Port of Seattle, environmental group settle clean-water lawsuit

SEATTLE – The Port of Seattle has agreed to follow certain practices to prevent stormwater pollution at Pier 66 as part of a settlement of an environmental lawsuit.

The port, Puget Soundkeeper Alliance and Cruise Terminals of America, a former tenant at the cruise terminal in downtown Seattle, filed an agreement in federal court on Monday. The port and its new tenant will follow best management practices in fueling, maintenance and other operations.

The environmental group sued the port and Cruise Terminals in 2014, alleging they violated the Clean Water Act by allowing stormwater runoff into Elliott Bay without a proper permit.

The port and the cruise terminal operator did not admit to wrongdoing. But they each agreed to pay Puget Soundkeeper $250,000 for legal and other fees. The group will allocate $50,000 to a fund that provides money to improve water quality in Puget Sound.