(Editor’s Note: This letter was sent to the Port of Seattle with a copy to the Highline Times)

Dear Commissioners and Mr. Tay Yoshitani:
The City of Normandy Park congratulates the Port of Seattle on its effort to reduce storm water pollution from the airport, and better protect downstream communities from these water quality impacts.

For some time, our city has been concerned about impacts from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport storm water discharges to waterways upstream of our City. In particular this includes, Lake Reba, Miller Creek, and Walker Creek.

Over the last decade, the Port of Seattle has made a substantial investment in upgrading the airport’s storm water system, and implementing new treatment in a number of locations.

Investments have included re-routing of more contaminated storm water locations to the Port’s Industrial Wastewater System, constructing new, or enlarging existing storm water ponds, and putting additional treatment/filtration online to provide an additional polishing of storm water prior to release to the waters of the state.

These efforts on the part of the Port have resulted in a substantial improvement in the quality of storm water discharged from the airport, as shown in the Port’s monitoring reports, which the city follows.

We have noticed this steady improvement in meeting the permit limits for discharges to these waters and knowing the large expense and technical effort in achieving these improvements, the City of Normandy Park wants the Port of Seattle and its employees to know how much we appreciate this very large effort that benefits not only our city but also all the communities along the Puget Sound. Congratulations and keep up this good work!

Wm. Clarke Brant
Council Member/Mayor