The state Pollution Control Hearings Board has opted to stay theeffect of a water quality permit until March, when the panel plansto rule on an appeal of the permit issued earlier this year by thestate Department of Ecology. The permit is necessary if the airportis to receive another, and final, permit from the U.S. Army Corpsof Engineers.

The group, which filed the appeal, the Airport CommunitiesCoalition, claims the board's ruling could serve as a "fatal blow"to the already controversial project. The permit was one of thelast remaining hurdles toward the construction of a third runway atSea-Tac. The Airport Communities Coalition, which has battledairport expansion for years, had accused the DOE of bowing topolitical pressure.

The Port of Seattle wants to build an 8,500-foot runway west ofSea-Tac's existing runways by building up the airport's propertywith more than 17 million cubic yards of dirt. Wetlands and threestreams with fish are in the vicinity.