Guthertz Says There Are Alternatives to Condemnation For Buildup

Guthertz Says There Are Alternatives to Condemnation For Buildup

Monday, 14 December 2009

Guam - Senator Judi Guthertz argues that there are alternatives to condemnation for the military if it needs more land for the buildup.

Guthertz is the Chairperson of the Legislature's Committee on the Guam Military Buildup.

In remarks before the Rotary Club of Northern Guam, she said that when Major General David Bice first visited Guam he said the military would remain within its current land holdings and would not need any additional land for the buildup and assured her that condemnation would not be used.

"Now," Guthertz said, "the draft Environmental Impact Statement declares that the military wants additional land – the Former FAA Housing area of 680 acres and a large amount of land, either 1,129 or 921 acres in two alternatives, east of the back road to Andersen in the Marbo area." And, she said "the draft EIS declares that it will be obtained by “long term lease or condemnation.”

Guthertz says she has written Bice asking for clarification, but she has not received a response.

"So, we are faced with the deplorable threat" said Guthertz, "of the military rushing to judgment that it needs to acquire more than 2,000 acres of additional land."

As alternatives, Guthertz proposes:

Tinian, Tarague Beach, the land area now used by Fish & Wildlife at Ritidian or the Nimitz Golf Course acreage.

Guthertz said "these locations could be used in combination with each other. For example, a third of the range could be at Ritidian, a third at Tarague, and a third at Nimitz."

And she concluded that: "The military does not need to take or condemn any more land from the long-suffering people of Guam. The military can fulfill its national security needs without having another land grab."

Written by : Kevin Kerrigan