Group aims to clear up misconceptions
By Amritha Alladi • Pacific Daily News • February 15, 2010
They've been to several of the draft Environmental Impact Statement meetings, and even arranged tours of some of Guam's natural and historic sites.
We Are Guåhan, a grassroots organization that formed after the draft EIS was released Nov. 20, 2009, has been advocating to keep the public informed about the military buildup, according to the group. With their mailing, phone and Facebook lists combined, the group comprises about 5,000 individuals, members of the group have said.
Four of them sat down with the Pacific Daily News last week to dispel what they felt were misconceptions about their group: Genevieve Won Pat-Borja, a special education teacher with the Guam Department of Education; Cara Flores-Mays, a small business owner; Marie Auyong, a nonprofit administrator; and Victoria-Lola Leon Guerrero, an English instructor at the University of Guam.
With just three days left to comment on the draft EIS, the group is urging people to comment on the draft EIS.
Question: Who is We Are Guåhan?
Flores-Mays: We are a group of concerned individuals and families, one of our goals is to get information out to the public. I don't think that's our only goal.... We're committed to a sustainable future.
Q: Would you say the group is against the buildup?
Auyong: I think that's not necessarily that black and white. I think there are a lot of people who have very nuanced perspectives on the buildup itself, ... and I think right now our project is the DEIS commenting period, and the process by which it's come about. ... We have found that information has been lacking, that perhaps some institutions have not been forthright about that and so we're trying to fill that void.
Flores-Mays: A lot of our events are aimed at communicating facts straight out of the EIS. ... So if we're against the buildup, then the EIS would be against the buildup as well.
Won Pat-Borja: If it does seem we're presenting a lot of negative information, it's because ... there are quite a large number of negative impacts.
(According to information posted on the group's Web site, taken from the draft EIS, those negative impacts include the dredging of 25 acres of reef which would eliminate some endangered turtle species, the taking of 2,500 acres of land, and the loss of 26,000 jobs from 2015 through 2017.)
Q: Are there places where you see Guam can benefit from the buildup?
Flores-Mays: I think that there's quite a bit of information out there about how Guam can benefit. However, there's always the positive and never the negative, and so I guess it may come across that we're anti-buildup because we communicate the rest of the information. ... These are points that we've taken from the economists and biologists and so we have actually discussed the benefits of the buildup.
(According to the Defense Department document, Guam's unemployment rate is expected to fall to 4 percent when Guam residents and off-islanders start taking on jobs associated with the military buildup. About 33,000 jobs for civilian workers will be created by the 2014 peak, and an additional 6,150 jobs will be provided on a "more permanent basis" thereafter.)
Q: Do you think that the buildup can be done, but just in a different way?
Flores-Mays: These are personal questions. As an organization, I think that if we were to answer these questions, they would be personal answers, ... it would be a misrepresentation.
Leon Guerrero: For so long this community has been told this is a done deal. No one should have to be told that they have no say in their future.
Showing posts with label Land Acquisition. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Land Acquisition. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Thursday, February 11, 2010
120-day stretch for DEIS review period sought
120-day stretch for DEIS review period sought
Friday, 05 February 2010 00:51
by Mar-Vic Cagurangan | Variety News Staff
THE new activist group called “We Are Guahan” has launched an online petition asking the Department of Defense to extend the review and comment period for the draft environmental impact statement by 120 days.
The Guam community was given 90 days to review and respond to the 11,000-page draft study releases in November. Under the current schedule, the comment period expires on Feb. 17.
The official request for extension was made earlier by Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo to Department of Navy Secretary Ray Mabus. The Navy official has yet to respond to the request.
“As evident in recent [draft environmental impact statement] hearings, concerns about land acquisition among other critical issues have emerged. Given this 90 day commenting period, the people of Guam have not been given adequate time and resources to comment on the Department of Defense's plans to increase its land inventory, especially when the Land Acquisition Impact,” states the petition, which has 394 signatures so far.
The petitioners are targeting 1,000 signatures for the petition.
“One of the many issues local Guam residents are concerned about is the measures the military will take to acquire the additional lands they seek to complete their mission,” the petition said.
We Are Guahan noted that the draft study uses “vague language, making it unclear to private landowners whether or not the military would seek to negotiate with landowners instead of resorting to the use of eminent domain and/or land condemnation.”
This petition “calls for the military to reveal to the public their plans to acquire land and to extend the period of time residents have to review and respond to said plan.”
To sign up or view the petition stats online go to: www.thepetitionsite.com/1/call-for-transparency-and-extension-of-deis-commenting-period.
Friday, 05 February 2010 00:51
by Mar-Vic Cagurangan | Variety News Staff
THE new activist group called “We Are Guahan” has launched an online petition asking the Department of Defense to extend the review and comment period for the draft environmental impact statement by 120 days.
The Guam community was given 90 days to review and respond to the 11,000-page draft study releases in November. Under the current schedule, the comment period expires on Feb. 17.
The official request for extension was made earlier by Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo to Department of Navy Secretary Ray Mabus. The Navy official has yet to respond to the request.
“As evident in recent [draft environmental impact statement] hearings, concerns about land acquisition among other critical issues have emerged. Given this 90 day commenting period, the people of Guam have not been given adequate time and resources to comment on the Department of Defense's plans to increase its land inventory, especially when the Land Acquisition Impact,” states the petition, which has 394 signatures so far.
The petitioners are targeting 1,000 signatures for the petition.
“One of the many issues local Guam residents are concerned about is the measures the military will take to acquire the additional lands they seek to complete their mission,” the petition said.
We Are Guahan noted that the draft study uses “vague language, making it unclear to private landowners whether or not the military would seek to negotiate with landowners instead of resorting to the use of eminent domain and/or land condemnation.”
This petition “calls for the military to reveal to the public their plans to acquire land and to extend the period of time residents have to review and respond to said plan.”
To sign up or view the petition stats online go to: www.thepetitionsite.com/1/call-for-transparency-and-extension-of-deis-commenting-period.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Bordallo Raises Buildup Concerns With Gates And Mullen
Bordallo Raises Buildup Concerns With Gates And Mullen
Guam - Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo addressed Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Admiral Michael Mullen,
Chairman of the Join Chiefs of Staff, during a House Armed Services Committee hearing today in Washington, D.C. on the Fiscal Year 2011 defense budget.
During the hearing, Congresswoman Bordallo shared concerns raised by members of the community at recent town hall meetings regarding the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). Specifically, Congresswoman Bordallo expressed her continued opposition to the use of eminent domain by the Department of Defense (DoD) for land acquisition and suggested that the DoD should look into building within their existing footprint on Guam.
Congresswoman Bordallo also expressed concerns regarding the aircraft carrier berthing and the potential damage to coral reefs during the dredging process. Secretary Gates stated that the Department of Defense would work with Guam stakeholders to “have transparency and for us [Department of Defense] to take into account the views of the people of Guam.”
Admiral Mullen further stated that these, “are major moves that we want to get right.”
“I along with Chairman Skelton and others have repeatedly stated that we need to get this military build-up done right,” Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo said today. “The Draft Environmental Impact Statement released by the Department of Defense, in its current form, insufficiently addresses concerns raised by our local government, our community, and stakeholders on Guam. I took this opportunity today to share some of these concerns with Secretary Gates and Admiral Mullen during a House Armed Services Committee hearing. Both Secretary Gates and Admiral Mullen agreed that this military build-up must be done right, and most importantly, that the concerns of our community must be taken into account before we get to a Final Environmental Impact Statement.”
Written by :
Kevin Kerrigan
Guam - Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo addressed Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Admiral Michael Mullen,
Chairman of the Join Chiefs of Staff, during a House Armed Services Committee hearing today in Washington, D.C. on the Fiscal Year 2011 defense budget.
During the hearing, Congresswoman Bordallo shared concerns raised by members of the community at recent town hall meetings regarding the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). Specifically, Congresswoman Bordallo expressed her continued opposition to the use of eminent domain by the Department of Defense (DoD) for land acquisition and suggested that the DoD should look into building within their existing footprint on Guam.
Congresswoman Bordallo also expressed concerns regarding the aircraft carrier berthing and the potential damage to coral reefs during the dredging process. Secretary Gates stated that the Department of Defense would work with Guam stakeholders to “have transparency and for us [Department of Defense] to take into account the views of the people of Guam.”
Admiral Mullen further stated that these, “are major moves that we want to get right.”
“I along with Chairman Skelton and others have repeatedly stated that we need to get this military build-up done right,” Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo said today. “The Draft Environmental Impact Statement released by the Department of Defense, in its current form, insufficiently addresses concerns raised by our local government, our community, and stakeholders on Guam. I took this opportunity today to share some of these concerns with Secretary Gates and Admiral Mullen during a House Armed Services Committee hearing. Both Secretary Gates and Admiral Mullen agreed that this military build-up must be done right, and most importantly, that the concerns of our community must be taken into account before we get to a Final Environmental Impact Statement.”
Written by :
Kevin Kerrigan
Bordallo addresses HASC on defense spending
Bordallo addresses HASC on defense spending
Posted: Feb 03, 2010 4:10 PM PST
by Heather Hauswirth
Guam - Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo today addressed Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Admiral Michael Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, during today's hearing on the Fiscal Year 2011 defense budget. During the House Armed Services hearing, Congresswoman Bordallo shared concerns raised by members of the community at recent town hall meetings regarding the Draft Environmental Impact Statement.
Specifically, Congresswoman Bordallo expressed her continued opposition to the use of eminent domain Department of Defense for land acquisition and suggested the feds should look into building within their existing footprint on Guam. Congresswoman Bordallo also expressed concerns regarding the aircraft carrier berthing and the potential damage to coral reefs during the dredging process.
Secretary Gates stated that the DoD would work with Guam stakeholders to "have transparency and for us [Department of Defense] to take into account the views of the people of Guam." Admiral Mullen further stated that these, "are major moves that we want to get right."
Posted: Feb 03, 2010 4:10 PM PST
by Heather Hauswirth
Guam - Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo today addressed Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Admiral Michael Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, during today's hearing on the Fiscal Year 2011 defense budget. During the House Armed Services hearing, Congresswoman Bordallo shared concerns raised by members of the community at recent town hall meetings regarding the Draft Environmental Impact Statement.
Specifically, Congresswoman Bordallo expressed her continued opposition to the use of eminent domain Department of Defense for land acquisition and suggested the feds should look into building within their existing footprint on Guam. Congresswoman Bordallo also expressed concerns regarding the aircraft carrier berthing and the potential damage to coral reefs during the dredging process.
Secretary Gates stated that the DoD would work with Guam stakeholders to "have transparency and for us [Department of Defense] to take into account the views of the people of Guam." Admiral Mullen further stated that these, "are major moves that we want to get right."
Tuesday, February 02, 2010
Locals question military’s plan to acquire more land on Guam
Locals question military’s plan to acquire more land on Guam
By Teri Weaver, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Thursday, January 28, 2010
MANGILAO, Guam — As the U.S. military makes preparations to add at least 9,000 troops to Guam, Glenn Nelson wonders how close they’ll be coming to his driveway.
Nelson lives with relatives on the Pacific island’s western shore. North of Nelson’s property lie jungle, freshwater caves, a few quarries and Guam’s only sanctioned raceway.
Photo: The Pagat area on Guam’s eastern side provides popular swimming and diving spots in the summer and good fishing year round. The U.S. military has proposed building three firing ranges – part of plans to move more than 9,000 troops to the island - just north of the area on land controlled by the government of Guam. The ranges would most likely mean limited access to more freshwater caves and land north of this shoreline.
It’s there the military wants to add three ranges to train on live firing, from pistols to .50-caliber guns.
And it’s that proposal for more land — plus another to acquire acreage on the western side of the island for Marine housing — that is at the heart of many arguments from island residents about the military’s plans.
“It’s very important to know — there is a moral wrong for acquiring more land than they actually need,” Nelson said on a recent Sunday from his back deck. “[If our land isn’t affected], that’s great. But everyone has an interest in these lands.”
The military plans to move 8,600 Marines from Okinawa to Guam, a $10.27 billion project partially funded by the Japanese government. Plans also include the addition of an Army unit. As the United States continues to work with the Japanese on the move, residents and leaders on Guam are asking the military to reconsider its plans to use more of the island.
Photo: 222 - The military controls about one-third of the 212-square-mile island, including 8,800 acres of ammunition storage for the Navy toward Guam’s southern end. These 1,000-pound bombs are ammunition for the 5th and 7th U.S. fleets in one of 129 earth-covered magazines at the Navy Munitions Command.
Land is a sensitive issue for a place where some people remember how their parents and grandparents ceded or sold land, often reluctantly, to the U.S. military before and after World War II. The military holds nearly one-third of the island’s 212 square miles, including the northern end for Andersen Air Force Base, much of the natural port at Apra Harbor and another 8,800 acres in the middle of the island that stores millions of pounds of munitions for the Navy’s 5th and 7th fleets.
Those bullets, bombs and missiles are the military’s stockpile for crises and contingencies, as are the mostly empty flight lines at Andersen, military officials on Guam say.
It’s Andersen — a base with no home AIR squadron and 15,000 acres of land that include a golf course, a recreational beach and a planned wildlife preserve — that has drawn more recent criticism from local residents and leaders.
On Thursday, the chairwoman of the Guam Legislature’s military buildup committee sent an eight-page proposal to the Navy office in charge of the buildup, asking officials to consider rearranging weapons stockpiles on Andersen and looking harder at its own recreational beach for firing ranges.
“The Navy needs to put on its thinking cap about this matter and be open-minded,” Sen. Judith Guthertz wrote to the military’s Joint Guam Program Office.
Marine Corps Capt. Neil Ruggiero, a spokesman for the program office on Guam, said Thursday that his office had received the proposal. He said it would likely take a week to get a reply from the program’s headquarters office in the Washington area.
David Bice, a retired Marine major general now in charge of the buildup plan, said in an interview Jan. 8 that earlier proposed plans included more use of military lands for the ranges. But he said that would mean more Marines would be driving around the island each day, additional traffic that local leaders have said they don’t want.
“You’d have 7-ton trucks going up and down the highway every day,” Bice said during an interview in his office on Naval Base Guam.
Bice said the military has approached only three private landowners for the entire buildup. While he declines to name them, he said he is confident there will be no problems with land transactions.
Photo: 444 - The hotels and the military control access to some of Guam’s beachfront, like this area at Ritidian Point just on the outside of Andersen. The beach is controlled by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which allows access to the sand but not the water during the day. Tourists, like this family from South Korea, come to visit, take photos and look for crabs.
But the military also is looking at land controlled by the government of Guam, including that swath north of the Nelsons’ home. To get a hold of that land, the Guam Legislature must either approve the land deal or force the military to use eminent domain proceedings. Nearly every leader on the island, including Bice, has said they do not want things to come to that.
Earlier this month, Air Force Brig. Gen. Philip Ruhlman, commander of the 36th Wing and Andersen, said some of the base’s land that looks unused now is needed for response plans in case of crises or war.
“There were 155 B-52s here in Vietnam,” Ruhlman said in an interview in his office Jan. 13. “Every parking space was taken. That’s the marker.”
The base also hosts routine deployments of U.S.-based fighter, bomber and tanker squadrons, and it’s the home to the 36th Contingency Response Group, a rapid-deployment unit that can secure and establish airfields.
Another 5,500 acres at Andersen contains more even ammunition for the military — 19 million pounds valued at $2 billion — making that land off limits for further buildup, Ruhlman said. The base’s old airfield, known as the Northwest Field, is being developed as a training center for Air Force security forces on their way to Iraq or Afghanistan, he said.
The undeveloped land on Andersen further complicates things, Ruhlman said. An agreement between the departments of Defense and Interior means that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has oversight of much of the overgrown land on Andersen.
“For every tree I cut down, I have to plant four more,” Ruhlman said.
The Air Force environmental unit working under Ruhlman is putting up a 12,000-foot fence to enclose 135 acres to provide a home for endangered or near-extinct plants and birds, including the Guam rail and the Mariana crow. The decision to create that refuge was made more than three years ago, according to Andersen officials, about the same time the United States and Japan announced plans to move the Marines.
Still, the government’s simultaneous plans to create a habitat for birds while asking for more land for ranges are hard for some residents to take.
“There’s a golf range at Andersen,” Guam Sen. Ben Pangelinan said at one of the military’s public hearings on the project. “You can bulldoze it and just put [the ranges] there.”
The proposed ranges would also limit access to swimming and fishing areas around the Pagat Caves, just north of the Nelson home, according to the military. It’s this that upsets Desiree Ventura, Glenn Nelson’s niece who also lives in the family home.
“It’s not just about the land,” she said. “We’re lucky because we have land. Most of the people don’t have it. It’s about the environment. It’s about the access to recreational sites.”
The following clarification to this story was posted January 28: A Jan. 28 story should have said that although Andersen Air Force Base on Guam has no permanently stationed air squadrons, it hosts routine deployments of U.S.-based fighter, bomber and tanker squadrons. It also is home to the 36th Contingency Response Group, a rapid-deployment unit that can secure and establish airfields.
By Teri Weaver, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Thursday, January 28, 2010
MANGILAO, Guam — As the U.S. military makes preparations to add at least 9,000 troops to Guam, Glenn Nelson wonders how close they’ll be coming to his driveway.
Nelson lives with relatives on the Pacific island’s western shore. North of Nelson’s property lie jungle, freshwater caves, a few quarries and Guam’s only sanctioned raceway.
Photo: The Pagat area on Guam’s eastern side provides popular swimming and diving spots in the summer and good fishing year round. The U.S. military has proposed building three firing ranges – part of plans to move more than 9,000 troops to the island - just north of the area on land controlled by the government of Guam. The ranges would most likely mean limited access to more freshwater caves and land north of this shoreline.
It’s there the military wants to add three ranges to train on live firing, from pistols to .50-caliber guns.
And it’s that proposal for more land — plus another to acquire acreage on the western side of the island for Marine housing — that is at the heart of many arguments from island residents about the military’s plans.
“It’s very important to know — there is a moral wrong for acquiring more land than they actually need,” Nelson said on a recent Sunday from his back deck. “[If our land isn’t affected], that’s great. But everyone has an interest in these lands.”
The military plans to move 8,600 Marines from Okinawa to Guam, a $10.27 billion project partially funded by the Japanese government. Plans also include the addition of an Army unit. As the United States continues to work with the Japanese on the move, residents and leaders on Guam are asking the military to reconsider its plans to use more of the island.
Photo: 222 - The military controls about one-third of the 212-square-mile island, including 8,800 acres of ammunition storage for the Navy toward Guam’s southern end. These 1,000-pound bombs are ammunition for the 5th and 7th U.S. fleets in one of 129 earth-covered magazines at the Navy Munitions Command.
Land is a sensitive issue for a place where some people remember how their parents and grandparents ceded or sold land, often reluctantly, to the U.S. military before and after World War II. The military holds nearly one-third of the island’s 212 square miles, including the northern end for Andersen Air Force Base, much of the natural port at Apra Harbor and another 8,800 acres in the middle of the island that stores millions of pounds of munitions for the Navy’s 5th and 7th fleets.
Those bullets, bombs and missiles are the military’s stockpile for crises and contingencies, as are the mostly empty flight lines at Andersen, military officials on Guam say.
It’s Andersen — a base with no home AIR squadron and 15,000 acres of land that include a golf course, a recreational beach and a planned wildlife preserve — that has drawn more recent criticism from local residents and leaders.
On Thursday, the chairwoman of the Guam Legislature’s military buildup committee sent an eight-page proposal to the Navy office in charge of the buildup, asking officials to consider rearranging weapons stockpiles on Andersen and looking harder at its own recreational beach for firing ranges.
“The Navy needs to put on its thinking cap about this matter and be open-minded,” Sen. Judith Guthertz wrote to the military’s Joint Guam Program Office.
Marine Corps Capt. Neil Ruggiero, a spokesman for the program office on Guam, said Thursday that his office had received the proposal. He said it would likely take a week to get a reply from the program’s headquarters office in the Washington area.
David Bice, a retired Marine major general now in charge of the buildup plan, said in an interview Jan. 8 that earlier proposed plans included more use of military lands for the ranges. But he said that would mean more Marines would be driving around the island each day, additional traffic that local leaders have said they don’t want.
“You’d have 7-ton trucks going up and down the highway every day,” Bice said during an interview in his office on Naval Base Guam.
Bice said the military has approached only three private landowners for the entire buildup. While he declines to name them, he said he is confident there will be no problems with land transactions.
Photo: 444 - The hotels and the military control access to some of Guam’s beachfront, like this area at Ritidian Point just on the outside of Andersen. The beach is controlled by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which allows access to the sand but not the water during the day. Tourists, like this family from South Korea, come to visit, take photos and look for crabs.
But the military also is looking at land controlled by the government of Guam, including that swath north of the Nelsons’ home. To get a hold of that land, the Guam Legislature must either approve the land deal or force the military to use eminent domain proceedings. Nearly every leader on the island, including Bice, has said they do not want things to come to that.
Earlier this month, Air Force Brig. Gen. Philip Ruhlman, commander of the 36th Wing and Andersen, said some of the base’s land that looks unused now is needed for response plans in case of crises or war.
“There were 155 B-52s here in Vietnam,” Ruhlman said in an interview in his office Jan. 13. “Every parking space was taken. That’s the marker.”
The base also hosts routine deployments of U.S.-based fighter, bomber and tanker squadrons, and it’s the home to the 36th Contingency Response Group, a rapid-deployment unit that can secure and establish airfields.
Another 5,500 acres at Andersen contains more even ammunition for the military — 19 million pounds valued at $2 billion — making that land off limits for further buildup, Ruhlman said. The base’s old airfield, known as the Northwest Field, is being developed as a training center for Air Force security forces on their way to Iraq or Afghanistan, he said.
The undeveloped land on Andersen further complicates things, Ruhlman said. An agreement between the departments of Defense and Interior means that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has oversight of much of the overgrown land on Andersen.
“For every tree I cut down, I have to plant four more,” Ruhlman said.
The Air Force environmental unit working under Ruhlman is putting up a 12,000-foot fence to enclose 135 acres to provide a home for endangered or near-extinct plants and birds, including the Guam rail and the Mariana crow. The decision to create that refuge was made more than three years ago, according to Andersen officials, about the same time the United States and Japan announced plans to move the Marines.
Still, the government’s simultaneous plans to create a habitat for birds while asking for more land for ranges are hard for some residents to take.
“There’s a golf range at Andersen,” Guam Sen. Ben Pangelinan said at one of the military’s public hearings on the project. “You can bulldoze it and just put [the ranges] there.”
The proposed ranges would also limit access to swimming and fishing areas around the Pagat Caves, just north of the Nelson home, according to the military. It’s this that upsets Desiree Ventura, Glenn Nelson’s niece who also lives in the family home.
“It’s not just about the land,” she said. “We’re lucky because we have land. Most of the people don’t have it. It’s about the environment. It’s about the access to recreational sites.”
The following clarification to this story was posted January 28: A Jan. 28 story should have said that although Andersen Air Force Base on Guam has no permanently stationed air squadrons, it hosts routine deployments of U.S.-based fighter, bomber and tanker squadrons. It also is home to the 36th Contingency Response Group, a rapid-deployment unit that can secure and establish airfields.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
PNC :: Sen. Guthertz Calls On DOD To Modify Buildup Plan
PNC :: Sen. Guthertz Calls On DOD To Modify Buildup Plan
Thursday, 21 January 2010
Guam - The Chairperson of the Guam Legislature’s Committee on the Guam Military Buildup has warned that absent major changes in present military land use plans on the island, the “welcome mat” for the buildup may disappear.
Senator Judith P. Guthertz sent her ‘Comment Paper on Land Issues’ to a wide range of high ranking federal officials, starting with President Obama and including numerous members of his cabinet as well as Major General David Bice, USMC (Ret.) who is the executive director of the Joint Guam Program Office, which is charged with carrying out the buildup.
Senator Guthertz and other Guam officials have maintained that they received private assurances from persons connected to the buildup that it would involve no taking of local land by condemnation (eminent domain) or other means, but the draft Environmental Impact Statement revealed alternatives that would require the military to obtain considerable land beyond the present one third of the island owned by the Department of Defense.
“The DEIS must be modified to locate, as the preferred alternative, all of the military’s needs on existing federal land,” Senator Guthertz’ paper said. “This modification must be done NOW, not behind locked doors between the second half of February and the first half of July.”
“The welcome mat could well be eliminated over those months if no justice is provided.”
Since November, Guam residents have been poring over the thousands of pages of the DEIS, seeking to decipher what its highly technical language means for their future and the future of Guam. Many of these citizen-reviewers have found issues to dispute in the plans and public hearings held to gather public input have become increasingly contentious.
Land issues identified by Senator Guthertz are particularly focused on what appear to be the military’s preferences for the location of firing ranges and new housing for additional personnel, all requiring property outside of the present military “footprint.” The paper reviews these choices and proposes alternatives that could all be located on existing military land.
Written by : News Release
Thursday, 21 January 2010
Guam - The Chairperson of the Guam Legislature’s Committee on the Guam Military Buildup has warned that absent major changes in present military land use plans on the island, the “welcome mat” for the buildup may disappear.
Senator Judith P. Guthertz sent her ‘Comment Paper on Land Issues’ to a wide range of high ranking federal officials, starting with President Obama and including numerous members of his cabinet as well as Major General David Bice, USMC (Ret.) who is the executive director of the Joint Guam Program Office, which is charged with carrying out the buildup.
Senator Guthertz and other Guam officials have maintained that they received private assurances from persons connected to the buildup that it would involve no taking of local land by condemnation (eminent domain) or other means, but the draft Environmental Impact Statement revealed alternatives that would require the military to obtain considerable land beyond the present one third of the island owned by the Department of Defense.
“The DEIS must be modified to locate, as the preferred alternative, all of the military’s needs on existing federal land,” Senator Guthertz’ paper said. “This modification must be done NOW, not behind locked doors between the second half of February and the first half of July.”
“The welcome mat could well be eliminated over those months if no justice is provided.”
Since November, Guam residents have been poring over the thousands of pages of the DEIS, seeking to decipher what its highly technical language means for their future and the future of Guam. Many of these citizen-reviewers have found issues to dispute in the plans and public hearings held to gather public input have become increasingly contentious.
Land issues identified by Senator Guthertz are particularly focused on what appear to be the military’s preferences for the location of firing ranges and new housing for additional personnel, all requiring property outside of the present military “footprint.” The paper reviews these choices and proposes alternatives that could all be located on existing military land.
Written by : News Release
Monday, January 18, 2010
D.C. panels to decide on land acquisition plans
D.C. panels to decide on land acquisition plans
Monday, 18 January 2010 03:40
Variety News Staff
ANY proposal by the Department of Defense to acquire land for a military project through any process will have to go through the House and Senate armed services committees either for approval or rejection, according to Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo's office in Washington D.C.
The proposal would be included in the defense department’s annual submission to Capitol Hill.
As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, and as a member of the Subcommittee on Readiness, Bordallo will participate in any discussion involving land acquisition.
“I hope that the Department of Defense will have a good faith dialogue with the government of Guam and private landowners that will result in mutually agreeable solutions to land issues,” Bordallo said.
“I have stated that I will not support the use of eminent domain to acquire lands that private landowners are not willing to lease or sell, and I will urge DoD to consider training alternatives if they are unable to reach agreement on land issues. I will urge my colleagues in the House Armed Services Committee to support this position,” she added.
In response to vice speaker BJ Cruz's request for new extension of the public comment period for the draft environmental impact statement, Bordallo sent a letter to Navy Secretary Ray Mabus reiterating Cruz’s request.
As it stands, the public comment period ends on Feb. 17.
Monday, 18 January 2010 03:40
Variety News Staff
ANY proposal by the Department of Defense to acquire land for a military project through any process will have to go through the House and Senate armed services committees either for approval or rejection, according to Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo's office in Washington D.C.
The proposal would be included in the defense department’s annual submission to Capitol Hill.
As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, and as a member of the Subcommittee on Readiness, Bordallo will participate in any discussion involving land acquisition.
“I hope that the Department of Defense will have a good faith dialogue with the government of Guam and private landowners that will result in mutually agreeable solutions to land issues,” Bordallo said.
“I have stated that I will not support the use of eminent domain to acquire lands that private landowners are not willing to lease or sell, and I will urge DoD to consider training alternatives if they are unable to reach agreement on land issues. I will urge my colleagues in the House Armed Services Committee to support this position,” she added.
In response to vice speaker BJ Cruz's request for new extension of the public comment period for the draft environmental impact statement, Bordallo sent a letter to Navy Secretary Ray Mabus reiterating Cruz’s request.
As it stands, the public comment period ends on Feb. 17.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Endangered boonie hike trail on Ague Cove
Endangered boonie hike trail on Ague Cove
Posted: Jan 13, 2010 8:32 PM PST
by Heather Hauswirth
Guam - For the month of January, the Guam Boonie Stompers are featuring trails that are expected be closed to the public according to plans outlined in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement. Before the hike began the Guam Boonie Stompers gathered at the Chamorro Village and the hike's leader, David Lotz, asked everyone there to sign a petition against restricting public access to hiking trails.
Ague Cove is property of the Pangelinan family, who granted the Boonie Stompers special access to the trail for this hike. Co-leader of the Boonie Stompers Roger Edson is an avid hiker and works at the National Weather Service.
Edson said, "There are a lot of coastlines that are privately owned, but then you can at least talk to the family. If the military takes it over you have a whole new set of bureaucracy."
75 people came out for the hike, but most hikes attract between 50 and 100 stompers. Aaron Jackson and his girlfriend Mandi Swander are first-timers, with the former saying, "I better go now before I can't."
Robert Mangahas is in the military and works in the laboratory at Naval Hospital. Robert is a frequent boonie hiker. After trekking through the jungle, we finally made it to cove.
A lot of people enjoy snorkeling and jumping off the cliffs and it is also one of the trails that the military listed in the Draft EIS as one they will have to close off to the public during the buildup. The trail is also popular for families.
Sarah Vinch loves that she can bring her little ones along, saying, "The hike coming down here is very doable for families and is one of the most beautiful coves on the island. I love it here. It's my favorite hike; hopefully we can keep hiking down here."
There are three more hikes left in January that are listed on the endangered trail list. Whether you want to see a new part of the island or if you've already been, it's best go before it's too late.
Posted: Jan 13, 2010 8:32 PM PST
by Heather Hauswirth
Guam - For the month of January, the Guam Boonie Stompers are featuring trails that are expected be closed to the public according to plans outlined in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement. Before the hike began the Guam Boonie Stompers gathered at the Chamorro Village and the hike's leader, David Lotz, asked everyone there to sign a petition against restricting public access to hiking trails.
Ague Cove is property of the Pangelinan family, who granted the Boonie Stompers special access to the trail for this hike. Co-leader of the Boonie Stompers Roger Edson is an avid hiker and works at the National Weather Service.
Edson said, "There are a lot of coastlines that are privately owned, but then you can at least talk to the family. If the military takes it over you have a whole new set of bureaucracy."
75 people came out for the hike, but most hikes attract between 50 and 100 stompers. Aaron Jackson and his girlfriend Mandi Swander are first-timers, with the former saying, "I better go now before I can't."
Robert Mangahas is in the military and works in the laboratory at Naval Hospital. Robert is a frequent boonie hiker. After trekking through the jungle, we finally made it to cove.
A lot of people enjoy snorkeling and jumping off the cliffs and it is also one of the trails that the military listed in the Draft EIS as one they will have to close off to the public during the buildup. The trail is also popular for families.
Sarah Vinch loves that she can bring her little ones along, saying, "The hike coming down here is very doable for families and is one of the most beautiful coves on the island. I love it here. It's my favorite hike; hopefully we can keep hiking down here."
There are three more hikes left in January that are listed on the endangered trail list. Whether you want to see a new part of the island or if you've already been, it's best go before it's too late.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Guam Raceway still faces uncertain future
Guam Raceway still faces uncertain future
Tuesday, 12 January 2010 03:22
by William Martin | Variety News Staff
The fate of the Guam International Raceway and Jose and Hermenia Off Road Park is still up in the air as discussions continue between the Department of Defense and park officials.
The local community has been in an uproar regarding possible plans – outlined in the recently released Environmental Impact Statement, which assesses possible ramifications of Guam’s upcoming military buildup – to acquire additional, non DOD land for the construction of a training complex on eastern coastal lands off Route 15 in Yigo.
The land in question contains the raceway, as well as closely held ancestral sites Marbo and Pagat Caves, also including some privately owned land.
Last Friday, park officials began talks with the DOD on the future of the park, according to Henry Simpson, president of the Guam Racing Federation and general manager of the raceway.
He said park officials remained steadfast in talks that if the DOD is in need of the land, a new raceway must be built for Guam.
“If they still want it and aren’t willing to build us a new park,” he said. “They’re going to have to take it through imminent domain.”
Simpson said the difficulty in finding a new park lies in locating an area far enough away from the general public that noise generated from racing activities won’t become a nuisance to those residing nearby – a quality the current site possesses. The land was licensed to the federation for a period of 21 years nearly a decade ago by the Chamorro Land Trust, Simpson said.
He estimates some $7 million in cash has been put into the raceway, not including some $5 million in volunteer efforts by the non-profit federation, adding that raceway officials are also willing to neighbor the training complex if possible.
The third in a series of DOD-hosted public hearings on the matter took place last night at the Yigo Gymnasium, during which local residents attended to make their voices heard regarding the areas in question.
Many residents took the opportunity to make impassioned testimonies about their feelings on the buildup and plans for DOD to acquire the land.
Capt. Neil Ruggerio, public affairs officer for the Joint Guam Program Office declined comment to the Variety on the raceway’s future while attending the hearing, saying only that it was the local residents’ time to speak.
Bob Bucek, spokesman for the raceway said park personnel now plan to prepare and submit written testimony to the JGPO, and asks anyone interested in the park to do the same.
He said that while he was concerned about the raceway, the possibility of some of Guam’s historical sites is also cause for concern.
“If those areas are lost forever,” he shared. “It’s not just the people of Guam, but everybody that will lose.”
The next hearing is scheduled for today at Okkodo High School, with an open house segment from 5 to 7 p.m., followed by a public comment allotment ending at 9 p.m.
For more information regarding the statement or future related events, including an option to submit a statement about the buildup, please visit www.guambuildupeis.us.
Tuesday, 12 January 2010 03:22
by William Martin | Variety News Staff
The fate of the Guam International Raceway and Jose and Hermenia Off Road Park is still up in the air as discussions continue between the Department of Defense and park officials.
The local community has been in an uproar regarding possible plans – outlined in the recently released Environmental Impact Statement, which assesses possible ramifications of Guam’s upcoming military buildup – to acquire additional, non DOD land for the construction of a training complex on eastern coastal lands off Route 15 in Yigo.
The land in question contains the raceway, as well as closely held ancestral sites Marbo and Pagat Caves, also including some privately owned land.
Last Friday, park officials began talks with the DOD on the future of the park, according to Henry Simpson, president of the Guam Racing Federation and general manager of the raceway.
He said park officials remained steadfast in talks that if the DOD is in need of the land, a new raceway must be built for Guam.
“If they still want it and aren’t willing to build us a new park,” he said. “They’re going to have to take it through imminent domain.”
Simpson said the difficulty in finding a new park lies in locating an area far enough away from the general public that noise generated from racing activities won’t become a nuisance to those residing nearby – a quality the current site possesses. The land was licensed to the federation for a period of 21 years nearly a decade ago by the Chamorro Land Trust, Simpson said.
He estimates some $7 million in cash has been put into the raceway, not including some $5 million in volunteer efforts by the non-profit federation, adding that raceway officials are also willing to neighbor the training complex if possible.
The third in a series of DOD-hosted public hearings on the matter took place last night at the Yigo Gymnasium, during which local residents attended to make their voices heard regarding the areas in question.
Many residents took the opportunity to make impassioned testimonies about their feelings on the buildup and plans for DOD to acquire the land.
Capt. Neil Ruggerio, public affairs officer for the Joint Guam Program Office declined comment to the Variety on the raceway’s future while attending the hearing, saying only that it was the local residents’ time to speak.
Bob Bucek, spokesman for the raceway said park personnel now plan to prepare and submit written testimony to the JGPO, and asks anyone interested in the park to do the same.
He said that while he was concerned about the raceway, the possibility of some of Guam’s historical sites is also cause for concern.
“If those areas are lost forever,” he shared. “It’s not just the people of Guam, but everybody that will lose.”
The next hearing is scheduled for today at Okkodo High School, with an open house segment from 5 to 7 p.m., followed by a public comment allotment ending at 9 p.m.
For more information regarding the statement or future related events, including an option to submit a statement about the buildup, please visit www.guambuildupeis.us.
Yigo hosts DEIS community hearing
Yigo hosts DEIS community hearing
Posted: Jan 11, 2010 9:43 PM
Updated: Jan 11, 2010 9:43 PM
by Nick Delgado
Guam - The third installment of public hearings on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement took place Monday evening at the Yigo Gymnasium. The hearing attracted more than 400 island residents with more than 60 of them signing up to provide public comment.
Tempers were high for most who provided input on the DEIS specifically on the military's plans to acquire more land for the Marine relocation. Residents expressed disappointment saying the military should rather build inside the base.
Resident Gloria Nelson expressed frustration saying that the people should not relax, adding that there is no compromise when it comes to acquiring more land for the military. Nelson says they will continue to say no when it comes to the military asking for land to accommodate the buildup. She also argues the One Guam slogan saying the DEIS is not a unified document, and that the military is thinking only of themselves rather than the people of the island. "Your children already have the cleanest sands, the cleanest oceans, and the cleanest playgrounds." Nelson stated.
Dededo resident Janet Aguon calls the review period of the DEIS "a dumb deal," citing the 11 thousand pages contained in the document with only 90 days for the comment period.
Senator Ben Pangelinan called the DEIS a document that is full of misinformation saying, "Since the announcement of the buildup, the military purposely gave wrong information, so that we don't know what is going to happen to our land, our people, and our children." He adds, " Until they decide to tell the truth, not a single piece of dirt should be turned over for this military buildup." Pangelinan expressed how he does not want the military desecrating the ancestral grounds especially in the Pagat area, and how he wants the military to mitigate before creating more problems for the future.
However, a number of participants expressed major disappointment as they say they were turned away from providing official testimony before JGPO. Ylig-Yona resident Anthony Ada says when he came in to sign up, he was told that they just have too many names on the list. 66 total residents signed up to provide comment. Ada believes the two-hour time frame is just too short to hear the communities concerns. Guam Legislature officials have also said that they will continue to document and record all participants' comments, even after the military breaks down for the evening.
JGPO officials will conclude the DEIS hearing's tomorrow at Okkodo High School in Dededo before heading up north to hear concerns from residents in the CNMI.
Posted: Jan 11, 2010 9:43 PM
Updated: Jan 11, 2010 9:43 PM
by Nick Delgado
Guam - The third installment of public hearings on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement took place Monday evening at the Yigo Gymnasium. The hearing attracted more than 400 island residents with more than 60 of them signing up to provide public comment.
Tempers were high for most who provided input on the DEIS specifically on the military's plans to acquire more land for the Marine relocation. Residents expressed disappointment saying the military should rather build inside the base.
Resident Gloria Nelson expressed frustration saying that the people should not relax, adding that there is no compromise when it comes to acquiring more land for the military. Nelson says they will continue to say no when it comes to the military asking for land to accommodate the buildup. She also argues the One Guam slogan saying the DEIS is not a unified document, and that the military is thinking only of themselves rather than the people of the island. "Your children already have the cleanest sands, the cleanest oceans, and the cleanest playgrounds." Nelson stated.
Dededo resident Janet Aguon calls the review period of the DEIS "a dumb deal," citing the 11 thousand pages contained in the document with only 90 days for the comment period.
Senator Ben Pangelinan called the DEIS a document that is full of misinformation saying, "Since the announcement of the buildup, the military purposely gave wrong information, so that we don't know what is going to happen to our land, our people, and our children." He adds, " Until they decide to tell the truth, not a single piece of dirt should be turned over for this military buildup." Pangelinan expressed how he does not want the military desecrating the ancestral grounds especially in the Pagat area, and how he wants the military to mitigate before creating more problems for the future.
However, a number of participants expressed major disappointment as they say they were turned away from providing official testimony before JGPO. Ylig-Yona resident Anthony Ada says when he came in to sign up, he was told that they just have too many names on the list. 66 total residents signed up to provide comment. Ada believes the two-hour time frame is just too short to hear the communities concerns. Guam Legislature officials have also said that they will continue to document and record all participants' comments, even after the military breaks down for the evening.
JGPO officials will conclude the DEIS hearing's tomorrow at Okkodo High School in Dededo before heading up north to hear concerns from residents in the CNMI.
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