A Look at Layon

A Look at Layon
By John Davis
Published Dec 16, 2008
KUAM News

A group of local contractors with their eye on the prize for winning the bid for beginning stages of construction to be done at Layon, Inarajan got their potential moneys worth today by embarking on a three-mile hike through the area. TG Engineers president Tor Gudmundsen gave contractors an outline of where the road, landfill cells and earthwork will be done.

"We hiked over to this corner, the southwest corner of Cell 1, so that they could see the full site of the area that would be worked on for cells 1 and 2 and again this operation road alignment," explained Gudmundsen. He demonstrated how just outside of Cell 1 will lie Pond 3A, a storm drainage basin, that will act as a monitoring point and catch drainage and runoff, which will assist in eliminating further environmental impacts to the area.

Gudmundsen says as the landfill expands based on future needs, other basins will be built around future cells. "We've studied how the rainfall runoff discharges from the site now in it's natural condition," he continued, "and we want it to runoff and discharge in a very similar fashion as the site is developed so that we don't really change the discharge of storm water around the site perimeter."

Speaking of the need for future expansion, Layon will be able to hold more than just a pair of cells for solid waste disposal. The site actually provides for 11 cells to be constructed over the landfills projected 41-year lifespan.

But with no commitment from the federal government as to whether it will be a customer of GovGuam, Gudmundsen says although there's plenty of space at Layon for Uncle Sam's trash, the capacity plan might have to undergo some adjustments. "The sizing is based on information from 2004 and 2005 and that was before the military buildup was announced and we worked out a 41 years site capacity plan so that's subject to change now as the trash from the buildup and the Air Force and others might be also coming here," he told KUAM News.

Although we overheard certain contractors stating they might have some trouble submitting bids for the project within a short amount of time, those interested have until January 8 to submit their proposals.

Meanwhile, another field trip for interested bidders will be conducted next week.