of more than $400,000 for a study of the Sea-Tac 3rd runway project by the State Auditor.
Sen. Patterson expressed concern that the cost of the project has ballooned by nearly 400 percent from its original estimate, and without some accountability, there is no way for taxpayers to know how their money is being spent. "I think it's completely irresponsible to have a public project and not know how much that project will cost," Patterson said;  "This audit makes perfect financial sense".
When the Senate budget moved to the State House of Representatives for consideration the House re

moved the money for the audit, and it was not included in the final budget passed by the Legislature and sent to the Governor.  It was reported that Port lobbyists worked very hard to defeat this audit, and that Governor Locke was planning to veto this proposal.
In related action, the U.S.  Transportation Department Inspector General has initiated a review that could lead to an audit of the 3rd runway project. (see story on this page, above)
Sen. Patterson plans to run for position 13 on the King County Council in this fall's election.◄

KCIA About to Make Recommendations for Part 150 Noise Study

Staff of King County International Airport (Boeing Field) have been touring neighborhoods in the last two months, briefing interested citizens on options that they are considering as part of their Part 150 Noise Study.
Some of the preliminary recommendations to reduce noise include:

• Build a Noise Containment Facility for engine runs
  
• Build a Noise Wall adjacent to Georgetown
  
• Develop a home noise insulation plan
  
• Alter the angle of climb/descent
  
• Use of Visual Approach track over water rather than over

(Continued on page 6)