Monday afternoon (June 15th) a class-action lawsuit was filed on behalf of area residents who are upset with Sea-Tac Airport’s third runway against the Port of Seattle, claiming that noise and vibrations from aircraft are over and above what the Port has promised.
The class action lawsuit claims that as the runway was being developed and built, planning documents stated that it was to “only be used as an alternate runway to reduce delays in bad weather.”
Lawyers from the firm Pfau Cochrain Vertetis Kosnoff, PLLC contend that the port mislead residents to believe that the statement in the documents would be followed. However, since the runway’s opening, the plaintiffs claim that the port is now using the third runway for both departures and arrivals, bad weather or not, and at all hours of the day.
The third runway is currently being used more due to the re-construction of the first runway, which is supposed to last through the summer. Lawyers say that a statement on the Port of Seattle’s website claims that the FAA, which maintains control over all runways, will not restrict the use of the third runway.
The lawsuit is seeking damages for lowered property values and also to prohibit airplanes from using the third runway on weekends and between 10pm and 9am on weeknights.
The suit also intends to restrict planes from flying lower than 1,500 feet above the plaintiffs’ homes and only allow no more than one plane to fly over their neighborhoods per hour.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
- Residents Plan To Sue Port Of Seattle Over 3rd Runway
- Third Runway Litigators Will Meet April 19th
- Re-Construction Of Runway Begins At Airport
- SeaTac Airport’s Third Runway Opens
