CNMI public invited to hearings on Guam buildup

CNMI public invited to hearings on Guam buildup

Saipan Tribune
Tuesday, January 12, 2010

The CNMI Military Integration Management Committee is encouraging the public to participate in the upcoming Joint Guam Program Office public hearings that are scheduled for Tinian on Thursday, Jan. 14, 2010,, and Saipan on Friday, Jan. 15, 2010.

The MIMC Coordinator, Tom Linden, will be on hand at both of these public hearings to answer any questions in regards to how the CNMI is dealing with the regional military buildup.

These meetings will be an introduction to the draft Environmental Impact Statement that has been prepared for both Guam and the CNMI.

While the CNMI government understands the complexity of the document that is to be commented on, the MIMC office encourages active participation.

In an effort to ensure that the community has an opportunity to fully digest the contents contained in the EIS, the MIMC, in partnership with Office of Economic Adjustment and the Guam Advisory Consulting Team, will be hosting a public forum on Jan. 27, 2010, at the Multi-Purpose Center in Susupe.

Representatives of the OEA and ACT will break down the 11,000 page EIS and be willing to answer any questions in regards to the military buildup in the region. The hearings will introduce the public to the EIS and allow them time to review and comment prior to the public forum, which will be held on Jan. 27.

The MIMC public forum will also be broadcast to both Tinian and Rota through a VTC provided by the Northern Marianas College and IT&E, and the MIMC and Department of Commerce will have representatives on Tinian and Rota to help answer any questions. The public is encouraged to submit questions ahead of time to the MIMC Coordinator by e-mailing them to cnmi.mimc@commerce.gov.mp.

The MIMC was created through a Charter in June 2009 to serve as the planning and policy making entity for all activities that relate to the expansion of military training and other defense transformation initiatives in the CNMI and Guam. The CNMI-MIMC is the official entity through which the CNMI will interface with the Department of the Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, JGPO, Department of Defense, and all other military representatives in regards to the military buildup. The policymaking committee is chaired by Gov. Benigno Fitial and consists of the Governor, Lt. Governor, Senate President, Speaker of the House, and the mayors of Rota, Tinian, Saipan, and the Northern Islands.

“Due to the overwhelming scope of this military relocation, the MIMC realizes that the path to success for our region will require a partnership with Guam and both Governor Fitial and Guam Gov. Felix Camacho have pledged their support of one another to ensure that the entire region benefits,” said the committee in a statement. (PR)