Deadline looms for comments
By Laura Matthews • Pacific Daily News • February 15, 2010
The 90-day period for the public to comment on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement is coming to a close.
Residents now have three days left to submit their comments and recommendations on the draft EIS for consideration by the Department of Defense regarding the transfer of Marines from Okinawa to Guam.
The comment period ends at midnight Feb. 17 in the U.S. mainland time, or 3 p.m. Feb. 18 on Guam.
About 8,000 Marines and their 9,000 dependents will be moving from Okinawa to the island by 2015. To prepare for their arrival, numerous construction projects must be completed. The buildup is expected to increase Guam's population by about 80,000, mostly from construction workers and others in jobs related to the buildup.
About 33,000 jobs will be created, the draft EIS said.
The draft EIS gives a detailed account of how Guam's community will change because of the buildup. The Joint Guam Program Office and a team of socioeconomic experts collected feedback from the Guam and CNMI governors, the Chambers of Commerce, other island resources and community experts to assess the impact of the relocation of Marines will have on the island's education, health-care services, employment opportunities, property values, crime, cost of living and other socioeconomic issues.
Hearings on the draft EIS have resulted in many comments from Guam residents about the buildup, including many expressing concern over possible changes.
But still there are some residents who haven't submitted a comment to the Department of Defense and don't intend to.
"The voice of the people here on Guam doesn't matter," said Agana Heights resident Victor Mendiola, 40. "Without the United States monitoring Guam, we would be in chaos."
Mendiola said because Guam has no factories and exports, the military is needed.
"Guam can survive without the buildup, but it can't survive without the military," Mendiola said. "The buildup will do something for us here."
Though he doesn't plan to submit comments on the military's proposed buildup, he has some concerns. Mendiola said the buildup will both benefit Guam and adversely affect it.
"What concerns me is the number of people coming here and the planning of the government," Mendiola said. "They don't plan for the next 10 years, you see. Guam doesn't have the infrastructure to sustain us even now. ... But as for bringing the military here, just consider them tourists -- they switch in and out, and they bring money."
Santa Rita resident Doris Mead, 52, said that's money that could stir Guam's economy. She doesn't plan to submit comments on the buildup either, but said she does support the buildup.
"That's more jobs and stuff like that and it helps out the island, more or less," Mead said. "The only concerns I have are water problems and power. Where I live, water pressure is very low now."
Recently, southern residents were asked to conserve water for six weeks as the Guam Waterworks Authority upgrades its Ugum treatment plant. The agency needs to close half of the plant while contractors install a new membrane filtration system.
'Big adjustment'
For Anabel Takai, a 47-year-old from Yigo, what worries her is what will happen in the job market. As a rooms manager at one of Guam's hotels, she believes new jobs associated with the buildup will snatch away good laborers.
"It's going to be a big adjustment," she said. "(The buildup) will start job openings and it will have an effect on wages. ... The minimum-wage workers will leave for the better-paying jobs."
Takai said she will submit her comments on the buildup before the deadline.
Showing posts with label GWA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label GWA. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Wednesday, February 03, 2010
Draft Environmental Impact Statement not the final say, Bordallo says
Draft Environmental Impact Statement not the final say, Bordallo says
By Laura Matthews • Pacific Daily News • February 1, 2010
Southern residents submitted recommendations to Delegate Madeleine Bordallo yesterday on how they said the military could lessen the adverse impact of the buildup on Guam.
From impact on culture to health care, environment and water, residents who attended the town hall meeting at the Agat Community Center covered areas of the draft Environmental Impact Statement some of them believe should be improved for a successful buildup.
The community has until Feb. 17 to respond to the draft EIS before it is finalized.
Santa Rita resident and war survivor Tom Barcinas told Bordallo that if all the major players in the buildup demonstrate efforts to work on the people's concerns, then residents and the additional population can "coexist and live harmoniously" on Guam.
"America needs Guam and Guam needs America -- this we all agree," Barcinas said.
About 8,000 Marines and their 9,000 dependents will be transferred from Okinawa in Japan to Guam. In order to prepare for their arrival, construction and other buildup jobs will attract a civilian population of nearly 80,000 in 2014, which is half of the island's current population.
The Joint Guam Program Office, along with a team of socioeconomic experts, collected feedback from the Guam and CNMI governors, the Chambers of Commerce, other island resources and community experts to assess the impact the relocation of Marines to Guam will have on the island's education, health care services, employment opportunities, property values, crime, cost of living and other socioeconomic issues.
Barcinas said the buildup will definitely impact the culture, values and customs, even the language.
"This is indeed a very high price to pay," he said. "The Chamorros are once again called upon to endure the burden of patriotism as a loyalty to America."
He proposed that the federal government consider that all non-military, buildup-related personnel should utilize the Naval Hospital since Guam Memorial Hospital can't accommodate them.
Barcinas added that the military should pay for each gallon of water taken from the new wells to be installed.
Consolidated Commission on Utilities Chairman Simon Sanchez has said the Defense Department already is a customer of Guam Waterworks Authority and will continue to be for wastewater treatment services, Pacific Daily News files state. According to Sanchez, the Defense Department is willing to cover all costs associated with the direct impact of its actions, but the improvements to GWA facilities will help improve the quality and help reduce the cost of utilities for Guam's civilians as well.
The military could install as many as 22 wells on the island, on existing military property over the northern aquifer, the draft EIS states.
"The military will pay 10 cents, 5 cents -- I don't care -- per gallon for water from any additional water wells," Barcinas said. "Pay for all upgrades of the island's infrastructure related to the buildup -- power, water, sewer and so on. Toxic contamination on Guam, clean them all up ASAP. No land excavation, dredging that will alter ... the ecosystem of the island."
Should anyone get sick as a result of the military's dredging, he said, they should be compensated.
Agat Mayor Carol Tayama said her main concern as the buildup period inches closer is the availability of water.
"We are always in trouble with water," she said. "And I do want the people to talk about it. Are we going to have adequate supply in the buildup?"
On Friday, southern residents were asked to conserve water for six weeks while the Guam Waterworks Authority upgrades its Ugum treatment plant. For the upgrade, the agency needs to close half of the plant while the contractors install a new membrane filtration system.
While that upgrade will affect residents in Talofofo, Inarajan, Merizo and Umatac, those in Santa Rita, Agat and Nimitz Hill have problems of their own, as the latter gets their water from the Fena Lake treatment plant.
That plant is owned and privately operated by the Navy and GWA buys water from the Navy to provide for the water needs of residents in Santa Rita, Agat and Nimitz Hill, according to Pacific Daily News files.
"There are some days -- and it goes into two weeks -- where some areas have low water pressure to no water pressure," Tayama said. "Or they have to shut it off at a certain time as the lake gets dry and they don't have enough to feed us or where they have to make sure it's clean water coming to us."
Noting that she hears all the issues, Bordallo said residents should know that the draft EIS is not the final say. She told residents that their comments will be used to have a final EIS that addresses all their issues.
Final EIS to have comment period
Residents will get 30 days to look at the final EIS.
"This draft document is a starting point, not an ending point to the process," Bordallo said. "We are out here trying to get the reading from the people of Guam as to the buildup ... and that's why we are here to take your sentiments back to Washington, D.C."
By Laura Matthews • Pacific Daily News • February 1, 2010
Southern residents submitted recommendations to Delegate Madeleine Bordallo yesterday on how they said the military could lessen the adverse impact of the buildup on Guam.
From impact on culture to health care, environment and water, residents who attended the town hall meeting at the Agat Community Center covered areas of the draft Environmental Impact Statement some of them believe should be improved for a successful buildup.
The community has until Feb. 17 to respond to the draft EIS before it is finalized.
Santa Rita resident and war survivor Tom Barcinas told Bordallo that if all the major players in the buildup demonstrate efforts to work on the people's concerns, then residents and the additional population can "coexist and live harmoniously" on Guam.
"America needs Guam and Guam needs America -- this we all agree," Barcinas said.
About 8,000 Marines and their 9,000 dependents will be transferred from Okinawa in Japan to Guam. In order to prepare for their arrival, construction and other buildup jobs will attract a civilian population of nearly 80,000 in 2014, which is half of the island's current population.
The Joint Guam Program Office, along with a team of socioeconomic experts, collected feedback from the Guam and CNMI governors, the Chambers of Commerce, other island resources and community experts to assess the impact the relocation of Marines to Guam will have on the island's education, health care services, employment opportunities, property values, crime, cost of living and other socioeconomic issues.
Barcinas said the buildup will definitely impact the culture, values and customs, even the language.
"This is indeed a very high price to pay," he said. "The Chamorros are once again called upon to endure the burden of patriotism as a loyalty to America."
He proposed that the federal government consider that all non-military, buildup-related personnel should utilize the Naval Hospital since Guam Memorial Hospital can't accommodate them.
Barcinas added that the military should pay for each gallon of water taken from the new wells to be installed.
Consolidated Commission on Utilities Chairman Simon Sanchez has said the Defense Department already is a customer of Guam Waterworks Authority and will continue to be for wastewater treatment services, Pacific Daily News files state. According to Sanchez, the Defense Department is willing to cover all costs associated with the direct impact of its actions, but the improvements to GWA facilities will help improve the quality and help reduce the cost of utilities for Guam's civilians as well.
The military could install as many as 22 wells on the island, on existing military property over the northern aquifer, the draft EIS states.
"The military will pay 10 cents, 5 cents -- I don't care -- per gallon for water from any additional water wells," Barcinas said. "Pay for all upgrades of the island's infrastructure related to the buildup -- power, water, sewer and so on. Toxic contamination on Guam, clean them all up ASAP. No land excavation, dredging that will alter ... the ecosystem of the island."
Should anyone get sick as a result of the military's dredging, he said, they should be compensated.
Agat Mayor Carol Tayama said her main concern as the buildup period inches closer is the availability of water.
"We are always in trouble with water," she said. "And I do want the people to talk about it. Are we going to have adequate supply in the buildup?"
On Friday, southern residents were asked to conserve water for six weeks while the Guam Waterworks Authority upgrades its Ugum treatment plant. For the upgrade, the agency needs to close half of the plant while the contractors install a new membrane filtration system.
While that upgrade will affect residents in Talofofo, Inarajan, Merizo and Umatac, those in Santa Rita, Agat and Nimitz Hill have problems of their own, as the latter gets their water from the Fena Lake treatment plant.
That plant is owned and privately operated by the Navy and GWA buys water from the Navy to provide for the water needs of residents in Santa Rita, Agat and Nimitz Hill, according to Pacific Daily News files.
"There are some days -- and it goes into two weeks -- where some areas have low water pressure to no water pressure," Tayama said. "Or they have to shut it off at a certain time as the lake gets dry and they don't have enough to feed us or where they have to make sure it's clean water coming to us."
Noting that she hears all the issues, Bordallo said residents should know that the draft EIS is not the final say. She told residents that their comments will be used to have a final EIS that addresses all their issues.
Final EIS to have comment period
Residents will get 30 days to look at the final EIS.
"This draft document is a starting point, not an ending point to the process," Bordallo said. "We are out here trying to get the reading from the people of Guam as to the buildup ... and that's why we are here to take your sentiments back to Washington, D.C."
Consumers brace for higher bills, price hike
Consumers brace for higher bills, price hike
Monday, 01 February 2010 03:34
by Tiffany Sukola | Variety News Staff
STARTING next month, ratepayers will see their monthly bill increase by nearly 12 percent as Guam Power Authority will raise the fuel recovery charge from 12.96 cents to 15 cents per kilowatt hour.
The Public Utilities Commission last week approved GPA’s petition to increase the fuel recovery charge, also known as levelized energy adjustment clause.
This fee helps pay for the fuel used to run GPA’s generators.
According to the figures given at the meeting, residential customers who use an average 1,500 kilowatt hours per month can expect to pay about $30 more.
Although GPA had requested the fuel recovery charge be increased to 14.21 cents per kilowatt hour, the commission decided to increase that charge to 15 cents per kilowatt hour based on a study done by the power company’s consultants, Georgetown Consulting Group.
The commission also gave the Guam Waterworks Authority the green light to begin implementing a system development charge for first time users hooking up to the company’s water and sewer lines.
GWA officials have said that the fee, effective March 1, is necessary in order to recover costs associated with expanding, repairing and upgrading the current system in order to handle an influx of new users.
Water connection fee
The waterworks company’s proposed price tag for the new development charges start at $3,280 for a 5/8-inch water meter, the typical size for a residential waterline, according to GWA’s website. A 5/8-inch wastewater line would cost approximately $4,780 to connect.
Water and waste waterlines typically used by condominiums and other large commercial buildings could cost upwards of $700,000 to connect.
Since the PUC approved the development charges, the cost of building a brand new, average-size home will increase by nearly $5,000.
During the meeting, commissioners brought up concerns about the fees, saying the steep price might make owning a home nearly impossible for some island residents.
GWA officials said they will work on drafting a policy for a payment plan that would allow all residents, not just low-income residents, to pay the connection fee in installments.
Tariff hike
While utility bills are set to increase, consumers will also have to deal with increases in prices of goods that are shipped to Guam.
The Public Utilities Commission last Friday approved the Port Authority of Guam’s request to implement interim tariff increases to help recover operating costs and fund portions of the modernization plan.
The PUC approved the interim increases for cargo handling, fuel throughput and bunkering fees. They also conditionally approved a new $25 bill of Lading Fee. However, the request to bring the Agana Marina Fees up to the same level as the Agat Marina Fees was denied and the PUC recommended the work that the Port needs to accomplish in order to bring that request before the PUC again for consideration.
“This is a huge boost to our port modernization efforts and will help strengthen the finances of the port considering this will be the first increase in 17 years,” said port general manager Glenn A. Leon Guerrero. “These interim tariff increases are yet another milestone in our efforts to modernize and upgrade our island’s only commercial sea port. We are working aggressively to prepare our port for the future and to create a world-class facility that will service our island and our region for the years to come.”
Monday, 01 February 2010 03:34
by Tiffany Sukola | Variety News Staff
STARTING next month, ratepayers will see their monthly bill increase by nearly 12 percent as Guam Power Authority will raise the fuel recovery charge from 12.96 cents to 15 cents per kilowatt hour.
The Public Utilities Commission last week approved GPA’s petition to increase the fuel recovery charge, also known as levelized energy adjustment clause.
This fee helps pay for the fuel used to run GPA’s generators.
According to the figures given at the meeting, residential customers who use an average 1,500 kilowatt hours per month can expect to pay about $30 more.
Although GPA had requested the fuel recovery charge be increased to 14.21 cents per kilowatt hour, the commission decided to increase that charge to 15 cents per kilowatt hour based on a study done by the power company’s consultants, Georgetown Consulting Group.
The commission also gave the Guam Waterworks Authority the green light to begin implementing a system development charge for first time users hooking up to the company’s water and sewer lines.
GWA officials have said that the fee, effective March 1, is necessary in order to recover costs associated with expanding, repairing and upgrading the current system in order to handle an influx of new users.
Water connection fee
The waterworks company’s proposed price tag for the new development charges start at $3,280 for a 5/8-inch water meter, the typical size for a residential waterline, according to GWA’s website. A 5/8-inch wastewater line would cost approximately $4,780 to connect.
Water and waste waterlines typically used by condominiums and other large commercial buildings could cost upwards of $700,000 to connect.
Since the PUC approved the development charges, the cost of building a brand new, average-size home will increase by nearly $5,000.
During the meeting, commissioners brought up concerns about the fees, saying the steep price might make owning a home nearly impossible for some island residents.
GWA officials said they will work on drafting a policy for a payment plan that would allow all residents, not just low-income residents, to pay the connection fee in installments.
Tariff hike
While utility bills are set to increase, consumers will also have to deal with increases in prices of goods that are shipped to Guam.
The Public Utilities Commission last Friday approved the Port Authority of Guam’s request to implement interim tariff increases to help recover operating costs and fund portions of the modernization plan.
The PUC approved the interim increases for cargo handling, fuel throughput and bunkering fees. They also conditionally approved a new $25 bill of Lading Fee. However, the request to bring the Agana Marina Fees up to the same level as the Agat Marina Fees was denied and the PUC recommended the work that the Port needs to accomplish in order to bring that request before the PUC again for consideration.
“This is a huge boost to our port modernization efforts and will help strengthen the finances of the port considering this will be the first increase in 17 years,” said port general manager Glenn A. Leon Guerrero. “These interim tariff increases are yet another milestone in our efforts to modernize and upgrade our island’s only commercial sea port. We are working aggressively to prepare our port for the future and to create a world-class facility that will service our island and our region for the years to come.”
PNC :: GWA Supports Governor's Request for More Time To Prepare For Buildup
PNC :: GWA Supports Governor's Request for More Time To Prepare For Buildup
Friday, 29 January 2010
Guam - The Guam Waterworks Authority is supporting Governor Camacho's request for a delay in the military build up.
Yesterday during the utility hearing at the Legislature's DEIS hearing, GWA submitted a report to Senator Ada’s Committee on Utilities.
The reporty delt with the status of the GWA's preparation for the military buildup.
Click on the link below to view GWA's powerpoint presentation at the hearing:
www.guamwaterworks.org
Go to Divisions, click on Public Information. You will find the powerpoint there.
Written by : News Release
Friday, 29 January 2010
Guam - The Guam Waterworks Authority is supporting Governor Camacho's request for a delay in the military build up.
Yesterday during the utility hearing at the Legislature's DEIS hearing, GWA submitted a report to Senator Ada’s Committee on Utilities.
The reporty delt with the status of the GWA's preparation for the military buildup.
Click on the link below to view GWA's powerpoint presentation at the hearing:
www.guamwaterworks.org
Go to Divisions, click on Public Information. You will find the powerpoint there.
Written by : News Release
PNC :: Ada Says Feds Need to Pay for Infrastructure
PNC :: Ada Says Feds Need to Pay for Infrastructure
Friday, 29 January 2010
Guam - The Guam Economic Development Authority has issued a list outlining the major economic impacts to Guam as a result of the military buildup.
According to geda the potential economic impacts as outlined in the DEIS will exceed the economic benefits. GEDA does note however that these are potential impacts noted by the Department of Defense. One of the major impacts listed is the fact that Govguam can't afford to make the infrastructural upgrades needed for the military buildup.
Senator Tom Ada is the chairman of the committee on utilities. He says that after this weeks DEIS hearings the Consolidated Commission on Utilities made it clear that they will need money from the feds to make the necessary upgrades to the islands power water and wastewater systems. For example the Guam Power Authority will need at least 110 million dollars for it's upgrades while the Guam Waterworks Authority will need at least $50 million dollars. Senator Ada says that these upgrades are all achievable if the Federal Government provides the money needed to start on the projects.
Ada says that the CCU has worked with the Department of Defense to come up with solutions. Part of the solution is to identify the upgrades that are directly necessary as a result of the buildup and have the U.S. federal government pay for them. Ada says the bottom line is that the federal government will have to fund the improvements to infrastructure needed to support the buildup.
The senator also spoke about the indirect impacts to the island's utilities and how they are much harder to identify. In fact according to Ada DEIS fails to address the indirect impacts to the islands infrastructure.
The senator also wants to make it clear that the current bonds that GWA has secured are meant for upgrades that are needed without the buildup the agency still needs money to fund the upgrades necessary as a result of the buildup.
Friday, 29 January 2010
Guam - The Guam Economic Development Authority has issued a list outlining the major economic impacts to Guam as a result of the military buildup.
According to geda the potential economic impacts as outlined in the DEIS will exceed the economic benefits. GEDA does note however that these are potential impacts noted by the Department of Defense. One of the major impacts listed is the fact that Govguam can't afford to make the infrastructural upgrades needed for the military buildup.
Senator Tom Ada is the chairman of the committee on utilities. He says that after this weeks DEIS hearings the Consolidated Commission on Utilities made it clear that they will need money from the feds to make the necessary upgrades to the islands power water and wastewater systems. For example the Guam Power Authority will need at least 110 million dollars for it's upgrades while the Guam Waterworks Authority will need at least $50 million dollars. Senator Ada says that these upgrades are all achievable if the Federal Government provides the money needed to start on the projects.
Ada says that the CCU has worked with the Department of Defense to come up with solutions. Part of the solution is to identify the upgrades that are directly necessary as a result of the buildup and have the U.S. federal government pay for them. Ada says the bottom line is that the federal government will have to fund the improvements to infrastructure needed to support the buildup.
The senator also spoke about the indirect impacts to the island's utilities and how they are much harder to identify. In fact according to Ada DEIS fails to address the indirect impacts to the islands infrastructure.
The senator also wants to make it clear that the current bonds that GWA has secured are meant for upgrades that are needed without the buildup the agency still needs money to fund the upgrades necessary as a result of the buildup.
Utility upgrades: Who will foot the bill?
Utility upgrades: Who will foot the bill?
Friday, 29 January 2010 00:42
by Tiffany Sukola | Variety News Staff
PUBLIC utilities officials are ready to move forward with critical system upgrades in order to prepare the island’s infrastructure for the population spike associated with the military buildup; however, agencies are still unsure as to who will foot the bill.
“We know what needs to be done and now we just need to figure out where to get the money,” said Consolidated Commission of Utilities chairman Simon Sanchez during Wednesday’s hearing at the legislature on the draft environmental impact statement.
Officials from the Guam Power Authority and the Guam Waterworks Authority outlined the critical projects that must be completed before the thousands of marines and their families arrive on Guam.
Sanchez stressed the importance of moving forward with these projects because if the critical upgrades are not made before the realignment of the Marines and their dependents, then Guam’s utility and water systems face being overtaxed.
But although the military draft impact statement has identified where Guam’s power, water and wastewater companies should make repairs to their systems in order to handle an accelerated population growth, it doesn’t identify a funding source.
According to Sanchez, the utilities companies want the Department of Defense to absorb any direct or indirect upgrade costs because current users shouldn’t have to pay for the burden of upgrading systems because of new users.
Sanchez said that even though upgrades would have had to be made eventually, with or without the buildup, agencies have to deal with the pressure of upgrading its systems at an accelerated pace.
According to GPA general manager Kin Flores, an estimated $200 million in upgrades is needed in order to handle the increased demand on the island’s power systems.
Flores said that the impact statement recommended GPA recondition several power units, and refurbishes five of the island’s CTs, or current transformers, and make upgrades to the Orote plant.
He added that the study also identified long-term solutions to ensure the power authority will be able to sustain the island’s needs post-buildup.
GPA will determine whether it will pursue building a new plant, much like the one at Cabras, or build a plant at Potts Junction.
GWA faces similar problems, as the controversial document urges waterworks upgrades worth an estimated $300 million.
According to Julie Shae, of GWA, the company will have to make upgrades to waterlines near the marines’ housing units.
However, the environmental impact statement lists four different alternatives for where the marines might be housed.
She added that GWA will have to upgrade its systems in 2013, 2016 and again in 2021 to handle the demands of a bigger population.
GWA general manager John Benavente said the major flaw with the military plan is that they do not address funding for projects off base.
“DOD thinks that development fees will address the costs associated with the growth,” said Benavente. “But GWA does not agree.”
The two companies need to locate a combined $500 million in funding for the necessary projects before the buildup begins.
Friday, 29 January 2010 00:42
by Tiffany Sukola | Variety News Staff
PUBLIC utilities officials are ready to move forward with critical system upgrades in order to prepare the island’s infrastructure for the population spike associated with the military buildup; however, agencies are still unsure as to who will foot the bill.
“We know what needs to be done and now we just need to figure out where to get the money,” said Consolidated Commission of Utilities chairman Simon Sanchez during Wednesday’s hearing at the legislature on the draft environmental impact statement.
Officials from the Guam Power Authority and the Guam Waterworks Authority outlined the critical projects that must be completed before the thousands of marines and their families arrive on Guam.
Sanchez stressed the importance of moving forward with these projects because if the critical upgrades are not made before the realignment of the Marines and their dependents, then Guam’s utility and water systems face being overtaxed.
But although the military draft impact statement has identified where Guam’s power, water and wastewater companies should make repairs to their systems in order to handle an accelerated population growth, it doesn’t identify a funding source.
According to Sanchez, the utilities companies want the Department of Defense to absorb any direct or indirect upgrade costs because current users shouldn’t have to pay for the burden of upgrading systems because of new users.
Sanchez said that even though upgrades would have had to be made eventually, with or without the buildup, agencies have to deal with the pressure of upgrading its systems at an accelerated pace.
According to GPA general manager Kin Flores, an estimated $200 million in upgrades is needed in order to handle the increased demand on the island’s power systems.
Flores said that the impact statement recommended GPA recondition several power units, and refurbishes five of the island’s CTs, or current transformers, and make upgrades to the Orote plant.
He added that the study also identified long-term solutions to ensure the power authority will be able to sustain the island’s needs post-buildup.
GPA will determine whether it will pursue building a new plant, much like the one at Cabras, or build a plant at Potts Junction.
GWA faces similar problems, as the controversial document urges waterworks upgrades worth an estimated $300 million.
According to Julie Shae, of GWA, the company will have to make upgrades to waterlines near the marines’ housing units.
However, the environmental impact statement lists four different alternatives for where the marines might be housed.
She added that GWA will have to upgrade its systems in 2013, 2016 and again in 2021 to handle the demands of a bigger population.
GWA general manager John Benavente said the major flaw with the military plan is that they do not address funding for projects off base.
“DOD thinks that development fees will address the costs associated with the growth,” said Benavente. “But GWA does not agree.”
The two companies need to locate a combined $500 million in funding for the necessary projects before the buildup begins.
Tuesday, February 02, 2010
GPA, GWA need $500M upgrades
GPA, GWA need $500M upgrades
By Laura Matthews • Pacific Daily News • January 28, 2010
Guam's power and water agencies said about $500 million worth of facility upgrades are needed to prepare for the population influx expected with the military buildup, but existing ratepayers shouldn't have to be burdened with that entire cost, said Consolidated Commission on Utilities Chairman Simon Sanchez.
The Department of Defense must pay for all impacts -- direct and indirect -- arising from the buildup, Sanchez said during a public hearing yesterday evening at the Legislature. The hearing was one in a series this week on the buildup's impact on projects.
"We are here to support all the growth on Guam, especially the community," Sanchez said. "The buildup has to fit us, not us fit the buildup. ... If we can get DOD to share the requirements, that's a win-win solution."
One way to share those costs is to have the military and Guam's utility agencies combine their systems and facilities, said John Jenson, professor of hydrology at the Water and Environmental Research Institute at the University of Guam.
"To keep the cost low for everybody, we need to really have an integrated system in which production is optimized," Jenson said.
The island's infrastructure must be improved if it is to handle the 20 years of growth it will get in five years as a result of the relocation of the Marines to Guam and other military expansion projects throughout the island.
Some 8,000 Marines and their 9,000 dependents will be transferred from Okinawa as part of the buildup. As well, about 80,000 people will arrive here at the peak of the buildup in 2014 because of the job opportunities related to the buildup.
Guam's power and water utilities have ailing facilities and cannot support such growth without major upgrades.
If the military relies on Guam Power Authority for its power needs, which the Defense Department has said it intends to do, GPA would need to be able to provide about 25 megawatts more.
That means upgrading GPA's 15 transmissions and substations at an estimated cost of $77 million. The power agency would also need to improve its three combustion turbines, and that is estimated to cost about $30 million, said GPA spokesman Art Perez.
And more than $300 million in upgrades is planned for the Guam Waterworks Authority over the next five years, Sanchez said.
"This is to begin to fix and upgrade the existing GWA systems regardless of the proposed buildup," Sanchez said.
By Laura Matthews • Pacific Daily News • January 28, 2010
Guam's power and water agencies said about $500 million worth of facility upgrades are needed to prepare for the population influx expected with the military buildup, but existing ratepayers shouldn't have to be burdened with that entire cost, said Consolidated Commission on Utilities Chairman Simon Sanchez.
The Department of Defense must pay for all impacts -- direct and indirect -- arising from the buildup, Sanchez said during a public hearing yesterday evening at the Legislature. The hearing was one in a series this week on the buildup's impact on projects.
"We are here to support all the growth on Guam, especially the community," Sanchez said. "The buildup has to fit us, not us fit the buildup. ... If we can get DOD to share the requirements, that's a win-win solution."
One way to share those costs is to have the military and Guam's utility agencies combine their systems and facilities, said John Jenson, professor of hydrology at the Water and Environmental Research Institute at the University of Guam.
"To keep the cost low for everybody, we need to really have an integrated system in which production is optimized," Jenson said.
The island's infrastructure must be improved if it is to handle the 20 years of growth it will get in five years as a result of the relocation of the Marines to Guam and other military expansion projects throughout the island.
Some 8,000 Marines and their 9,000 dependents will be transferred from Okinawa as part of the buildup. As well, about 80,000 people will arrive here at the peak of the buildup in 2014 because of the job opportunities related to the buildup.
Guam's power and water utilities have ailing facilities and cannot support such growth without major upgrades.
If the military relies on Guam Power Authority for its power needs, which the Defense Department has said it intends to do, GPA would need to be able to provide about 25 megawatts more.
That means upgrading GPA's 15 transmissions and substations at an estimated cost of $77 million. The power agency would also need to improve its three combustion turbines, and that is estimated to cost about $30 million, said GPA spokesman Art Perez.
And more than $300 million in upgrades is planned for the Guam Waterworks Authority over the next five years, Sanchez said.
"This is to begin to fix and upgrade the existing GWA systems regardless of the proposed buildup," Sanchez said.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
DEIS perspectives: It’s a Catch-22
DEIS perspectives: It’s a Catch-22
Tuesday, 19 January 2010 05:40
by Leevin Taitano Camacho
DEIS Perspectives
THE public hearings have come to an end and most people agree that Guam will see an increase in economic activity as a result of the buildup. Some have taken it further and suggested that the additional tax revenues GovGuam is expected to receive will improve GovGuam services and the standard of living for most of us. They reason that GovGuam will be able to fix the Guam Department of Education, Guam Memorial Hospital and other public agencies with the additional $327 million collected in taxes in 2014 and $96 million collected in 2017 and onward. This logic, however, is oversimplified because it fails to take into account any costs associated with the anticipated population explosion.
According to the draft environmental impact statement, Guam is expected to receive an increase of $327 million in 2014 and a population increase of 79,178 people. This averages out to an additional $4,130 in taxes per person. By 2017 and onward, the additional tax revenue will decrease to $96 million with an increase of 33,431 people. This averages out to $2,890 in additional taxes per person, which is lower than the current amount of taxes GovGuam collects per person. In the long term, GovGuam will receive 25 percent in additional tax revenues, but will also experience a 17 percent increase in population.
To get an idea of specific costs associated with the increase in population, one need look no further than the draft impact report which predicts that agencies such as DOE, Guam Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse other public safety agencies will have to increase their staffing by 44 percent in 2014 and 17 percent in 2017 and beyond. DOE will have to hire 420 additional teachers in 2014 to maintain the current teacher to student ratio after the influx of 6,200 students.
The response is that GovGuam will be able to pay for the increase in demand for public services with the increase in tax revenue. This begs the question as GovGuam can only tax people when they get to Guam. In contrast to GPA and GWA, which both can raise rates now to pay for improvements, DOE and other agencies rely primarily on the general fund for their budget. If GovGuam does not have enough revenue to prepare for the population boom, GovGuam will either have to take on more debt, or our public schools, hospital and other public services will be even more overburdened than they are today.
GovGuam’s financial inability to properly prepare for the population explosion is even more concerning when viewed along with the draft impact report’s explicit finding that the standard of living on Guam, or purchasing power, will most likely decrease for people on fixed incomes because of the rising costs of goods caused by the buildup. Putting two and two together, the same people who use GMH and send their children to public schools will have to endure even more overcrowding at our schools and hospital and have a lower standard of living.
The draft study predicts that Guam will see an increase in economic activity and GovGuam will see an increase in tax revenue. But the idea that GovGuam will be able to fix GovGuam agencies such as DOE and GMH or that the standard of living for most people on Guam will improve is not rooted in the text of the draft environmental impact statement.
(Leevin Taitano Camacho, a resident of Yigo, is lawyer).
Tuesday, 19 January 2010 05:40
by Leevin Taitano Camacho
DEIS Perspectives
THE public hearings have come to an end and most people agree that Guam will see an increase in economic activity as a result of the buildup. Some have taken it further and suggested that the additional tax revenues GovGuam is expected to receive will improve GovGuam services and the standard of living for most of us. They reason that GovGuam will be able to fix the Guam Department of Education, Guam Memorial Hospital and other public agencies with the additional $327 million collected in taxes in 2014 and $96 million collected in 2017 and onward. This logic, however, is oversimplified because it fails to take into account any costs associated with the anticipated population explosion.
According to the draft environmental impact statement, Guam is expected to receive an increase of $327 million in 2014 and a population increase of 79,178 people. This averages out to an additional $4,130 in taxes per person. By 2017 and onward, the additional tax revenue will decrease to $96 million with an increase of 33,431 people. This averages out to $2,890 in additional taxes per person, which is lower than the current amount of taxes GovGuam collects per person. In the long term, GovGuam will receive 25 percent in additional tax revenues, but will also experience a 17 percent increase in population.
To get an idea of specific costs associated with the increase in population, one need look no further than the draft impact report which predicts that agencies such as DOE, Guam Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse other public safety agencies will have to increase their staffing by 44 percent in 2014 and 17 percent in 2017 and beyond. DOE will have to hire 420 additional teachers in 2014 to maintain the current teacher to student ratio after the influx of 6,200 students.
The response is that GovGuam will be able to pay for the increase in demand for public services with the increase in tax revenue. This begs the question as GovGuam can only tax people when they get to Guam. In contrast to GPA and GWA, which both can raise rates now to pay for improvements, DOE and other agencies rely primarily on the general fund for their budget. If GovGuam does not have enough revenue to prepare for the population boom, GovGuam will either have to take on more debt, or our public schools, hospital and other public services will be even more overburdened than they are today.
GovGuam’s financial inability to properly prepare for the population explosion is even more concerning when viewed along with the draft impact report’s explicit finding that the standard of living on Guam, or purchasing power, will most likely decrease for people on fixed incomes because of the rising costs of goods caused by the buildup. Putting two and two together, the same people who use GMH and send their children to public schools will have to endure even more overcrowding at our schools and hospital and have a lower standard of living.
The draft study predicts that Guam will see an increase in economic activity and GovGuam will see an increase in tax revenue. But the idea that GovGuam will be able to fix GovGuam agencies such as DOE and GMH or that the standard of living for most people on Guam will improve is not rooted in the text of the draft environmental impact statement.
(Leevin Taitano Camacho, a resident of Yigo, is lawyer).
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Water woes soak plans
Water woes soak plans
Tuesday, 12 January 2010 03:10
by Jennifer Naylor Gesick |
Variety News Staff
EPA says GWA has little time to prepare for buildup
THE U.S. Environmental Protection Agency doubts the Guam Waterworks Authority is prepared to meet the requirements and additional demand of an increased population when the military starts building up.
"This projected increase in population within a very short time frame will place additional burdens on GWA's existing water and wastewater systems," EPA stated in a report submitted to the federal court in compliance a stipulated order.
GWA's master plan does not take into account the impacts of the military buildup.
"According to GWA, its planning woes are further exacerbated by the fact that the Government of Guam does not have a comprehensive master plan or zoning plan," the EPA report. "GWA indicates that the Guam Legislature routinely engages in 'spot zoning' without using sound planning criteria and does not consult critical agencies when doing so."
GWA noted that until the draft environmental impact statement and Department of Defense's plans are finalized, effective planning by GWA is almost impossible since GWA still has no idea whether or not the buildup is in fact occurring or where the demands will be needed.
“Yes that is pretty much the fact,” GWA spokesperson Heidi Ballendorf told Variety. “(The buildup) is not included in the master plan because it was finally finished and approved in early 2006, and they announced the military buildup right after almost."
She said the master plan “took many months and $5 million to put together."
EPA noted that currently GWA's water and wastewater systems are out of compliance with federal requirements and its infrastructure is in very poor condition.
EPA expressed concerns over a funding gap to mitigate the problems the agency faces as it attempts to meet current federal requirements as well as upgrade plans ahead of an expected spike in demand.
Another glaring fault of local leaders and military planners is the lack of a strategy to move forward on formulating a comprehensive management of the Northern Guam Lens Aquifer, a federally designated sole-source aquifer that provides the majority of Guam's drinking water.
The EPA also said the military buildup increases the need to further develop GWA's capacity to plan, implement, and manage the facility. In response to the stipulated order GWA has hired new managers and staff. "However, basic planning, improved operation and management and infrastructure repairs and improvements are still needed," EPA states.
EPA acknowledged GWA’s need for significant levels of funding just to meet the current requirements as well as upgrade facilities to meet the increased demand and to comply with federal requirements.
The draft study brought to light the need for comprehensive management of the Northern Guam Lens Aquifer, a federally designated sole-source aquifer that provides the majority of Guam's drinking water.
EPA said the military buildup increases the need to further develop GWA's capacity to plan, implement, and manage the facility.
In response to the stipulated order GWA has hired new managers and staff. "However, basic planning, improved operation and management and infrastructure repairs and improvements are still needed," states the EPA.
According to the draft study, the Department of Defense plans to install 22 new water wells in Andersen Air Force Base to meet future water requirements resulting from impending military growth.
The water facility development plan also involves rehabilitation of existing wells and interconnection with the Guam Waterworks Authority’s system.
The proposed new well projects, according to the impact report, would draw water from the Andersen and Agafa-Gumas sub basins, which are currently underdeveloped.
Tuesday, 12 January 2010 03:10
by Jennifer Naylor Gesick |
Variety News Staff
EPA says GWA has little time to prepare for buildup
THE U.S. Environmental Protection Agency doubts the Guam Waterworks Authority is prepared to meet the requirements and additional demand of an increased population when the military starts building up.
"This projected increase in population within a very short time frame will place additional burdens on GWA's existing water and wastewater systems," EPA stated in a report submitted to the federal court in compliance a stipulated order.
GWA's master plan does not take into account the impacts of the military buildup.
"According to GWA, its planning woes are further exacerbated by the fact that the Government of Guam does not have a comprehensive master plan or zoning plan," the EPA report. "GWA indicates that the Guam Legislature routinely engages in 'spot zoning' without using sound planning criteria and does not consult critical agencies when doing so."
GWA noted that until the draft environmental impact statement and Department of Defense's plans are finalized, effective planning by GWA is almost impossible since GWA still has no idea whether or not the buildup is in fact occurring or where the demands will be needed.
“Yes that is pretty much the fact,” GWA spokesperson Heidi Ballendorf told Variety. “(The buildup) is not included in the master plan because it was finally finished and approved in early 2006, and they announced the military buildup right after almost."
She said the master plan “took many months and $5 million to put together."
EPA noted that currently GWA's water and wastewater systems are out of compliance with federal requirements and its infrastructure is in very poor condition.
EPA expressed concerns over a funding gap to mitigate the problems the agency faces as it attempts to meet current federal requirements as well as upgrade plans ahead of an expected spike in demand.
Another glaring fault of local leaders and military planners is the lack of a strategy to move forward on formulating a comprehensive management of the Northern Guam Lens Aquifer, a federally designated sole-source aquifer that provides the majority of Guam's drinking water.
The EPA also said the military buildup increases the need to further develop GWA's capacity to plan, implement, and manage the facility. In response to the stipulated order GWA has hired new managers and staff. "However, basic planning, improved operation and management and infrastructure repairs and improvements are still needed," EPA states.
EPA acknowledged GWA’s need for significant levels of funding just to meet the current requirements as well as upgrade facilities to meet the increased demand and to comply with federal requirements.
The draft study brought to light the need for comprehensive management of the Northern Guam Lens Aquifer, a federally designated sole-source aquifer that provides the majority of Guam's drinking water.
EPA said the military buildup increases the need to further develop GWA's capacity to plan, implement, and manage the facility.
In response to the stipulated order GWA has hired new managers and staff. "However, basic planning, improved operation and management and infrastructure repairs and improvements are still needed," states the EPA.
According to the draft study, the Department of Defense plans to install 22 new water wells in Andersen Air Force Base to meet future water requirements resulting from impending military growth.
The water facility development plan also involves rehabilitation of existing wells and interconnection with the Guam Waterworks Authority’s system.
The proposed new well projects, according to the impact report, would draw water from the Andersen and Agafa-Gumas sub basins, which are currently underdeveloped.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
New wells to protect aquifer: Additional water needs won't compromise source
New wells to protect aquifer: Additional water needs won't compromise source
By Laura Matthews • Pacific Sunday News • January 10, 2010
Water quality remains one of the top priorities for utility officials as the island inches closer to the military buildup.
Local water officials and the military agree there is enough fresh water underground to support the military's additional needs, estimated at 13 million more gallons per day. The question is where to place new wells on military land to prevent salt water from contaminating fresh water, similar to what happened in Saipan.
Guam's underground water supply is made up of limestone soaked with fresh water, and in some places it sits on top of limestone soaked with salt water. It is not a single aquifer, but is divided into six "sub-basins" separated by walls of volcanic rock.
Simon Sanchez, chairman of the Consolidated Commission on Utilities, said there are about 130 water wells on Guam, and between 30 and 40 additional wells will be added to deal with the water demands of increases to both the military and civilian populations.
The draft Environmental Impact Statement for the military buildup states the military could install as many as 22 wells on the island, on existing military property over the northern aquifer. The military and the local government operate separate water systems, with the ability to share water.
The military intends to drill pilot test wells soon "to verify the production capacity" of the wells, which the draft EIS said could change the proposed locations of the wells.
Avoiding seawater
The location and depth of the new wells is important.
"The trick is to sink the well to the appropriate depth so that you tap into the fresh water and not go beyond that into the seawater," said Gary Denton, director of the University of Guam's Water and Environmental Research Institute of the Western Pacific. "And that is relatively easy to do, depending on the thickness of the lens."
The lens of fresh water is thickest in the middle of the aquifer, he added.
"You want to look for the best parts of the aquifer because that is where you put the wells," Sanchez said. "So we are mapping out where to put the additional wells in order to protect the aquifer's sustainable yield and to avoid saltwater intrusion, which affects taste and quality."
Guam Waterworks Authority spokeswoman Heidi Ballendorf said, depending on the size of the well, the water agency can pump anywhere from 150 gallons per minute to 250 gallons per minute.
Pumping water out of the ground influences the movement of water in surrounding rock, and it is important to space wells far enough apart to prevent those areas from overlapping, according to Brett Railey, supervising engineer for the GWA water system.
Pumping too much fresh water too quickly from the ground can cause salt water to rise upward into the zone of fresh water, he said, and it takes a long time for the system to correct itself.
The ability of a well to produce fresh water is not easy to quantify, he said -- some are consistent producers of fresh water, while others have inconsistent chloride levels -- which is why regular testing is important.
"If you overpump the aquifer, as water leaves the aquifer, ocean water takes its place and you begin to bring salt into the natural aquifer and you don't want to do it," Sanchez said. "That's what happened in Saipan and we don't want that to happen on Guam. Guam has avoided it all this time, because we are nowhere near the full capacity of the aquifer. There is plenty of room left."
Safety net
There already is a safety net to identify possible saltwater contamination at the island's water wells before it becomes a problem.
Railey said all water wells on Guam are tested quarterly for chloride, and the results are sent to the Guam Environmental Protection Agency, which won't allow salt levels to exceed 250 parts per million.
Depending on the test results, the amount of water being drawn from wells can be scaled back or stopped in order to reduce salt levels, he said.
"The reason we test the wells on a periodic basis is to make sure we don't overpump," Sanchez said, adding that Guam gets a lot of rain, so the aquifer is always being refilled.
The aquifer can produce as much as 80 million gallons of water a day, Sanchez said, and the military buildup would bring the island's total water demand to about 65 million gallons a day.
Management
Guam also needs to implement a comprehensive water management program, said David Bice, Executive Director of the Joint Guam Program Office.
"What I am concerned about for Guam is that there is not a comprehensive water management program to ensure that we -- all of us -- are not overpumping one sector or another of the aquifer," Bice said.
No matter how many wells are evenly spread across the island, if too much water is pulled out of a few wells, it could create the same problems that would come from too few wells, Bice said.
Bice said he once was in charge of a large military base in southern California, which, like Guam, has a limited water supply and a growing population.
The entire area was guided by a water management program that ensured water wells were placed correctly and not overused, he said.
Bice said the military and the Consolidated Commission on Utilities have agreed to collaborate to create a comprehensive water management program here, but he couldn't say when it would be ready.
"We are going to get that going," Bice said.
By Laura Matthews • Pacific Sunday News • January 10, 2010
Water quality remains one of the top priorities for utility officials as the island inches closer to the military buildup.
Local water officials and the military agree there is enough fresh water underground to support the military's additional needs, estimated at 13 million more gallons per day. The question is where to place new wells on military land to prevent salt water from contaminating fresh water, similar to what happened in Saipan.
Guam's underground water supply is made up of limestone soaked with fresh water, and in some places it sits on top of limestone soaked with salt water. It is not a single aquifer, but is divided into six "sub-basins" separated by walls of volcanic rock.
Simon Sanchez, chairman of the Consolidated Commission on Utilities, said there are about 130 water wells on Guam, and between 30 and 40 additional wells will be added to deal with the water demands of increases to both the military and civilian populations.
The draft Environmental Impact Statement for the military buildup states the military could install as many as 22 wells on the island, on existing military property over the northern aquifer. The military and the local government operate separate water systems, with the ability to share water.
The military intends to drill pilot test wells soon "to verify the production capacity" of the wells, which the draft EIS said could change the proposed locations of the wells.
Avoiding seawater
The location and depth of the new wells is important.
"The trick is to sink the well to the appropriate depth so that you tap into the fresh water and not go beyond that into the seawater," said Gary Denton, director of the University of Guam's Water and Environmental Research Institute of the Western Pacific. "And that is relatively easy to do, depending on the thickness of the lens."
The lens of fresh water is thickest in the middle of the aquifer, he added.
"You want to look for the best parts of the aquifer because that is where you put the wells," Sanchez said. "So we are mapping out where to put the additional wells in order to protect the aquifer's sustainable yield and to avoid saltwater intrusion, which affects taste and quality."
Guam Waterworks Authority spokeswoman Heidi Ballendorf said, depending on the size of the well, the water agency can pump anywhere from 150 gallons per minute to 250 gallons per minute.
Pumping water out of the ground influences the movement of water in surrounding rock, and it is important to space wells far enough apart to prevent those areas from overlapping, according to Brett Railey, supervising engineer for the GWA water system.
Pumping too much fresh water too quickly from the ground can cause salt water to rise upward into the zone of fresh water, he said, and it takes a long time for the system to correct itself.
The ability of a well to produce fresh water is not easy to quantify, he said -- some are consistent producers of fresh water, while others have inconsistent chloride levels -- which is why regular testing is important.
"If you overpump the aquifer, as water leaves the aquifer, ocean water takes its place and you begin to bring salt into the natural aquifer and you don't want to do it," Sanchez said. "That's what happened in Saipan and we don't want that to happen on Guam. Guam has avoided it all this time, because we are nowhere near the full capacity of the aquifer. There is plenty of room left."
Safety net
There already is a safety net to identify possible saltwater contamination at the island's water wells before it becomes a problem.
Railey said all water wells on Guam are tested quarterly for chloride, and the results are sent to the Guam Environmental Protection Agency, which won't allow salt levels to exceed 250 parts per million.
Depending on the test results, the amount of water being drawn from wells can be scaled back or stopped in order to reduce salt levels, he said.
"The reason we test the wells on a periodic basis is to make sure we don't overpump," Sanchez said, adding that Guam gets a lot of rain, so the aquifer is always being refilled.
The aquifer can produce as much as 80 million gallons of water a day, Sanchez said, and the military buildup would bring the island's total water demand to about 65 million gallons a day.
Management
Guam also needs to implement a comprehensive water management program, said David Bice, Executive Director of the Joint Guam Program Office.
"What I am concerned about for Guam is that there is not a comprehensive water management program to ensure that we -- all of us -- are not overpumping one sector or another of the aquifer," Bice said.
No matter how many wells are evenly spread across the island, if too much water is pulled out of a few wells, it could create the same problems that would come from too few wells, Bice said.
Bice said he once was in charge of a large military base in southern California, which, like Guam, has a limited water supply and a growing population.
The entire area was guided by a water management program that ensured water wells were placed correctly and not overused, he said.
Bice said the military and the Consolidated Commission on Utilities have agreed to collaborate to create a comprehensive water management program here, but he couldn't say when it would be ready.
"We are going to get that going," Bice said.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Longer time for Port contract review sought
Longer time for Port contract review sought
Monday, 21 December 2009 03:37
by Jude Lizama | Variety News Staff
THIS past Friday the chairman for the Committee on Utilities, Transportation, Public Works and Veterans Affairs, Sen. Tom Ada, introduced a bill he hopes will improve service and reliability at Guam’s only commercial port.
Bill 300 seeks to extend the period of time in which the Port Authority of Guam is to award a performance management contract for the management, and operation and maintenance of port cargo handling equipment and associated facilities.
“Due to newly enacted public laws not requiring the review and approval of Port contracts by the Public Utilities Commission and the involvement of the Attorney General in the procurement oversight and advisement of the award, such an extension is needed,” according to a media release from Ada’s office.
Current public law allows the port authority to award a performance contract subject to the request for proposal, multistep bid or invitation for bid within 120 to 150 days of the date of issuance of such solicitations, provided, submitted proposals are in compliance with the procurement laws of the island.
Ada’s measure would extend the timeline to a period stretching between 150 and 220 days in length.
The senator said “the concept of a performance management contract has worked well for both utility agencies on island, the Guam Power Authority and the Guam Waterworks Authority, resulting in greater service reliability and efficiencies.”
Ada seeks to enable port board of directors to enter into public-private partnerships to “manage the cargo handling operations.”
“With the recent adoption of the Port Master Plan and the impending military buildup, it is critical that the port be prepared for the challenges associated with this growth,” Ada said. “Through a public-private partnership, the port will be able to meet the increase service demands expected and more importantly, to bring world-class standards to its existing port operations.”
Monday, 21 December 2009 03:37
by Jude Lizama | Variety News Staff
THIS past Friday the chairman for the Committee on Utilities, Transportation, Public Works and Veterans Affairs, Sen. Tom Ada, introduced a bill he hopes will improve service and reliability at Guam’s only commercial port.
Bill 300 seeks to extend the period of time in which the Port Authority of Guam is to award a performance management contract for the management, and operation and maintenance of port cargo handling equipment and associated facilities.
“Due to newly enacted public laws not requiring the review and approval of Port contracts by the Public Utilities Commission and the involvement of the Attorney General in the procurement oversight and advisement of the award, such an extension is needed,” according to a media release from Ada’s office.
Current public law allows the port authority to award a performance contract subject to the request for proposal, multistep bid or invitation for bid within 120 to 150 days of the date of issuance of such solicitations, provided, submitted proposals are in compliance with the procurement laws of the island.
Ada’s measure would extend the timeline to a period stretching between 150 and 220 days in length.
The senator said “the concept of a performance management contract has worked well for both utility agencies on island, the Guam Power Authority and the Guam Waterworks Authority, resulting in greater service reliability and efficiencies.”
Ada seeks to enable port board of directors to enter into public-private partnerships to “manage the cargo handling operations.”
“With the recent adoption of the Port Master Plan and the impending military buildup, it is critical that the port be prepared for the challenges associated with this growth,” Ada said. “Through a public-private partnership, the port will be able to meet the increase service demands expected and more importantly, to bring world-class standards to its existing port operations.”
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Navy eyes Lost River for additional water supply
Navy eyes Lost River for additional water supply
Tuesday, 15 December 2009 00:30
by Jude Lizama | Variety News Staff
THE military is considering the possible development of Tolaeyuus River in Santa Rita—also known as the “Lost River” – to provide additional supply to the Navy’s water system during the dry season, according to the draft environmental impact statement.
A U.S. Geological Survey estimated the river could supply 1.7 to 5.6 millions gallons per day during the dry season, but may be “limited by downstream habitat considerations.”
The draft impact study provides a blueprint for the military’s realignment strategy on Guam, outlining all options to address the island’s water infrastructure and near-capacity levels that require alternative approaches for the future.
If the military decides to undertake this river project, the initiative would result in the rehabilitation of the existing cofferdam, dredging of its reservoir area, and installation of a pump station and discharge pipeline to distribute water supply to the existing Fena Reservoir pump station.
In addition to $200 million in upgrades planned for the Guam Waterworks Authority islandwide system for potable water and wastewater, the impact study lists desalination, Fena dredging and the undeveloped river resource as options under consideration.
Desalinization, or desalination, is comprised of several processes that remove excess salt and other minerals from water. It is another longterm alternative defense department planners are strongly considering to meet their projected water needs.
“In the event that the supply from freshwater wells is insufficient,” the impact study states, the desalination process could replace the development of as many as 31 new water wells at the air force base and in Barrigada.
A third option proposed by the study is more comprehensive dredging of Fena lake to increase capacity at the reservoir.
However, the impact statement states additional assessment is required to “address potential obstacles related to mobilizing a dredge over long distances to the project site, which is in a remote location, as well as logistical difficulties in managing dredged material on Guam.”
The military planners’ preferred alternative is the construction of 22 potable water supply wells at Andersen Air Force Base, rehabilitation of existing wells, more comprehensive integration with GWA and the construction of a 5 million gallon water storage tank at Finegayan.
Tuesday, 15 December 2009 00:30
by Jude Lizama | Variety News Staff
THE military is considering the possible development of Tolaeyuus River in Santa Rita—also known as the “Lost River” – to provide additional supply to the Navy’s water system during the dry season, according to the draft environmental impact statement.
A U.S. Geological Survey estimated the river could supply 1.7 to 5.6 millions gallons per day during the dry season, but may be “limited by downstream habitat considerations.”
The draft impact study provides a blueprint for the military’s realignment strategy on Guam, outlining all options to address the island’s water infrastructure and near-capacity levels that require alternative approaches for the future.
If the military decides to undertake this river project, the initiative would result in the rehabilitation of the existing cofferdam, dredging of its reservoir area, and installation of a pump station and discharge pipeline to distribute water supply to the existing Fena Reservoir pump station.
In addition to $200 million in upgrades planned for the Guam Waterworks Authority islandwide system for potable water and wastewater, the impact study lists desalination, Fena dredging and the undeveloped river resource as options under consideration.
Desalinization, or desalination, is comprised of several processes that remove excess salt and other minerals from water. It is another longterm alternative defense department planners are strongly considering to meet their projected water needs.
“In the event that the supply from freshwater wells is insufficient,” the impact study states, the desalination process could replace the development of as many as 31 new water wells at the air force base and in Barrigada.
A third option proposed by the study is more comprehensive dredging of Fena lake to increase capacity at the reservoir.
However, the impact statement states additional assessment is required to “address potential obstacles related to mobilizing a dredge over long distances to the project site, which is in a remote location, as well as logistical difficulties in managing dredged material on Guam.”
The military planners’ preferred alternative is the construction of 22 potable water supply wells at Andersen Air Force Base, rehabilitation of existing wells, more comprehensive integration with GWA and the construction of a 5 million gallon water storage tank at Finegayan.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
CCU: Military will pay its share
CCU: Military will pay its share
Thursday, 10 December 2009 23:40 by Jude Lizama | Variety News Staff
CONSOLIDATED Commission on Utilities commissioner Joseph Duenas said the Guam Power Authority and the Guam Waterworks Authority look forward to generating bigger revenues and expanding their customer base by having the military as a paying customer.
He described as “collaborative” and “fair” the dialogue with military buildup planners with respect to increasing demands and capacities of island utility services and the impact to ratepayers.
“Working with the military we have two sides. There is the power side and then there is the water-wastewater side. The military pays its fair share,” Duenas said. “We reflect the cost back to the ratepayer. Whatever cost to provide a service, we would like that back.”
Because of the buildup plans at the utility agencies will be accelerated to meet the increasing demands expected in the wake of a population explosion that will see up to one-third more new residents over the next few years.
According to Duenas, the military is a “full wholesale customer” with whom local utility commissioners have “reached very good agreements.”
Duenas said CCU is confident it will make some improvements to the system that will address some of their needs which allows GPA to expand its customer base. “In a business, when you get more customers you get more revenue, you get to do more things,” he added.
GWA currently purchases water from the Navy for redistribution in southern communities while in the north, “Andersen [Air Force Base] discharges its sewage into the northern treatment plant already, so we provide a service for them there,” Duenas said.
At present the military and GWA maintain separate water systems by the commissioner sees more integration as the military will “probably become a customer of ours in terms of the wastewater given the relationship we already have with Andersen.”
An important factor for consideration, according to Duenas, is the need to look at the aquifer with a holistic approach. With regard to protecting the northern lens aquifer, Duenas said that GWA and the military are “on the same page.”
“We’re one community. If we damage this aquifer, that’s it; everybody loses,” he said. “The long range plan is that hopefully they become our customer and we maintain all of the wells.”
Thursday, 10 December 2009 23:40 by Jude Lizama | Variety News Staff
CONSOLIDATED Commission on Utilities commissioner Joseph Duenas said the Guam Power Authority and the Guam Waterworks Authority look forward to generating bigger revenues and expanding their customer base by having the military as a paying customer.
He described as “collaborative” and “fair” the dialogue with military buildup planners with respect to increasing demands and capacities of island utility services and the impact to ratepayers.
“Working with the military we have two sides. There is the power side and then there is the water-wastewater side. The military pays its fair share,” Duenas said. “We reflect the cost back to the ratepayer. Whatever cost to provide a service, we would like that back.”
Because of the buildup plans at the utility agencies will be accelerated to meet the increasing demands expected in the wake of a population explosion that will see up to one-third more new residents over the next few years.
According to Duenas, the military is a “full wholesale customer” with whom local utility commissioners have “reached very good agreements.”
Duenas said CCU is confident it will make some improvements to the system that will address some of their needs which allows GPA to expand its customer base. “In a business, when you get more customers you get more revenue, you get to do more things,” he added.
GWA currently purchases water from the Navy for redistribution in southern communities while in the north, “Andersen [Air Force Base] discharges its sewage into the northern treatment plant already, so we provide a service for them there,” Duenas said.
At present the military and GWA maintain separate water systems by the commissioner sees more integration as the military will “probably become a customer of ours in terms of the wastewater given the relationship we already have with Andersen.”
An important factor for consideration, according to Duenas, is the need to look at the aquifer with a holistic approach. With regard to protecting the northern lens aquifer, Duenas said that GWA and the military are “on the same page.”
“We’re one community. If we damage this aquifer, that’s it; everybody loses,” he said. “The long range plan is that hopefully they become our customer and we maintain all of the wells.”
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
DEIS: utility project hazards negligible
DEIS: utility project hazards negligible
Thursday, 10 December 2009 04:41 by Jude Lizama | Variety News Staff
EPA reports 8 facilities show increase in toxic emissions
ENVIRONMENTAL impacts of two islandwide water system upgrade proposals have been cited within the draft environmental impact statement for the Guam military buildup.
The preferred alternative for potable water system upgrades would consist of installing as many as 22 new wells at Andersen Air Force Base, rehabilitating existing wells, interconnecting with the Guam Waterworks Authority water system and associated transmission and distribution systems.
Much like the impact study information on possible hazards to the local environment as a result of Guam Power Authority islandwide power system upgrades, the study indicates that these proposed activities “would result in the use of slightly more hazardous materials as compared with existing quantities,” to include the use of petroleum, oil, and lubricants for “heavy equipment, vehicles, generators, and related activities.”
The military buildup report estimates 750 lbs. of hazardous materials “would be generated annually from these activities.”
The impact report said increases in the use of hazardous waste are “judged to be negligible as a result of these existing potable water upgrade activities.”
EPA report
This conclusion, however, contradicts a recent report from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
According to EPA, eight facilities on Guam were found to have an 8 percent increase in toxic chemicals released into the air, land and water in 2008 when compared to 2007, according to new data released today by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Overall at 53, Guam ranks among one of the lowest of 56 states and territories in total releases.
While the island's water and land releases have increased since 2007, underground injection, off-site transfers, and air releases have decreased. The largest increase was of on-site land releases of 1,048 pounds, largely due to increased releases reported by Andersen Air Force Base in Yigo.
Inventory
Facilities found with increased toxic releases were Guam Power Authority,
Hawaiian Rock Products Guam, Mobil Oil Guam Inc. (Cabras Island terminal), Shell Guam, South Pacific Petroleum Corp., Tanguisson Power Plant, US Air Force Andersen Air Force Base and Naval Base (Apra Harbor WWTP).
“We encourage people to use data from the Toxics Release Inventory in order to gain a better understanding of what is being released into their neighborhoods,” said Laura Yoshii, acting EPA administrator for the Pacific Southwest region.
“Industry and communities informed with accurate information can use the inventory as a starting point to find opportunities to reduce the amount of pollutants released into the air we breathe, the water we drink and the land we enjoy.”
The data comes from the EPA’s Toxics Release Inventory. It’s one of EPA’s largest publicly available databases, arming communities with valuable information on more than 650 toxic chemicals released by various industries. The chemical information in the inventory is calculated by industrial facilities and reported to the EPA, as required by law.
Total releases include toxic chemicals discharged by facilities to air, water, land, and underground, and the amount transferred off-site for disposal. Regulatory controls apply to many of the reported releases. Reporting facilities must comply with environmental standards set by local, state and federal agencies.
Thursday, 10 December 2009 04:41 by Jude Lizama | Variety News Staff
EPA reports 8 facilities show increase in toxic emissions
ENVIRONMENTAL impacts of two islandwide water system upgrade proposals have been cited within the draft environmental impact statement for the Guam military buildup.
The preferred alternative for potable water system upgrades would consist of installing as many as 22 new wells at Andersen Air Force Base, rehabilitating existing wells, interconnecting with the Guam Waterworks Authority water system and associated transmission and distribution systems.
Much like the impact study information on possible hazards to the local environment as a result of Guam Power Authority islandwide power system upgrades, the study indicates that these proposed activities “would result in the use of slightly more hazardous materials as compared with existing quantities,” to include the use of petroleum, oil, and lubricants for “heavy equipment, vehicles, generators, and related activities.”
The military buildup report estimates 750 lbs. of hazardous materials “would be generated annually from these activities.”
The impact report said increases in the use of hazardous waste are “judged to be negligible as a result of these existing potable water upgrade activities.”
EPA report
This conclusion, however, contradicts a recent report from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
According to EPA, eight facilities on Guam were found to have an 8 percent increase in toxic chemicals released into the air, land and water in 2008 when compared to 2007, according to new data released today by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Overall at 53, Guam ranks among one of the lowest of 56 states and territories in total releases.
While the island's water and land releases have increased since 2007, underground injection, off-site transfers, and air releases have decreased. The largest increase was of on-site land releases of 1,048 pounds, largely due to increased releases reported by Andersen Air Force Base in Yigo.
Inventory
Facilities found with increased toxic releases were Guam Power Authority,
Hawaiian Rock Products Guam, Mobil Oil Guam Inc. (Cabras Island terminal), Shell Guam, South Pacific Petroleum Corp., Tanguisson Power Plant, US Air Force Andersen Air Force Base and Naval Base (Apra Harbor WWTP).
“We encourage people to use data from the Toxics Release Inventory in order to gain a better understanding of what is being released into their neighborhoods,” said Laura Yoshii, acting EPA administrator for the Pacific Southwest region.
“Industry and communities informed with accurate information can use the inventory as a starting point to find opportunities to reduce the amount of pollutants released into the air we breathe, the water we drink and the land we enjoy.”
The data comes from the EPA’s Toxics Release Inventory. It’s one of EPA’s largest publicly available databases, arming communities with valuable information on more than 650 toxic chemicals released by various industries. The chemical information in the inventory is calculated by industrial facilities and reported to the EPA, as required by law.
Total releases include toxic chemicals discharged by facilities to air, water, land, and underground, and the amount transferred off-site for disposal. Regulatory controls apply to many of the reported releases. Reporting facilities must comply with environmental standards set by local, state and federal agencies.
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
DoD-GWA water system integration eyed
DoD-GWA water system integration eyed
Wednesday, 09 December 2009 04:44 by Jude Lizama | Variety News Staff
ECHOING previous statements made by the Joint Guam Program Office director David Bice said Guam Waterworks Authority is “operating at near capacity in terms of water production” and the agency “could be indirectly affected by increased water demands associated with the construction workforce and induced population growth.”
The military buildup impact report further claims U.S. Navy and Air Force installations’ water infrastructure systems will be directly affected. Currently, the defense department has water storage units across the island with a collective storage capacity of roughly 23 million gallons, most of which consist of concrete structures either partially buried or covered with earth.
According to the environmental impact statement, GWA has prepared a five-year capital improvements that would cover fiscal years 2009 to 2013. The $200 million price tag for accommodating the induced population increase would include 22 additional wells plus transmission lines and storage facilities.
The defense department claims to not have seen the GWA improvement plan but the study does cite discussions between the two departments to “begin working through the details to coordinate GWA support for the proposed buildup.”
The military impact study notes capital improvements at GWA would be funded through “surplus system revenues, grants, and loans” and that “Substantial rate increase relief is anticipated.”
Water supply
The impact report further proposes that defense officials and GWA manage the Northern Guam lens aquifer, the source for off-base production wells supplying the northern air force base.
Other off-base water supply and transmission system include nine water production wells, two booster pump stations, three storage tanks, chlorination facilities, one fluoridation facility, and approximately 80,000 feet of water lines. An additional 700,000 feet of water lines are part of the current on-base water distribution system which includes a pump station and three storage tanks.
Distribution
The Andersen Air Force Base water system receives its water from Andersen Northwest Field and Andersen South, which includes an “off-base water supply; disinfection, storage, and transmission system; and an on base water distribution system.”
The Navy water system is an island-wide system extending from the Navy reservoir NCTS Finegayan near the northern tip of the island. Water from the Fena water treatment plant provides majority of the Navy water system’s needs.
The study also cited that “transmission lines connecting the Navy water system and the Andersen AFB system also exist, but they are presently out of service.”
Wednesday, 09 December 2009 04:44 by Jude Lizama | Variety News Staff
ECHOING previous statements made by the Joint Guam Program Office director David Bice said Guam Waterworks Authority is “operating at near capacity in terms of water production” and the agency “could be indirectly affected by increased water demands associated with the construction workforce and induced population growth.”
The military buildup impact report further claims U.S. Navy and Air Force installations’ water infrastructure systems will be directly affected. Currently, the defense department has water storage units across the island with a collective storage capacity of roughly 23 million gallons, most of which consist of concrete structures either partially buried or covered with earth.
According to the environmental impact statement, GWA has prepared a five-year capital improvements that would cover fiscal years 2009 to 2013. The $200 million price tag for accommodating the induced population increase would include 22 additional wells plus transmission lines and storage facilities.
The defense department claims to not have seen the GWA improvement plan but the study does cite discussions between the two departments to “begin working through the details to coordinate GWA support for the proposed buildup.”
The military impact study notes capital improvements at GWA would be funded through “surplus system revenues, grants, and loans” and that “Substantial rate increase relief is anticipated.”
Water supply
The impact report further proposes that defense officials and GWA manage the Northern Guam lens aquifer, the source for off-base production wells supplying the northern air force base.
Other off-base water supply and transmission system include nine water production wells, two booster pump stations, three storage tanks, chlorination facilities, one fluoridation facility, and approximately 80,000 feet of water lines. An additional 700,000 feet of water lines are part of the current on-base water distribution system which includes a pump station and three storage tanks.
Distribution
The Andersen Air Force Base water system receives its water from Andersen Northwest Field and Andersen South, which includes an “off-base water supply; disinfection, storage, and transmission system; and an on base water distribution system.”
The Navy water system is an island-wide system extending from the Navy reservoir NCTS Finegayan near the northern tip of the island. Water from the Fena water treatment plant provides majority of the Navy water system’s needs.
The study also cited that “transmission lines connecting the Navy water system and the Andersen AFB system also exist, but they are presently out of service.”
Monday, December 07, 2009
Bice insists buildup good for Guam
Bice insists buildup good for Guam
Monday, 07 December 2009 04:00
by Jude Lizama | Variety News Staff
GUAM and the CNMI will experience economic growth and opportunity as a result of the massive military buildup on Guam, according to Joint Guam Program Office executive director David Bice.
“They will come here from far and wide and see the jewel that you have here,” Bice told island leaders during the 12th Micronesian Chief Executives’ Summit which concluded at Sheraton Laguna Guam Resort Friday.
Despite hints in the draft environmental impact statement that Guam does not have much to expect from the military buildup, Bice maintained the future will be “very bright” for small business as a result of the Marine relocation and buildup.
According to the JGPO director, Marines will take advantage of the regional tourism industry and regional tourism will benefit from allied forces that will frequently come to Guam and the CNMI for training.
Because of a number of factors, the draft impact study indicates the island will not be able to “capture” any significant pools of the billions of dollars that are expected to flow into numerous military projects.
With a plan to use upwards of 30,000 foreign workers who will send most earnings off-island and no recirculation in the local economy and other factors, the low capture rate will mean Guam government coffers, employment and small businesses will be shorted the lion’s share of the billions targeted for preparing for the military’s increasing footprint.
Local turmoil
“Our program is going to maximize the use of workers from Guam and neighboring islands before we seek other labor sources,” Bice said.
The program director, however, weighed that assessment by saying the local labor market will “probably remain in turmoil for the next 10 years or so, if not longer.
He said there will be only 1,700 civilian workers supporting the Marine relocation.
Bice recounted his dialogue with Guam labor director Maria Connelly, and hopes for a collaborative effort to host a symposium geared toward ensuring “NAVFAC, the Guam Department of Labor, and the U.S. Department of Labor are all speaking as one voice.”
Water too
In addition to the economics of the military realignment, Bice sought to assuage concerns over natural resources and utilities.
The retired major general spoke about Guam Waterworks Authority’s lack of capacity to provide sufficiently for the requirements of the projected buildup construction workforce.
“They are operating at near capacity in terms of water production, at this point,” Bice explained on the military’s plan to bring online 22 additional wells to support their needs.
Moreover, Bice believes an interim solution could be achieved to assist in improving the island’s water and wastewater systems. “There is a lot of unaccounted for water loss,” he said.
In the end
Curiously, Bice addressed upgrades at the Port Authority of Guam which he claimed will “not only help the needs of our construction effort,” but will also help to transform the port into a “viable, integral conduit for goods and services.”
The military impact study leaves open the possibility that the Navy may actually repossess the Guam Shipyard facilities and loading equipment Sen. Ben Pangelinan claims to have observed at Navy docks suggest the military will handle off-loading and cargo movement from their own ports.
Monday, 07 December 2009 04:00
by Jude Lizama | Variety News Staff
GUAM and the CNMI will experience economic growth and opportunity as a result of the massive military buildup on Guam, according to Joint Guam Program Office executive director David Bice.
“They will come here from far and wide and see the jewel that you have here,” Bice told island leaders during the 12th Micronesian Chief Executives’ Summit which concluded at Sheraton Laguna Guam Resort Friday.
Despite hints in the draft environmental impact statement that Guam does not have much to expect from the military buildup, Bice maintained the future will be “very bright” for small business as a result of the Marine relocation and buildup.
According to the JGPO director, Marines will take advantage of the regional tourism industry and regional tourism will benefit from allied forces that will frequently come to Guam and the CNMI for training.
Because of a number of factors, the draft impact study indicates the island will not be able to “capture” any significant pools of the billions of dollars that are expected to flow into numerous military projects.
With a plan to use upwards of 30,000 foreign workers who will send most earnings off-island and no recirculation in the local economy and other factors, the low capture rate will mean Guam government coffers, employment and small businesses will be shorted the lion’s share of the billions targeted for preparing for the military’s increasing footprint.
Local turmoil
“Our program is going to maximize the use of workers from Guam and neighboring islands before we seek other labor sources,” Bice said.
The program director, however, weighed that assessment by saying the local labor market will “probably remain in turmoil for the next 10 years or so, if not longer.
He said there will be only 1,700 civilian workers supporting the Marine relocation.
Bice recounted his dialogue with Guam labor director Maria Connelly, and hopes for a collaborative effort to host a symposium geared toward ensuring “NAVFAC, the Guam Department of Labor, and the U.S. Department of Labor are all speaking as one voice.”
Water too
In addition to the economics of the military realignment, Bice sought to assuage concerns over natural resources and utilities.
The retired major general spoke about Guam Waterworks Authority’s lack of capacity to provide sufficiently for the requirements of the projected buildup construction workforce.
“They are operating at near capacity in terms of water production, at this point,” Bice explained on the military’s plan to bring online 22 additional wells to support their needs.
Moreover, Bice believes an interim solution could be achieved to assist in improving the island’s water and wastewater systems. “There is a lot of unaccounted for water loss,” he said.
In the end
Curiously, Bice addressed upgrades at the Port Authority of Guam which he claimed will “not only help the needs of our construction effort,” but will also help to transform the port into a “viable, integral conduit for goods and services.”
The military impact study leaves open the possibility that the Navy may actually repossess the Guam Shipyard facilities and loading equipment Sen. Ben Pangelinan claims to have observed at Navy docks suggest the military will handle off-loading and cargo movement from their own ports.
Monday, November 30, 2009
22 new wells
22 new wells
Monday, 30 November 2009 04:28
by Mar-Vic Cagurangan | Variety News Staff
DoD urged to seek local permit for water projects
THE Department of Defense plans to install 22 new water wells in Andersen Air Force Base to meet future water requirements resulting from impending military growth, according to the draft environmental impact statement for the Guam military buildup.
The water facility development plan also involves rehabilitation of existing wells and interconnection with the Guam Waterworks Authority’s system.
The proposed new well projects, according to the impact report, would draw water from the Andersen and Agafa-Gumas sub basins, which are currently underdeveloped.
Local control
Senator Ben Pangelinan, meanwhile, reminds the defense department that any water development project to be built anywhere on Guam requires a local permit.
“The law was passed to ensure that, when the military buildup occurs, the water supply for the civilian community is not threatened,” said Pangelinan, author of the water rights protection bill signed as Public Law 29-51.
P.L. 29-51 declares that all ground and underground water resources all over Guam are under local control, with the local civilian population having the first priority use. All water development projects require “expressed authorization” from GWA, according to the law.
Pangelinan said the law also applies to water resources that lie within any military-owned property or any site where DoD, the government of Guam and private landowners have overlapping claims.
“I introduced that law in anticipation of the military’s efforts to claim the water within the aquifer. All the water resources, no matter where they are located, belong to the people of Guam,” Pangelinan told Variety
The senator has asked the Attorney General’s Office to prepare an opinion in defense of the Guam water rights law.
Environmental impact
According to the impact study, the proposed well construction projects would result in the potential temporary increase in storm water runoff, erosion, sedimentation.
“The construction would involve land disturbing activities greater than an acre in size that would trigger the requirement for a construction storm water permit,” the study stated.
The military states assurance that these potential impacts would be minimized through the implementation of “best management practices.”
While the plan to install new water wells is not project to affect the wetlands, the study indicated that increased groundwater withdrawals could potentially impact water levels in caves located along the shorelines of Guam.
“The cave and pool systems may be considered jurisdictional waters of the U.S.,” the impact study said, “thus any potential impacts to the system would be discussed and potentially permitted by the [U.S. Army Corps of Engineers].
Alternative 2
Installing 20 new water wells at AAFB and 11 in Barrigada is another option being considered by DoD, but the first option has been identified in the study as the “preferred alternative.”
Monday, 30 November 2009 04:28
by Mar-Vic Cagurangan | Variety News Staff
DoD urged to seek local permit for water projects
THE Department of Defense plans to install 22 new water wells in Andersen Air Force Base to meet future water requirements resulting from impending military growth, according to the draft environmental impact statement for the Guam military buildup.
The water facility development plan also involves rehabilitation of existing wells and interconnection with the Guam Waterworks Authority’s system.
The proposed new well projects, according to the impact report, would draw water from the Andersen and Agafa-Gumas sub basins, which are currently underdeveloped.
Local control
Senator Ben Pangelinan, meanwhile, reminds the defense department that any water development project to be built anywhere on Guam requires a local permit.
“The law was passed to ensure that, when the military buildup occurs, the water supply for the civilian community is not threatened,” said Pangelinan, author of the water rights protection bill signed as Public Law 29-51.
P.L. 29-51 declares that all ground and underground water resources all over Guam are under local control, with the local civilian population having the first priority use. All water development projects require “expressed authorization” from GWA, according to the law.
Pangelinan said the law also applies to water resources that lie within any military-owned property or any site where DoD, the government of Guam and private landowners have overlapping claims.
“I introduced that law in anticipation of the military’s efforts to claim the water within the aquifer. All the water resources, no matter where they are located, belong to the people of Guam,” Pangelinan told Variety
The senator has asked the Attorney General’s Office to prepare an opinion in defense of the Guam water rights law.
Environmental impact
According to the impact study, the proposed well construction projects would result in the potential temporary increase in storm water runoff, erosion, sedimentation.
“The construction would involve land disturbing activities greater than an acre in size that would trigger the requirement for a construction storm water permit,” the study stated.
The military states assurance that these potential impacts would be minimized through the implementation of “best management practices.”
While the plan to install new water wells is not project to affect the wetlands, the study indicated that increased groundwater withdrawals could potentially impact water levels in caves located along the shorelines of Guam.
“The cave and pool systems may be considered jurisdictional waters of the U.S.,” the impact study said, “thus any potential impacts to the system would be discussed and potentially permitted by the [U.S. Army Corps of Engineers].
Alternative 2
Installing 20 new water wells at AAFB and 11 in Barrigada is another option being considered by DoD, but the first option has been identified in the study as the “preferred alternative.”
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Navy details impact of Guam move
Navy details impact of Guam move
By Teri Weaver , Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Monday, November 23, 2009
TOKYO — It’s 8,600 Marines, not 8,000, moving to Guam.
That doesn’t count the estimated 9,000 sailors and Marines expected to visit the island for an average of two months each year.
And when construction, moving and hiring really get cranking in 2014 under the U.S. military’s plan to expand its bases in Guam, an estimated 80,000 people will temporarily flood the island, almost doubling the current population, according to a Navy report released Friday detailing the possible effects of the buildup.
The massive report comes more than three years after the United States and Japan agreed to move the III Marine Expeditionary Force.
The troop movement, from Okinawa to Guam, is part of a strategy to decrease troops in Japan and bolster the U.S.-controlled island in the Pacific.
While that agreement has come under scrutiny by a newly elected government in Japan, U.S. military officials say they are moving forward with the estimated $10.3 billion project.
Friday’s release of the environmental impact statement contains thousands of pages listing options about where the military wants to put the Marines, a new Army air defense unit and an expanded berth for visiting aircraft carriers within the island’s Apra Harbor port.
It also includes details about transforming existing training space on Tinian, an island in the Commonwealth of Northern Marina Islands. The expansion would support company- and battalion-level live-fire ranges.
Most of the report, though, deals with significant changes anticipated on Guam during and after the buildup. They include increased noise on the northern part of the island, traffic snarls during road construction, loss of habitat for threatened and endangered species, and significant changes to the coral reef ecosystem in Outer Apra Harbor, according to the report’s executive summary.
Overall, the buildup would bring about 34,000 new people to Guam permanently. About a quarter of the 1,800 new civilian Department of Defense jobs would be hired from island residents.
The military would expand and use much of Guam’s utility infrastructure for power, sewage and trash. Under one proposal, the Navy would drill 22 new wells on Andersen Air Force Base while connecting with the Guam Water Authority’s system, the report says.
When it comes to land use, the military would use much of its existing land at the northern tip of the island. Yet it’s clear, as military officials have said previously, that the current footprint is not enough for current plans, the report states.
Under a preferred option, the military would buy or lease private and public land near existing bases, including area now used as a racing track, reserved for development for new housing and existing homes, according to Sen. Judith Guthertz, who chairs Guam’s legislative committee that oversees the military expansion.
"Land is a very emotional issue here, especially because of our experiences during and after World War II," Guthertz said Saturday during a phone interview. Then, she said, "a lot was taken by the Navy and was not always under the best and fair terms for the indigenous people."
Now some of the land the Navy wants — including land reserved for development by the local Chamorro people — is controlled by Guam, which is a U.S. territory without a vote in Congress. A local law passed last year will require approval from Guam’s legislature before the military can buy or lease any locally controlled parcels.
But Guthertz said she and other local leaders anticipated those requests. Understanding what else might be in the massive report is the next step.
On Saturday, government officials in Guam were beginning to go through the details. Guthertz said her office spread the thousands of pages out in a room and assigned staff to study certain sections. Guam Gov. Felix Camacho parceled the report out to agency heads to comb through the technical language of the statement, which many call the EIS.
"We’ve only had it barely a day," said Shawn Gumataotao, deputy chief of staff for the governor. "All of our regulatory agencies will spend a lot of time with our people looking at the EIS. We’re also encouraging the public to do the same."
The Navy put the report out a day early, on Friday. An electronic version can be viewed online, and hard copies are available at local libraries and some mayors’ offices. A reading room was set up in the Agana Shopping Center in Hagatna.
Until Feb. 17, anyone can comment on the proposed options in the report, either online or by mail. The Navy will hold six public hearings on Guam, Saipan and Tinian from Jan. 7 to Jan. 15.
By Teri Weaver , Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Monday, November 23, 2009
TOKYO — It’s 8,600 Marines, not 8,000, moving to Guam.
That doesn’t count the estimated 9,000 sailors and Marines expected to visit the island for an average of two months each year.
And when construction, moving and hiring really get cranking in 2014 under the U.S. military’s plan to expand its bases in Guam, an estimated 80,000 people will temporarily flood the island, almost doubling the current population, according to a Navy report released Friday detailing the possible effects of the buildup.
The massive report comes more than three years after the United States and Japan agreed to move the III Marine Expeditionary Force.
The troop movement, from Okinawa to Guam, is part of a strategy to decrease troops in Japan and bolster the U.S.-controlled island in the Pacific.
While that agreement has come under scrutiny by a newly elected government in Japan, U.S. military officials say they are moving forward with the estimated $10.3 billion project.
Friday’s release of the environmental impact statement contains thousands of pages listing options about where the military wants to put the Marines, a new Army air defense unit and an expanded berth for visiting aircraft carriers within the island’s Apra Harbor port.
It also includes details about transforming existing training space on Tinian, an island in the Commonwealth of Northern Marina Islands. The expansion would support company- and battalion-level live-fire ranges.
Most of the report, though, deals with significant changes anticipated on Guam during and after the buildup. They include increased noise on the northern part of the island, traffic snarls during road construction, loss of habitat for threatened and endangered species, and significant changes to the coral reef ecosystem in Outer Apra Harbor, according to the report’s executive summary.
Overall, the buildup would bring about 34,000 new people to Guam permanently. About a quarter of the 1,800 new civilian Department of Defense jobs would be hired from island residents.
The military would expand and use much of Guam’s utility infrastructure for power, sewage and trash. Under one proposal, the Navy would drill 22 new wells on Andersen Air Force Base while connecting with the Guam Water Authority’s system, the report says.
When it comes to land use, the military would use much of its existing land at the northern tip of the island. Yet it’s clear, as military officials have said previously, that the current footprint is not enough for current plans, the report states.
Under a preferred option, the military would buy or lease private and public land near existing bases, including area now used as a racing track, reserved for development for new housing and existing homes, according to Sen. Judith Guthertz, who chairs Guam’s legislative committee that oversees the military expansion.
"Land is a very emotional issue here, especially because of our experiences during and after World War II," Guthertz said Saturday during a phone interview. Then, she said, "a lot was taken by the Navy and was not always under the best and fair terms for the indigenous people."
Now some of the land the Navy wants — including land reserved for development by the local Chamorro people — is controlled by Guam, which is a U.S. territory without a vote in Congress. A local law passed last year will require approval from Guam’s legislature before the military can buy or lease any locally controlled parcels.
But Guthertz said she and other local leaders anticipated those requests. Understanding what else might be in the massive report is the next step.
On Saturday, government officials in Guam were beginning to go through the details. Guthertz said her office spread the thousands of pages out in a room and assigned staff to study certain sections. Guam Gov. Felix Camacho parceled the report out to agency heads to comb through the technical language of the statement, which many call the EIS.
"We’ve only had it barely a day," said Shawn Gumataotao, deputy chief of staff for the governor. "All of our regulatory agencies will spend a lot of time with our people looking at the EIS. We’re also encouraging the public to do the same."
The Navy put the report out a day early, on Friday. An electronic version can be viewed online, and hard copies are available at local libraries and some mayors’ offices. A reading room was set up in the Agana Shopping Center in Hagatna.
Until Feb. 17, anyone can comment on the proposed options in the report, either online or by mail. The Navy will hold six public hearings on Guam, Saipan and Tinian from Jan. 7 to Jan. 15.
Training held on DEIS review techniques
Training held on DEIS review techniques
Posted: Nov 21, 2009 1:27 PM
Updated: Nov 21, 2009 6:47 PM
by Heather Hauswirth
The Guam Environmental Protection Agency held a four-day training course this past week for various GovGuam agency personnel. The event was geared towards teaching participants the many practical skills needed to be a more effective and critical reviewer of the Joint Guam Program Office's Draft Environmental Impact Statement.
The daunting prospect of having to review ten volumes of text that spans 11,000 pages has GovGuam agencies and nearly everyone on island all worked up. EPA Administrator Lorilee Crisostomo says the USEPA's workshop on how to review an EIS was open to a select number of agencies.
"This is a big island build up, not just inside the fence so we want them to know how to review an EIS document too because we don't want anyone to be intimidated with how it's set up and how many pages we are going to get," she said.
The Guam EPA used its federal American Reinvestment and Recovery Act grant funds to hire USEPA instructors like Lance Richman and David Schaller, who focused the course on teaching participants about the methodology of the process. "One of the parts of the environmental impact assessment process is evaluating alternatives and there has been concern about which alternatives were chosen, which ones are being evaluated and about mitigation, efforts to reduce or avoid impacts that could occur from the projects that are underway," Crisostomo said.
The course focused on ensuring participants would be able to derive and reason more critically while reviewing the EIS. Assistant General Manager of Compliance and Safety at the Guam Waterworks Authority, Paul Kemp said, "We are getting a good systematic view of how to go about it and giving us a roadmap of how to execute the steps necessary to do a good job."
Course principles were designed around international frameworks set for environmental impact assessments. Richman emphasized the importance of asking critical questions, noting, "The important thing is to review the document, the integrity of the document, make sure there are commitments in the document, there are mitigation efforts underway, there are schedules and there is money for mitigation efforts, make certain its not just words, that there are actual dollars, there are actual schedules and actual technical experts to support the projects and mitigations proposed."
But it's not light reading - anyone who takes a stab is advised to reach out to those who may have more expertise than them to better understand portions that might be confusing. "It would be really helpful to have an interdisciplinary, inter-skill approach to looking at it, so if you really aren't familiar with an aspect of the document, find somebody who is and ask them about it," said Crisostomo.
And after completion of this training course, the individual participants will be able to teach the skills they learned and transfer it to how to review any EIS document to teach individuals and Gov Guam agencies as well as other individuals who would just like a chance to review this massive EIS document.
Posted: Nov 21, 2009 1:27 PM
Updated: Nov 21, 2009 6:47 PM
by Heather Hauswirth
The Guam Environmental Protection Agency held a four-day training course this past week for various GovGuam agency personnel. The event was geared towards teaching participants the many practical skills needed to be a more effective and critical reviewer of the Joint Guam Program Office's Draft Environmental Impact Statement.
The daunting prospect of having to review ten volumes of text that spans 11,000 pages has GovGuam agencies and nearly everyone on island all worked up. EPA Administrator Lorilee Crisostomo says the USEPA's workshop on how to review an EIS was open to a select number of agencies.
"This is a big island build up, not just inside the fence so we want them to know how to review an EIS document too because we don't want anyone to be intimidated with how it's set up and how many pages we are going to get," she said.
The Guam EPA used its federal American Reinvestment and Recovery Act grant funds to hire USEPA instructors like Lance Richman and David Schaller, who focused the course on teaching participants about the methodology of the process. "One of the parts of the environmental impact assessment process is evaluating alternatives and there has been concern about which alternatives were chosen, which ones are being evaluated and about mitigation, efforts to reduce or avoid impacts that could occur from the projects that are underway," Crisostomo said.
The course focused on ensuring participants would be able to derive and reason more critically while reviewing the EIS. Assistant General Manager of Compliance and Safety at the Guam Waterworks Authority, Paul Kemp said, "We are getting a good systematic view of how to go about it and giving us a roadmap of how to execute the steps necessary to do a good job."
Course principles were designed around international frameworks set for environmental impact assessments. Richman emphasized the importance of asking critical questions, noting, "The important thing is to review the document, the integrity of the document, make sure there are commitments in the document, there are mitigation efforts underway, there are schedules and there is money for mitigation efforts, make certain its not just words, that there are actual dollars, there are actual schedules and actual technical experts to support the projects and mitigations proposed."
But it's not light reading - anyone who takes a stab is advised to reach out to those who may have more expertise than them to better understand portions that might be confusing. "It would be really helpful to have an interdisciplinary, inter-skill approach to looking at it, so if you really aren't familiar with an aspect of the document, find somebody who is and ask them about it," said Crisostomo.
And after completion of this training course, the individual participants will be able to teach the skills they learned and transfer it to how to review any EIS document to teach individuals and Gov Guam agencies as well as other individuals who would just like a chance to review this massive EIS document.
Friday, November 20, 2009
EIS gives clues to buildup activities
EIS gives clues to buildup activities
By Amritha Alladi • Pacific Daily News • November 21, 2009
Within the thousands of pages of Draft Environmental Impact Statement documents that became public for the first time yesterday, clues abound as to how Guam could change with the looming military buildup.
Here's a quick glance of some of the proposed changes on Guam if the draft becomes final -- a decision likely reached at some point next year, according to military time lines:
# An Army missile defense's administrative offices will share a vast location in the Finegayan area with the preferred Marine Corps base in Finegayan;
# A population boom that, at the height of the military buildup activities, will add 79,178 people to the island -- approximately half the number of people currently on the island;
# Military projects that will require between 600 and 1,100 acres of mostly military-owned and other federal government-controlled land; and
# More waterfront space and support facilities for aircraft carrier visits.
The EIS gives Guam residents the first concrete idea of how Guam is expected to change as a result of the military buildup on Guam.
The population explosion itself is expected to strain an already overburdened utilities, which would require infrastructure improvements -- if the Defense Department continues to be a customer of both the Guam Waterworks Authority and Guam Power Authority.
The preferred utilities option for the buildup, according to the EIS, is for the Defense Department to become a bigger customer of GWA and GPA.
For solid waste, the DOD will use the existing landfill at Apra Harbor until the new public landfill at Layon, which the local government is paying for, is ready, the EIS states.
The buildup on Guam, according to the EIS, may include:
# the shift of 8,600 Marines and their 9,000 dependents from Okinawa to Guam;
# the construction of a new deep wharf in Apra Harbor to support a transient nuclear powered aircraft carrier; and
# development of facilities and infrastructure to support relocating about 600 military personnel and their 900 dependents to establish and operate an Army Missile Defense Task Force facility in the Finegayan region.
Marine base, housing
Of eight alternatives that were originally generated for the main area designated for the Marines' headquarters and administrative support, housing, open storage, as well as retail, school, recreational, medical and day care services -- four continue to be analyzed.
All of them would take anywhere from 600 to 1,100 acres of land that has, so far, been established to protect endangered or threatened species of wildlife and vegetation in the Overlay Refuge in Finegayan, according to the EIS.
The Defense Department prefers using existing DOD land parcels from the Naval Computer Telecommunications Stations in Finegayan, South Finegayan, and long-term leasing of Federal Aviation Administration lands for the main Marine base area. This area would be bound on the north by the Andersen Air Force Base and Route 3, the cliffline and Philippine Sea to the west, a limited residential development on the east, and the Harmon Village residential area to the south, according to the EIS.
This alternative would develop just over half of the Overlay Refuge area.
But the DOD has also suggested three alternatives to this arrangement that would infringe less on the Overlay Refuge and instead place military housing facilities and quality of life services outside the main Marine base area. These alternatives could lead to the removal of the Navy golf course or the acquisition or long-term lease of private lands in the Harmon Annex.
Army missile defense task force
The Defense Department would prefer that the Marine Corps base in Finegayan share a location with the proposed administrative offices and support facilities for the planned Army Missile Defense Task Force, according to the EIS.
This option would require the housing and headquarters for the Army facility to be "co-located" in the eastern portion of the NCTS in Finegayan, adjacent to the proposed Marine Corps housing and administrative units. Housing units for the task force personnel could be co-located with Marine Corps units in South Finegayan, the EIS states.
Another possible site for the task force headquarters and all of its housing units could potentially be placed within Navy property in Barrigada, according to the EIS.
Air field, aircraft carrier facilities
The DOD plans to construct an airfield at the North Ramp of Andersen Air Force Base while the South Ramp would serve as an air embarkation facility.
There are no alternative sites for the construction of the airfield at Andersen.
On the other hand, there are two alternatives being considered for aircraft carrier berthing, both of which require widening of the Outer Apra Harbor by 600 feet.
The DOD has shown preference for the construction of a wharf at Polaris Point, which calls for dredging of 600 feet in the Inner Apra Harbor to meet aircraft carrier requirements.
An alternative location at the former Navy ship repair facility would meet the aircraft carrier requirements without having to dredge.
The document states that damage caused to the reef as a result of dredging may be mitigated with watershed management projects and artificial reef construction. Both wharf locations are on Navy submerged lands and would affect man-made coastlines, according to the EIS.
Guam residents have until Feb. 17, 2010, to comment and provide feedback on the draft EIS.
By Amritha Alladi • Pacific Daily News • November 21, 2009
Within the thousands of pages of Draft Environmental Impact Statement documents that became public for the first time yesterday, clues abound as to how Guam could change with the looming military buildup.
Here's a quick glance of some of the proposed changes on Guam if the draft becomes final -- a decision likely reached at some point next year, according to military time lines:
# An Army missile defense's administrative offices will share a vast location in the Finegayan area with the preferred Marine Corps base in Finegayan;
# A population boom that, at the height of the military buildup activities, will add 79,178 people to the island -- approximately half the number of people currently on the island;
# Military projects that will require between 600 and 1,100 acres of mostly military-owned and other federal government-controlled land; and
# More waterfront space and support facilities for aircraft carrier visits.
The EIS gives Guam residents the first concrete idea of how Guam is expected to change as a result of the military buildup on Guam.
The population explosion itself is expected to strain an already overburdened utilities, which would require infrastructure improvements -- if the Defense Department continues to be a customer of both the Guam Waterworks Authority and Guam Power Authority.
The preferred utilities option for the buildup, according to the EIS, is for the Defense Department to become a bigger customer of GWA and GPA.
For solid waste, the DOD will use the existing landfill at Apra Harbor until the new public landfill at Layon, which the local government is paying for, is ready, the EIS states.
The buildup on Guam, according to the EIS, may include:
# the shift of 8,600 Marines and their 9,000 dependents from Okinawa to Guam;
# the construction of a new deep wharf in Apra Harbor to support a transient nuclear powered aircraft carrier; and
# development of facilities and infrastructure to support relocating about 600 military personnel and their 900 dependents to establish and operate an Army Missile Defense Task Force facility in the Finegayan region.
Marine base, housing
Of eight alternatives that were originally generated for the main area designated for the Marines' headquarters and administrative support, housing, open storage, as well as retail, school, recreational, medical and day care services -- four continue to be analyzed.
All of them would take anywhere from 600 to 1,100 acres of land that has, so far, been established to protect endangered or threatened species of wildlife and vegetation in the Overlay Refuge in Finegayan, according to the EIS.
The Defense Department prefers using existing DOD land parcels from the Naval Computer Telecommunications Stations in Finegayan, South Finegayan, and long-term leasing of Federal Aviation Administration lands for the main Marine base area. This area would be bound on the north by the Andersen Air Force Base and Route 3, the cliffline and Philippine Sea to the west, a limited residential development on the east, and the Harmon Village residential area to the south, according to the EIS.
This alternative would develop just over half of the Overlay Refuge area.
But the DOD has also suggested three alternatives to this arrangement that would infringe less on the Overlay Refuge and instead place military housing facilities and quality of life services outside the main Marine base area. These alternatives could lead to the removal of the Navy golf course or the acquisition or long-term lease of private lands in the Harmon Annex.
Army missile defense task force
The Defense Department would prefer that the Marine Corps base in Finegayan share a location with the proposed administrative offices and support facilities for the planned Army Missile Defense Task Force, according to the EIS.
This option would require the housing and headquarters for the Army facility to be "co-located" in the eastern portion of the NCTS in Finegayan, adjacent to the proposed Marine Corps housing and administrative units. Housing units for the task force personnel could be co-located with Marine Corps units in South Finegayan, the EIS states.
Another possible site for the task force headquarters and all of its housing units could potentially be placed within Navy property in Barrigada, according to the EIS.
Air field, aircraft carrier facilities
The DOD plans to construct an airfield at the North Ramp of Andersen Air Force Base while the South Ramp would serve as an air embarkation facility.
There are no alternative sites for the construction of the airfield at Andersen.
On the other hand, there are two alternatives being considered for aircraft carrier berthing, both of which require widening of the Outer Apra Harbor by 600 feet.
The DOD has shown preference for the construction of a wharf at Polaris Point, which calls for dredging of 600 feet in the Inner Apra Harbor to meet aircraft carrier requirements.
An alternative location at the former Navy ship repair facility would meet the aircraft carrier requirements without having to dredge.
The document states that damage caused to the reef as a result of dredging may be mitigated with watershed management projects and artificial reef construction. Both wharf locations are on Navy submerged lands and would affect man-made coastlines, according to the EIS.
Guam residents have until Feb. 17, 2010, to comment and provide feedback on the draft EIS.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)