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Thursday, November 12, 2009

Transportation Anti-Tunnel Activist Sues City—Yet Again

Posted by Garrett McCulloch on Thu, Nov 12, 2009 at 5:05 PM

Deep-bore tunnel opponent Elizabeth Campbell alleged in a lawsuit filed today in King County Superior Court that the City of Seattle broke state rules when it agreed to digging a tunnel before studying the mega-project's ramifications. Campbell, who filed the suit herself, said the city defied environmental-impact laws when it signed off on an agreement to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct with a deep-bore tunnel. Campbell's suit asks the court to overturn the memorandum of agreement between the city, county, and state, saying the city "approved a course of action" when it passed the tunnel ordinance without preparing an environmental impact statement, which she claims violates the state and federal Environmental Protection Acts.

Campbell, along with her nonprofit group Seattle Citizens Against the Tunnel (SCAT), also sued the state in early October, alleging similar environmental-impact violations. And on a somewhat-related note, Campbell and SCAT are planning to boycott and picket Ivar's restaurants because the CEO is a tunnel supporter.

Comments (17) RSS

Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment

wait, how is this any more environmentally detrimental then rebuilding the viaduct?

Posted by Andy_Squirrel on November 12, 2009 at 5:13 PM

SCAT? Seriously?

Posted by doug on November 12, 2009 at 5:21 PM

I'm sure Ivar's will be out of business in a matter of months.

Posted by J.R. on November 12, 2009 at 5:33 PM

They may be annoying, but they also happen to be right. Going ahead with the tunnel before the EIS is a violation of the law.

Posted by Greg on November 12, 2009 at 5:45 PM

group acronym delivers

Posted by Reader1 on November 12, 2009 at 6:01 PM

What a crappy acronym.

Posted by Baconcat on November 12, 2009 at 6:02 PM

Can't decide which is funnier - ignorantly calling oneself a 'teabagger', or ignorantly choosing the acronym 'SCAT' for your organization.
In either case, #4 is correct - there is merit to the legal arguement that the city, county and state are violating the law here.

Posted by Pol Pot

on November 12, 2009 at 6:03 PM

SCAT, huh? I picture Campbell of a rainy Magnolia evening, with a glass of wine at her desk by the fire, this playing softly in the background while she drafts up her latest court papers:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVL-JGjic…

Posted by gloomy gus on November 12, 2009 at 6:42 PM

Mike McGinn agrees with her:

http://mcginnformayor.com/issues/transpo…

Right now, Metro has plans for Rapid Ride lines and a modernized rapid electric trolley bus system. Their cost is a fraction of the money that this city and state are prepared to pour into an unnecessary tunnel through downtown.

Posted by Supreme Ruler Of The Universe

on November 12, 2009 at 6:46 PM

the lolfactor in McGinn's administration will almost be worth it

Posted by Reader1 on November 12, 2009 at 7:04 PM

Is this the local version of Orly Tate?

Posted by I WANT TO SEE THE VIADUCT'S BIRTH CERTIFICATE! on November 12, 2009 at 7:24 PM

This is amongst the best reporting the Stranger has to offer: facts presented upfront, without bias, and lacking an addendum about how the author "feels" and "thinks" about the subject.

Posted by keep this guy on November 12, 2009 at 8:17 PM

@9

Where is the EIS for these "Rapid Ride lines" and the "modernized rapid electric trolley bus system"?

Posted by You_Gotta_Be_Kidding_Me on November 13, 2009 at 10:25 AM

Gee.

I wonder where she gets her ideas from.

Someone remind me to friend her, k?

Posted by Will in Seattle

on November 13, 2009 at 10:43 AM

oh, and @4 for the goddamned win.

Death by a thousand cuts is how you kill a tunnel with no popular support that has no chance of passing a popular vote in Seattle for funding.

We will never surrender. Ever.

Posted by Will in Seattle

on November 13, 2009 at 10:46 AM

The tunnel is a stupid idea with little popular support (see advisory vote, win for McGinn- twice, win for O'Brien), was not the recommendation of the advisory committee and has not even been studied.

It is a boondoggle that must be stopped.

Posted by noamg on November 13, 2009 at 11:56 AM

Campbell is right! So don't be laughing too hard yet!

Posted by ghostinprint on November 15, 2009 at 12:46 PM