First DoD civilian convicted on Guam
Wednesday, 17 February 2010 03:34
by Romeo Carlos | Variety News Staff
AHEAD of the military’s plan to heavily militarize Guam over the next few years and growing concerns by local residents over the social impact of thousands of Marines coming to Guam, U.S. Attorney Lenny Rapadas has announced the conviction of a military civilian employee brought to Guam to face charges of sexual abuse of a minor while employed at a military base on Okinawa.
Bruce Carey Wood, 56, was sentenced yesterday in the District Court of Guam by Judge Francis Tydingco-Gatewood to 10 years of prison time, becoming the first Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act case tried on Guam.
Wood had been living and working on Okinawa as a chef at the U.S. Camp Shield Naval Base, where he was arrested last July for sexual abuse of a boy since 2000, according to court documents.
On the first count of aggravated sexual abuse, sexual contact allegedly occurred between 2000 and 2004, when the boy was less than 12 years old, court documents state. He was charged with a second count of alleged sexual abuse of a minor between 2005 and 2008.
“This is proof that no one is beyond the law,” Rapadas said, adding that the long arm jurisdiction “allows us to reach out and prosecute U.S. citizens who commit crimes outside the United States.”
Closed loopholes
MEJA was a bill passed in 2000 to close legal loopholes that allowed civilians or military personnel to escape justice for crimes they might commit while employed by or accompanying armed forces overseas.
The law covers civilian employees of the Department of Defense as well as its contractors and their employees, including subcontractors who could face prosecution for any offense otherwise punishable by imprisonment for more than one year if committed within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States.
A series of incidents in Okinawa over the years has led to considerable public uproar over crimes linked to U.S. troops in Japan, including a long history of individual and gang rapes, robberies and murder by military personnel linked to the Okinawa bases.
Showing posts with label Social Impact. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Social Impact. Show all posts
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
Charity groups to assess Guam situation
Charity groups to assess Guam situation
Wednesday, 17 February 2010 03:23
Variety News Staff
(CSS) -- Catholic Social Services has invited Catholic Charities USA to Guam to learn about the community’s needs during the week of Feb. 22 to 26. This series of planning and information meetings is part of CSS ongoing efforts to plan for the future of Guam in the context of the unprecedented military buildup currently underway.
Catholic Charities is sending two senior representatives to Guam in order to learn about the issues facing Guam’s community arising from the military buildup and assist CSS in future planning and advocacy efforts with the federal government.
CSS and Catholic Charities representatives will work together to learn from island stakeholders, including island mayors, users of CSS services, Island clergy, and other Island leaders and supporters.
“For over 30 years, Catholic Social Services has done whatever it can to help those in need and those that fall between the gaps in our community,” executive director Cerila Rapadas.
“We serve all on our Island in need in the name of human dignity and respect. As we plan for our next 30 years, we must contend with the social impact of a huge influx of workers and their families from off-island. We’re very pleased and excited that Catholic Charities USA is stepping forward to help us meet this challenge,” she added.
Catholic Social Service is a non-profit organization serving persons with disabilities, the homeless, victims of family violence, persons needing emergency food and clothing, the poor, the elderly and disadvantaged families and individuals for the entire island of Guam.
Catholic Charities USA, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, is the national office for over 1,700 local Catholic Charities agencies and institutions nationwide, including CSS on Guam.
Wednesday, 17 February 2010 03:23
Variety News Staff
(CSS) -- Catholic Social Services has invited Catholic Charities USA to Guam to learn about the community’s needs during the week of Feb. 22 to 26. This series of planning and information meetings is part of CSS ongoing efforts to plan for the future of Guam in the context of the unprecedented military buildup currently underway.
Catholic Charities is sending two senior representatives to Guam in order to learn about the issues facing Guam’s community arising from the military buildup and assist CSS in future planning and advocacy efforts with the federal government.
CSS and Catholic Charities representatives will work together to learn from island stakeholders, including island mayors, users of CSS services, Island clergy, and other Island leaders and supporters.
“For over 30 years, Catholic Social Services has done whatever it can to help those in need and those that fall between the gaps in our community,” executive director Cerila Rapadas.
“We serve all on our Island in need in the name of human dignity and respect. As we plan for our next 30 years, we must contend with the social impact of a huge influx of workers and their families from off-island. We’re very pleased and excited that Catholic Charities USA is stepping forward to help us meet this challenge,” she added.
Catholic Social Service is a non-profit organization serving persons with disabilities, the homeless, victims of family violence, persons needing emergency food and clothing, the poor, the elderly and disadvantaged families and individuals for the entire island of Guam.
Catholic Charities USA, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, is the national office for over 1,700 local Catholic Charities agencies and institutions nationwide, including CSS on Guam.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Guam legislature adopts resolution on military buildup plan
Guam legislature adopts resolution on military buildup plan
Feb 11 02:38 AM US/Eastern
HAGATNA, Guam, Feb. 11 (AP) - (Kyodo) — The Guam legislature unanimously adopted a resolution Thursday urging the U.S. military and other relevant authorities to drastically amend the current military buildup plan for the island, citing many "flaws" including the impact on the environment and the threat to islanders' property.
The resolution also called for more information on the relocation of U.S. military personnel from Japan's Okinawa Prefecture and for a "town hall" meeting with President Barack Obama on the issue when he visits the Pacific island next month.
According to Assembly Speaker Judith Won Pat, the legislature's main areas of concern in the detailed buildup plan, called the Draft Environmental Impact Statement, include the possibility of land seizure, large-scale dredging of coral reefs and the lack of thought given to the social impact of the buildup.
Most islanders came face to face with these issues for the first time when the Joint Guam Program Office, a U.S. military task force handling the Guam buildup, released the statement in November, Won Pat said. She has complained to the JGPO about the fact that only three months have been allowed for public comment.
The resolution was nonbinding but will be sent to Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, Obama and U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, among others.
Meanwhile, the legislators handed a draft resolution to members of a Japanese government fact-finding delegation during their visit to the legislature in Hagatna the same day.
Feb 11 02:38 AM US/Eastern
HAGATNA, Guam, Feb. 11 (AP) - (Kyodo) — The Guam legislature unanimously adopted a resolution Thursday urging the U.S. military and other relevant authorities to drastically amend the current military buildup plan for the island, citing many "flaws" including the impact on the environment and the threat to islanders' property.
The resolution also called for more information on the relocation of U.S. military personnel from Japan's Okinawa Prefecture and for a "town hall" meeting with President Barack Obama on the issue when he visits the Pacific island next month.
According to Assembly Speaker Judith Won Pat, the legislature's main areas of concern in the detailed buildup plan, called the Draft Environmental Impact Statement, include the possibility of land seizure, large-scale dredging of coral reefs and the lack of thought given to the social impact of the buildup.
Most islanders came face to face with these issues for the first time when the Joint Guam Program Office, a U.S. military task force handling the Guam buildup, released the statement in November, Won Pat said. She has complained to the JGPO about the fact that only three months have been allowed for public comment.
The resolution was nonbinding but will be sent to Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, Obama and U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, among others.
Meanwhile, the legislators handed a draft resolution to members of a Japanese government fact-finding delegation during their visit to the legislature in Hagatna the same day.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Social, economic impacts of Guam buildup are the 'biggest concerns'
Social, economic impacts of Guam buildup are the 'biggest concerns'
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
By Haidee V. Eugenio
Fitial considers islands 'homeport' for Army joint high-speed vessels
Guam Gov. Felix P. Camacho and CNMI Gov. Benigno R. Fitial cited socio-economic impacts as the “biggest” concerns about the massive military buildup in the region, including the lack of funding sources to cushion negative effects to the civilian community worth at least $3 billion in Guam alone and an expected decrease in tourist arrivals on Tinian as a result of increased military presence there.
Guam and the CNMI are racing against time to beat the Feb. 17 deadline for submitting comments on the military buildup's draft environmental impact statement.
The general concern so far is the socio-economic impacts to both Guam and the CNMI, followed by environmental concerns, Camacho and Fitial said.
“We need to be very careful and understand what we are getting into. We don't want to rush into something we don't understand,” Fitial said.
He said the CNMI is “lucky” that it is “learning from Guam's experience.”
'High speed vessels'
Fitial, at the same time, responded to a letter from Guam Sen. Judith Guthertz, who asked whether the CNMI government is interested in having Army joint high speed vessels stationed on Saipan.
“The CNMI will continue to work with and support the territory of Guam in regards to all of the upcoming military realignment in the Pacific region. I will gladly consider having the CNMI as the homeport for stationing and operations of the [joint high speed vessels],” Fitial told Guthertz.
The U.S. Army Environmental Command has opened the public comment period for the preparation of a programmatic environmental impact statement in 2010 for the proposed stationing and operation of up to 12 joint high-speed vessels.
These are strategic transport vessels designed to support the rapid transport of military troops and equipment in the U.S. and abroad.
A copy of the Army's notice of intent is available at www.aec.army.mil.
'Lack of funding sources'
Camacho, who was on Saipan for hours yesterday, said although billions of dollars in construction projects in Guam are promised, “there's no guarantee they will be there tomorrow.”
“There's no funding source to mitigate the impact to our territory,” he said, adding that past experiences resulted in huge debts incurred by Guam that it has come to a point where the island no longer has capability to borrow money.
Camacho said Guam needs a minimum of $3 billion to mitigate the social-impacts of the buildup, but he said no money has been set aside to address these impacts.
He said the buildup cost “should not be something borne by the people,” and that both Japan and the United States should consider the impacts to the host island, including in the area of public health, public safety, schools and housing.
Camacho said another major concern is the environmental impact, including massive dredging of corals at the Apra Harbor.
Guam hired consultants Matrix Design Group to help sift through some 11,000 pages of the draft military buildup EIS for easy understanding.
“No decisions have been made,” Camacho said, adding that comments on the draft EIS will help shape the final EIS to be released later this year.
Tom Linden, the coordinator for the CNMI Military Integration Management Committee, said all comments from mayors have been received and will be finalized this week for submission to the governor. The MIMC seeks to have a unified voice on the planned buildup.
He said there's been no mitigation measure offered so far to address the expected decrease in tourist arrivals to Tinian as a result of limited access to the northern end of the island because of military training.
Tinian Mayor Ramon Dela Cruz said Tinian has been “waiting” for the military buildup on Tinian for “30 years,” and hopes the U.S. military will have a permanent base on the island. He hopes an expected decrease in civilian tourist arrivals to the island will be mitigated by an increase in military personnel and their families' visit to Tinian for rest and recreation.
Dela Cruz also said the military should ensure an effective quarantine system to prevent brown tree snakes, rhinoceros beetles and other invasive species from entering Tinian.
Dela Cruz also informed Fitial and Camacho yesterday that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency told him that the federal agency will issue the Tinian municipality a citation this month because of a non-compliant landfill. He did not elaborate when asked for more information about EPA's citation.
Camacho formally asked U.S. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus to delay the implementation of the military buildup in Guam beyond 2014 “to protect the integrity of the III Marine Expeditionary Force and ensure that impacts are minimized to our island infrastructure and socioeconomic services.”
As of yesterday, Guam has yet to receive a response to this request from the U.S. Navy.
But Camacho, in an interview with Saipan Tribune, said he will bring up the issue in the upcoming National Governors Association meeting in Washington, D.C.
'Move them to Tinian'
Guthertz also urged federal officials to stretch the timeline for the military buildup to alleviate the adverse impacts expected with the population boom.
Guthertz, who chairs the Committee on the Guam Military Buildup and Homeland Security, recommended that the planned relocation of the 8,000 Marines to Guam be reduced by about 4,000.
She said the First Marine Aircraft Wing aviation command can be shifted to Tinian and the uninhabited island of Agrigan in the CNMI.
This, she said, would allow for the relocation of about half of the 8,652 infantry Marines intended to be transferred to Guam to be sent to the vacated Futenma facilities instead.
Because Guam cannot accommodate all training for the relocating Marines, the military also looks at Tinian to provide opportunities for training groups of 200 Marines or larger due to greater land availability.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
By Haidee V. Eugenio
Fitial considers islands 'homeport' for Army joint high-speed vessels
Guam Gov. Felix P. Camacho and CNMI Gov. Benigno R. Fitial cited socio-economic impacts as the “biggest” concerns about the massive military buildup in the region, including the lack of funding sources to cushion negative effects to the civilian community worth at least $3 billion in Guam alone and an expected decrease in tourist arrivals on Tinian as a result of increased military presence there.
Guam and the CNMI are racing against time to beat the Feb. 17 deadline for submitting comments on the military buildup's draft environmental impact statement.
The general concern so far is the socio-economic impacts to both Guam and the CNMI, followed by environmental concerns, Camacho and Fitial said.
“We need to be very careful and understand what we are getting into. We don't want to rush into something we don't understand,” Fitial said.
He said the CNMI is “lucky” that it is “learning from Guam's experience.”
'High speed vessels'
Fitial, at the same time, responded to a letter from Guam Sen. Judith Guthertz, who asked whether the CNMI government is interested in having Army joint high speed vessels stationed on Saipan.
“The CNMI will continue to work with and support the territory of Guam in regards to all of the upcoming military realignment in the Pacific region. I will gladly consider having the CNMI as the homeport for stationing and operations of the [joint high speed vessels],” Fitial told Guthertz.
The U.S. Army Environmental Command has opened the public comment period for the preparation of a programmatic environmental impact statement in 2010 for the proposed stationing and operation of up to 12 joint high-speed vessels.
These are strategic transport vessels designed to support the rapid transport of military troops and equipment in the U.S. and abroad.
A copy of the Army's notice of intent is available at www.aec.army.mil.
'Lack of funding sources'
Camacho, who was on Saipan for hours yesterday, said although billions of dollars in construction projects in Guam are promised, “there's no guarantee they will be there tomorrow.”
“There's no funding source to mitigate the impact to our territory,” he said, adding that past experiences resulted in huge debts incurred by Guam that it has come to a point where the island no longer has capability to borrow money.
Camacho said Guam needs a minimum of $3 billion to mitigate the social-impacts of the buildup, but he said no money has been set aside to address these impacts.
He said the buildup cost “should not be something borne by the people,” and that both Japan and the United States should consider the impacts to the host island, including in the area of public health, public safety, schools and housing.
Camacho said another major concern is the environmental impact, including massive dredging of corals at the Apra Harbor.
Guam hired consultants Matrix Design Group to help sift through some 11,000 pages of the draft military buildup EIS for easy understanding.
“No decisions have been made,” Camacho said, adding that comments on the draft EIS will help shape the final EIS to be released later this year.
Tom Linden, the coordinator for the CNMI Military Integration Management Committee, said all comments from mayors have been received and will be finalized this week for submission to the governor. The MIMC seeks to have a unified voice on the planned buildup.
He said there's been no mitigation measure offered so far to address the expected decrease in tourist arrivals to Tinian as a result of limited access to the northern end of the island because of military training.
Tinian Mayor Ramon Dela Cruz said Tinian has been “waiting” for the military buildup on Tinian for “30 years,” and hopes the U.S. military will have a permanent base on the island. He hopes an expected decrease in civilian tourist arrivals to the island will be mitigated by an increase in military personnel and their families' visit to Tinian for rest and recreation.
Dela Cruz also said the military should ensure an effective quarantine system to prevent brown tree snakes, rhinoceros beetles and other invasive species from entering Tinian.
Dela Cruz also informed Fitial and Camacho yesterday that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency told him that the federal agency will issue the Tinian municipality a citation this month because of a non-compliant landfill. He did not elaborate when asked for more information about EPA's citation.
Camacho formally asked U.S. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus to delay the implementation of the military buildup in Guam beyond 2014 “to protect the integrity of the III Marine Expeditionary Force and ensure that impacts are minimized to our island infrastructure and socioeconomic services.”
As of yesterday, Guam has yet to receive a response to this request from the U.S. Navy.
But Camacho, in an interview with Saipan Tribune, said he will bring up the issue in the upcoming National Governors Association meeting in Washington, D.C.
'Move them to Tinian'
Guthertz also urged federal officials to stretch the timeline for the military buildup to alleviate the adverse impacts expected with the population boom.
Guthertz, who chairs the Committee on the Guam Military Buildup and Homeland Security, recommended that the planned relocation of the 8,000 Marines to Guam be reduced by about 4,000.
She said the First Marine Aircraft Wing aviation command can be shifted to Tinian and the uninhabited island of Agrigan in the CNMI.
This, she said, would allow for the relocation of about half of the 8,652 infantry Marines intended to be transferred to Guam to be sent to the vacated Futenma facilities instead.
Because Guam cannot accommodate all training for the relocating Marines, the military also looks at Tinian to provide opportunities for training groups of 200 Marines or larger due to greater land availability.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Guthertz: DEIS fails to address social problems
Guthertz: DEIS fails to address social problems
Thursday, 04 February 2010 02:41
MVG Reporter
(LEGISLATURE)--Senator Judith P. Guthertz said the draft environmental impact statement contains no mechanism to deal with the inevitable social problems that will arise with the arrival of 10,000 or more Marines and their dependents.
“As a former Director of Public Safety and acting chief of police, I am well aware of the situation we will be facing. Like all young men of their age, Marines will be trying to attract young civilian women,” Guthertz stated in a comment paper directed to Major General David Bice, USMC, executive director of the Joint Guam Program Office.
“Combine that with drinking around a pool table with cue sticks and hard billiard balls readily available, and the situation can become very volatile,” she added.
Guthertz is looking to the CNMI for a potential solution. A provision of the CNMI’s Covenant with Washington provides for a council to address the military-civilian relationship.
“The [CNMI‟s] Civil-Military Advisory Council has been a regular mechanism over several of the years for consultation and coordination between the military and the CNMI Government, meeting with an agenda, action items assigned, and joint deadlines established,” Guthertz said.
Guthertz says the right organization on Guam to handle this would be the Guam First Commission, which was created by law in 2008 over Gov. Felix Camacho’s veto.
The governor has since refused to implement the law. Earlier, the governor created a Civilian-Military Task Force Council to deal with buildup problems, but that body’s last meeting was in October 2008.
Potential problems that such an organization would deal with are already being discussed on island, such as the 18-year-old drinking age in the Guam civilian community as opposed to the 21-year-old age on base.
“Issues are certain to arise regarding DUIs, as the young servicemen attempt to get back to their base safely after having fun downtown. The DEIS does not address this disparity between drinking ages,” Guthertz said.
The sex industry is also an issue, with reports that these businesses are already planning to set up shop on Route 3, just across from the main Marine cantonment.
“The Marine Corps, of course, is opposed to this and does not want local zoning to permit it just outside the family-oriented base. This would be an issue for discussion and coordination between the military and civilian leadership in Guam,” Guthertz said.
Thursday, 04 February 2010 02:41
MVG Reporter
(LEGISLATURE)--Senator Judith P. Guthertz said the draft environmental impact statement contains no mechanism to deal with the inevitable social problems that will arise with the arrival of 10,000 or more Marines and their dependents.
“As a former Director of Public Safety and acting chief of police, I am well aware of the situation we will be facing. Like all young men of their age, Marines will be trying to attract young civilian women,” Guthertz stated in a comment paper directed to Major General David Bice, USMC, executive director of the Joint Guam Program Office.
“Combine that with drinking around a pool table with cue sticks and hard billiard balls readily available, and the situation can become very volatile,” she added.
Guthertz is looking to the CNMI for a potential solution. A provision of the CNMI’s Covenant with Washington provides for a council to address the military-civilian relationship.
“The [CNMI‟s] Civil-Military Advisory Council has been a regular mechanism over several of the years for consultation and coordination between the military and the CNMI Government, meeting with an agenda, action items assigned, and joint deadlines established,” Guthertz said.
Guthertz says the right organization on Guam to handle this would be the Guam First Commission, which was created by law in 2008 over Gov. Felix Camacho’s veto.
The governor has since refused to implement the law. Earlier, the governor created a Civilian-Military Task Force Council to deal with buildup problems, but that body’s last meeting was in October 2008.
Potential problems that such an organization would deal with are already being discussed on island, such as the 18-year-old drinking age in the Guam civilian community as opposed to the 21-year-old age on base.
“Issues are certain to arise regarding DUIs, as the young servicemen attempt to get back to their base safely after having fun downtown. The DEIS does not address this disparity between drinking ages,” Guthertz said.
The sex industry is also an issue, with reports that these businesses are already planning to set up shop on Route 3, just across from the main Marine cantonment.
“The Marine Corps, of course, is opposed to this and does not want local zoning to permit it just outside the family-oriented base. This would be an issue for discussion and coordination between the military and civilian leadership in Guam,” Guthertz said.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Military buildup hearing receives mixed reaction
Military buildup hearing receives mixed reaction
Monday, January 18, 2010
By Haidee V. Eugenio, Reporter
Residents weighed the pros and cons of the $15- to $20-billion military buildup in Guam and Tinian during Friday night's public hearing on Saipan, with some individuals expressing support to the multi-year project due to economic benefits and national security issues, while others oppose the project altogether for its ill social, environmental, and cultural impacts.
“Our economy is drying up. The local people are leaving because of lack of jobs here. We need the military, but we need to work together,” said former Rep. Manny Tenorio.
Martin Manglona, for his part, said there's no reason to be scared about military training ranges on Tinian.
“All plans on Tinian are for small ranges, nothing else. We have it in Kannat Tabla, so there's no problem,” said Manglona, adding that local people could get jobs and could find other business opportunities such as supplying fresh produce to the military.
Victoria-Lola Leon Guerrero of the Guam-based We Are Guahan which is opposed to the military buildup, said the buildup intends to carry out U.S. Department of Defense plans, and “does not intend to help residents.”
She said that CNMI residents should never forget the environmental problems caused by the U.S. military in Tanapag, referring to the polychlorinated biphenyl contamination of soil and land crabs on Saipan's northern village.
Leon Guerrero also urged people to visit their website, www.WeAreGuahan.com, to know more about the group's strong opposition to the buildup.
Among other things, the group said the majority of the 18,000 jobs coming through the buildup will go to off-island workers and not local residents, and the buildup's draft Environmental Impact Statement does not mention military commitment to give Guam the money necessary to develop infrastructure to support a huge population influx.
They were among the estimated 30 members of the community, and another 30-plus Navy personnel and military contractors at the Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center in Susupe on Friday night for the Joint Guam Program Office's public hearing on the buildup's draft Environmental Impact Statement.
The number of people who showed up in both the public hearings on Tinian and Saipan were far below the numbers on Guam wherein the hearings drew 200 to 400 people.
Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (D-MP) said there are issues not related to the military buildup that the people of Tinian also want to be addressed, including the needed repair of the outer seawall and piers.
“It would be great (if the military funds it) but they won't because it's not a military wharf. That has to be a Commonwealth project or funded from a separate funding because it's not a military harbor; it's commercial. And I've also been telling people that this is a military buildup in Guam. Tinian is only ancillary of the buildup and if people think that someone is going to get rich from the Tinian portion of the buildup, I would like to know how because I haven't seen it,” Sablan told Saipan Tribune.
'No more comment period extension'
Sixto Igisomar, speaking as a member of the public, asked for more time to review and comment on the draft environment impact statement on the military buildup.
There are some 11,000 pages of documents on the draft EIS/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement on the military buildup.
The draft EIS/OES can be accessed online at www.guambuildupeis.us.
Retired Maj. Gen. David Bice, executive director of the Joint Guam Program Office, said JGPO believes that the 90-day comment period ending on Feb. 17 is sufficient.
“We've had well over 1,600 people come out to our public hearings where they asked questions and got their questions answered by experts. We've also gotten a lot of comments online as well as during the hearings,” Bice told Saipan Tribune.
Bice said there had been enough public outreach programs on the project, including public scoping in 2007, as well as partnership sessions with the local government and the regulators like the Environmental Protection Agency.
“We believe that our effort has been really unprecedented because this is a pretty large realignment and we had an unprecedented approach in terms of reaching out to the public and the regulators to ensure that our document is complete,” he said.
Bice said “every comment is important,” and every comment will be evaluated. The comments will also be recorded in Volume 10 of the final EIS.
“I can tell you that we are going to make adjustments to the EIS. We've heard comments made by people as we go along. I would make a mental note (when I hear) a solid comment that we need to take a look at either the plan or the phraseology that's in the EIS that may not be as clear as it should have been. So I can tell you that we are going to make adjustments to the EIS based upon the comments we received,” he added.
Townhall meetings
Despite the end of the six public hearings held in Guam, Tinian, and Saipan, there are still opportunities for residents to know more about the draft EIS/OES.
Tom Linden, coordinator for the CNMI Military Integration Management Committee, said MIMC, in partnership with the Office of Economic Adjustment and the Guam Advisory Consulting Team, will be hosting a public forum on Jan. 27, Wednesday, at the Multi-Purpose Center in Susupe.
He said representatives of the OEA and ACT will break down the 11,000-page EIS and be willing to answer any questions regarding the military buildup. The public is encouraged to submit questions ahead of time to the MIMC coordinator by sending e-mails to cnmi.mimc@commerce.gov.mp.
MIMC, created in June 2009, serves as the planning and policy making entity for all activities related to the expansion of military training and other defense transformation initiatives in the CNMI and Guam. It is the official entity through which the CNMI will interface with the U.S. Department of the Navy, the U.S. Marine Corps, JGPO, the Department of Defense, and all other military representatives regarding the military buildup.
The Tinian plan
Because Guam cannot accommodate all training for the relocating Marines, the military looks at Tinian to provide opportunities for training groups of 200 Marines or larger due to greater land availability.
Tinian is only about 100 miles or 160 kilometers away from Guam.
The northern two-thirds of Tinian are leased to the U.S. Department of Defense. Company and battalion level non-live fire training areas already exist and are used on these lease parcels.
“The land, however, could be developed to accommodate live fire ranges,” the draft EIS/OES stated.
The proposed actions on Tinian include firing ranges for rifle known distance, automated combat pistol, platoon battle course, and field firing; and airspace use.
Comments on the draft EIS/OES can be submitted online, or during the public hearings set by the U.S. Navy in Guam and the CNMI.
Monday, January 18, 2010
By Haidee V. Eugenio, Reporter
Residents weighed the pros and cons of the $15- to $20-billion military buildup in Guam and Tinian during Friday night's public hearing on Saipan, with some individuals expressing support to the multi-year project due to economic benefits and national security issues, while others oppose the project altogether for its ill social, environmental, and cultural impacts.
“Our economy is drying up. The local people are leaving because of lack of jobs here. We need the military, but we need to work together,” said former Rep. Manny Tenorio.
Martin Manglona, for his part, said there's no reason to be scared about military training ranges on Tinian.
“All plans on Tinian are for small ranges, nothing else. We have it in Kannat Tabla, so there's no problem,” said Manglona, adding that local people could get jobs and could find other business opportunities such as supplying fresh produce to the military.
Victoria-Lola Leon Guerrero of the Guam-based We Are Guahan which is opposed to the military buildup, said the buildup intends to carry out U.S. Department of Defense plans, and “does not intend to help residents.”
She said that CNMI residents should never forget the environmental problems caused by the U.S. military in Tanapag, referring to the polychlorinated biphenyl contamination of soil and land crabs on Saipan's northern village.
Leon Guerrero also urged people to visit their website, www.WeAreGuahan.com, to know more about the group's strong opposition to the buildup.
Among other things, the group said the majority of the 18,000 jobs coming through the buildup will go to off-island workers and not local residents, and the buildup's draft Environmental Impact Statement does not mention military commitment to give Guam the money necessary to develop infrastructure to support a huge population influx.
They were among the estimated 30 members of the community, and another 30-plus Navy personnel and military contractors at the Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center in Susupe on Friday night for the Joint Guam Program Office's public hearing on the buildup's draft Environmental Impact Statement.
The number of people who showed up in both the public hearings on Tinian and Saipan were far below the numbers on Guam wherein the hearings drew 200 to 400 people.
Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (D-MP) said there are issues not related to the military buildup that the people of Tinian also want to be addressed, including the needed repair of the outer seawall and piers.
“It would be great (if the military funds it) but they won't because it's not a military wharf. That has to be a Commonwealth project or funded from a separate funding because it's not a military harbor; it's commercial. And I've also been telling people that this is a military buildup in Guam. Tinian is only ancillary of the buildup and if people think that someone is going to get rich from the Tinian portion of the buildup, I would like to know how because I haven't seen it,” Sablan told Saipan Tribune.
'No more comment period extension'
Sixto Igisomar, speaking as a member of the public, asked for more time to review and comment on the draft environment impact statement on the military buildup.
There are some 11,000 pages of documents on the draft EIS/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement on the military buildup.
The draft EIS/OES can be accessed online at www.guambuildupeis.us.
Retired Maj. Gen. David Bice, executive director of the Joint Guam Program Office, said JGPO believes that the 90-day comment period ending on Feb. 17 is sufficient.
“We've had well over 1,600 people come out to our public hearings where they asked questions and got their questions answered by experts. We've also gotten a lot of comments online as well as during the hearings,” Bice told Saipan Tribune.
Bice said there had been enough public outreach programs on the project, including public scoping in 2007, as well as partnership sessions with the local government and the regulators like the Environmental Protection Agency.
“We believe that our effort has been really unprecedented because this is a pretty large realignment and we had an unprecedented approach in terms of reaching out to the public and the regulators to ensure that our document is complete,” he said.
Bice said “every comment is important,” and every comment will be evaluated. The comments will also be recorded in Volume 10 of the final EIS.
“I can tell you that we are going to make adjustments to the EIS. We've heard comments made by people as we go along. I would make a mental note (when I hear) a solid comment that we need to take a look at either the plan or the phraseology that's in the EIS that may not be as clear as it should have been. So I can tell you that we are going to make adjustments to the EIS based upon the comments we received,” he added.
Townhall meetings
Despite the end of the six public hearings held in Guam, Tinian, and Saipan, there are still opportunities for residents to know more about the draft EIS/OES.
Tom Linden, coordinator for the CNMI Military Integration Management Committee, said MIMC, in partnership with the Office of Economic Adjustment and the Guam Advisory Consulting Team, will be hosting a public forum on Jan. 27, Wednesday, at the Multi-Purpose Center in Susupe.
He said representatives of the OEA and ACT will break down the 11,000-page EIS and be willing to answer any questions regarding the military buildup. The public is encouraged to submit questions ahead of time to the MIMC coordinator by sending e-mails to cnmi.mimc@commerce.gov.mp.
MIMC, created in June 2009, serves as the planning and policy making entity for all activities related to the expansion of military training and other defense transformation initiatives in the CNMI and Guam. It is the official entity through which the CNMI will interface with the U.S. Department of the Navy, the U.S. Marine Corps, JGPO, the Department of Defense, and all other military representatives regarding the military buildup.
The Tinian plan
Because Guam cannot accommodate all training for the relocating Marines, the military looks at Tinian to provide opportunities for training groups of 200 Marines or larger due to greater land availability.
Tinian is only about 100 miles or 160 kilometers away from Guam.
The northern two-thirds of Tinian are leased to the U.S. Department of Defense. Company and battalion level non-live fire training areas already exist and are used on these lease parcels.
“The land, however, could be developed to accommodate live fire ranges,” the draft EIS/OES stated.
The proposed actions on Tinian include firing ranges for rifle known distance, automated combat pistol, platoon battle course, and field firing; and airspace use.
Comments on the draft EIS/OES can be submitted online, or during the public hearings set by the U.S. Navy in Guam and the CNMI.
Thursday, January 07, 2010
PNC :: Buildup Hearing Filled with Anti-Buildup Sentiments
PNC :: Buildup Hearing Filled with Anti-Buildup Sentiments
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Guam – The Southern High Cafeteria was filled with residents both curious and eager to speak publicly about the imminent military buildup.
This is where the Joint Guam Program office held the first of it's series of public hearings on the the Draft Environmental Impact Statement or D.E.I.S. In essence the D.E.I.S outlines the military's plans for Guam and the potential impacts to the island as a result of the buildup. The D.E.I.S. Which is thousands of pages long covers everything from environmental impacts, to social and cultural impacts, to economic impacts. It was released in late November and tonight residents had a chance to provide public comments that will be recorded and factored into the Department of Defenses final decisions. The overwhelming majority of people present were either opposed to the military buildup as a whole or opposed to specific plans present in the DEIS. Speaker after speaker raised concerns about buildup ranging from the dredging of the Apra Harbor, to Land Acquisition. Senator BJ Cruz spoke about the need to test soil dredged from the Harbor for nuclear contaminants. According to the senator although extensive tests were done for the presence of metals none has been conducted for the presence of nuclear waste. This despite the fact that a submarine leaked nuclear material into the harbor just a couple of years ago. Others like Chammorro Tribe Chairman Frank Schacher spoke about his prior service with the US military and how he now feels betrayed. Schacher spoke about the changes to the island and the negative impacts an influx of non-native people would have on the Chamorro language culture and customs. Other concerns brought up by various speakers included concerns about the limited water resources, contamination of the island and it's aquifer, salinization of the aquifer, the acquisition of land, the access to hiking trails and traditional fishing and hunting grounds, and the overall environmental impacts to island. Not all spoke against the military buildup however. Some like Chamber of Commerce President Dave Leddy spoke in favor of it. Leddy touted among other things the economic impacts and the improvements to infrastructure. Overall however most of the comments given were either against the buildup as a whole or against specific sections of the DEIS.
Written by : Clynt Ridgell
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Guam – The Southern High Cafeteria was filled with residents both curious and eager to speak publicly about the imminent military buildup.
This is where the Joint Guam Program office held the first of it's series of public hearings on the the Draft Environmental Impact Statement or D.E.I.S. In essence the D.E.I.S outlines the military's plans for Guam and the potential impacts to the island as a result of the buildup. The D.E.I.S. Which is thousands of pages long covers everything from environmental impacts, to social and cultural impacts, to economic impacts. It was released in late November and tonight residents had a chance to provide public comments that will be recorded and factored into the Department of Defenses final decisions. The overwhelming majority of people present were either opposed to the military buildup as a whole or opposed to specific plans present in the DEIS. Speaker after speaker raised concerns about buildup ranging from the dredging of the Apra Harbor, to Land Acquisition. Senator BJ Cruz spoke about the need to test soil dredged from the Harbor for nuclear contaminants. According to the senator although extensive tests were done for the presence of metals none has been conducted for the presence of nuclear waste. This despite the fact that a submarine leaked nuclear material into the harbor just a couple of years ago. Others like Chammorro Tribe Chairman Frank Schacher spoke about his prior service with the US military and how he now feels betrayed. Schacher spoke about the changes to the island and the negative impacts an influx of non-native people would have on the Chamorro language culture and customs. Other concerns brought up by various speakers included concerns about the limited water resources, contamination of the island and it's aquifer, salinization of the aquifer, the acquisition of land, the access to hiking trails and traditional fishing and hunting grounds, and the overall environmental impacts to island. Not all spoke against the military buildup however. Some like Chamber of Commerce President Dave Leddy spoke in favor of it. Leddy touted among other things the economic impacts and the improvements to infrastructure. Overall however most of the comments given were either against the buildup as a whole or against specific sections of the DEIS.
Written by : Clynt Ridgell
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Make your voices heard: Dededo, Yigo mayors urge residents to testify on buildup
Make your voices heard: Dededo, Yigo mayors urge residents to testify on buildup
By Erin Thompson • Northern Weekly • January 6, 2010
Fears of condemnation of private property, inaccessible hiking trails, a proposed firing range and the relocation of Route 15 are some of the buildup issues worrying residents in the northern part of Guam, according to Dededo Mayor Melissa Savares and Yigo Mayor Robert Lizama.
Residents in the northern part of the island will have an opportunity to voice concerns about how the buildup will affect their community at two public hearings next week. The first will happen on Monday at the Yigo Gymnasium, the second at Dededo's Okkodo High School on Jan. 12.
The hearings are a part of an island-wide process allowing residents to make comments in response to the draft Environmental Impact Statement released in November. The 11,000-page EIS, which is available for review at the University of Guam Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Library in Mangilao and the mayors' offices in Yigo, Dededo, Barrigada, Agat and Mangilao, provides a break-down of the social and environmental impact of the buildup.
Yigo Mayor Robert Lizama says that while only four people to date have come by to browse the EIS and take home a copy of the available CD, he has heard many residents express "frustration" over some of the proposed changes to the area, which include the construction of a firing range along the island's northeast coast. The range would require the leasing or condemnation between 1,100 and 1,800 acres along Route 15 in Mangilao and Yigo, according to the Northern Weekly files.
Dededo resident Anthony Artero, who is planning on attending the hearing next week, told Northern Weekly that he is concerned about how the increased population could strain water and power infrastructure and increase traffic flow on the island. He also pointed to fears about how the rights of property owners would be affected, citing his family's own personal experience.
According to Artero, whose family owns land at Urunao in the Ritidian area, prior to World War II the family owned the land at Anderson Air Force Base, only to see it condemned after the war and bought for a fraction of its value.
"The U.S. military on this island has a track record of treating the people locally unfairly, in terms of taking their land away," says Artero, who says he fear islanders could face land condemnations or restrictions on land development following the buildup.
His biggest concern, however, was that the U.S. military was "not giving the local people an opportunity to be part of the buildup," he says.
As one of the key opportunities for islanders to get their voices on the record about the buildup, Savares says that the Dededo's mayor's office is working hard to get the word out about the hearings.
"We're trying aggressively," says Savares, who says her office is reaching out through media, at public events and by word of mouth, and even sending home messages through school children to get parents to attend.
"It's important that individuals, that residents come out to these hearings, and be heard and see what the EIS -- the findings, the draft studies -- are," says Savares.
"Because it's in draft form now and all comments will really be taken into consideration once final decision is made," she says.
"We want our residents who live here to be heard, make a difference making comments."
By Erin Thompson • Northern Weekly • January 6, 2010
Fears of condemnation of private property, inaccessible hiking trails, a proposed firing range and the relocation of Route 15 are some of the buildup issues worrying residents in the northern part of Guam, according to Dededo Mayor Melissa Savares and Yigo Mayor Robert Lizama.
Residents in the northern part of the island will have an opportunity to voice concerns about how the buildup will affect their community at two public hearings next week. The first will happen on Monday at the Yigo Gymnasium, the second at Dededo's Okkodo High School on Jan. 12.
The hearings are a part of an island-wide process allowing residents to make comments in response to the draft Environmental Impact Statement released in November. The 11,000-page EIS, which is available for review at the University of Guam Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Library in Mangilao and the mayors' offices in Yigo, Dededo, Barrigada, Agat and Mangilao, provides a break-down of the social and environmental impact of the buildup.
Yigo Mayor Robert Lizama says that while only four people to date have come by to browse the EIS and take home a copy of the available CD, he has heard many residents express "frustration" over some of the proposed changes to the area, which include the construction of a firing range along the island's northeast coast. The range would require the leasing or condemnation between 1,100 and 1,800 acres along Route 15 in Mangilao and Yigo, according to the Northern Weekly files.
Dededo resident Anthony Artero, who is planning on attending the hearing next week, told Northern Weekly that he is concerned about how the increased population could strain water and power infrastructure and increase traffic flow on the island. He also pointed to fears about how the rights of property owners would be affected, citing his family's own personal experience.
According to Artero, whose family owns land at Urunao in the Ritidian area, prior to World War II the family owned the land at Anderson Air Force Base, only to see it condemned after the war and bought for a fraction of its value.
"The U.S. military on this island has a track record of treating the people locally unfairly, in terms of taking their land away," says Artero, who says he fear islanders could face land condemnations or restrictions on land development following the buildup.
His biggest concern, however, was that the U.S. military was "not giving the local people an opportunity to be part of the buildup," he says.
As one of the key opportunities for islanders to get their voices on the record about the buildup, Savares says that the Dededo's mayor's office is working hard to get the word out about the hearings.
"We're trying aggressively," says Savares, who says her office is reaching out through media, at public events and by word of mouth, and even sending home messages through school children to get parents to attend.
"It's important that individuals, that residents come out to these hearings, and be heard and see what the EIS -- the findings, the draft studies -- are," says Savares.
"Because it's in draft form now and all comments will really be taken into consideration once final decision is made," she says.
"We want our residents who live here to be heard, make a difference making comments."
Sunday, January 03, 2010
EIS hearing Thursday at Santa Rita
EIS hearing Thursday at Santa Rita
By Laura Matthews • Pacific Daily News • January 4, 2010
Southern residents will get the first chance to provide feedback on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement with public hearings starting this week.
The first round of hearings on the draft EIS begins 7 p.m. Thursday at Southern High School in Santa Rita, and Agat Mayor Carol Tayama is encouraging people in the south to come out and express their views.
The mayor said she has been receiving e-mails from residents in her village informing her of their concerns, and she wants them to know that this is the venue where they can act.
"They have to come out and voice their concerns," Tayama said. "This is the time now if they want to see any changes. I really encourage residents in the south that if they have any concerns, that this is the time to bring them up."
The draft Environmental Impact Statement will provide a detailed account of how Guam's community will be affected through changes caused by the buildup. These include access to recreation locations, safety, labor-related issues, population increase and associated effects, increases in traffic, utility requirements, noise, land use, educational facilities, public health and social services and impact to tourism.
Concerns
Tayama said she plans to attend the public hearing to listen and make her concerns known.
Other residents are planning to do the same.
Cerila P. Skvaril, a 52-year-old living in Nimitz Hill, said she plans to attend at least one of the hearings on the environmental impact report because she has five children who are likely to be affected by the decisions that will be made with the military buildup.
Skvaril is concerned about the environmental impact of the military buildup on the island, and the fact that local land could be taken by the federal government.
"It is devastating to know the United States government has so much resources and the little resources we have they want to destroy it," Skvaril said.
She said residents who will not attend the hearing should remember that in the end "they will pay for it and their children will pay the price."
Nevertheless, there are some who won't be sharing their point of views at the upcoming hearings.
"I will not attend because I don't have the time. I am always working," said Jhune Cortes, 39, from Astumbo. "But I think people should say whether they want the buildup or not, and I think the buildup is going to be better for the economy."
By Laura Matthews • Pacific Daily News • January 4, 2010
Southern residents will get the first chance to provide feedback on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement with public hearings starting this week.
The first round of hearings on the draft EIS begins 7 p.m. Thursday at Southern High School in Santa Rita, and Agat Mayor Carol Tayama is encouraging people in the south to come out and express their views.
The mayor said she has been receiving e-mails from residents in her village informing her of their concerns, and she wants them to know that this is the venue where they can act.
"They have to come out and voice their concerns," Tayama said. "This is the time now if they want to see any changes. I really encourage residents in the south that if they have any concerns, that this is the time to bring them up."
The draft Environmental Impact Statement will provide a detailed account of how Guam's community will be affected through changes caused by the buildup. These include access to recreation locations, safety, labor-related issues, population increase and associated effects, increases in traffic, utility requirements, noise, land use, educational facilities, public health and social services and impact to tourism.
Concerns
Tayama said she plans to attend the public hearing to listen and make her concerns known.
Other residents are planning to do the same.
Cerila P. Skvaril, a 52-year-old living in Nimitz Hill, said she plans to attend at least one of the hearings on the environmental impact report because she has five children who are likely to be affected by the decisions that will be made with the military buildup.
Skvaril is concerned about the environmental impact of the military buildup on the island, and the fact that local land could be taken by the federal government.
"It is devastating to know the United States government has so much resources and the little resources we have they want to destroy it," Skvaril said.
She said residents who will not attend the hearing should remember that in the end "they will pay for it and their children will pay the price."
Nevertheless, there are some who won't be sharing their point of views at the upcoming hearings.
"I will not attend because I don't have the time. I am always working," said Jhune Cortes, 39, from Astumbo. "But I think people should say whether they want the buildup or not, and I think the buildup is going to be better for the economy."
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Military Buildup Fact Sheet
Military Buildup Fact Sheet
LATEST VERSION, COMPLETED 5:36 p.m. 12/23/09
By: Craig Santos Perez
Guam, a possession of the United States, is one of 15 islands in the Marianas, an archipelago in the western Pacific so pristine and rich in biodiversity that it was recently designated a federally protected Marine National Monument. However, military activities are exempt from this so-called “protection” and the Department of Defense has plans to effectively destroy the natural habitats of these islands with the “Guam Military Buildup,”slated to take place over the next five years. Guam, an island only half the size of Cape Cod with a current population of 178,000, will soon become home to 80,000 additional troops, dependents and laborers, as well as a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, a missile defense system, and numerous sites for military training practices.
Though the people of these islands are being told that the Buildup will improve their quality of life, the facts below, culled from a recently released Draft Environmental Impact Statement, show otherwise.
The REAL STORY behind the Guam Military Buildup
The Military Buildup being planned for Guam and the rest of the Mariana Islands chain is being sold to us as a once-in-a-lifetime economic opportunity. But if you read the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) put out by the Department of Defense, it quickly becomes clear that this is far from the truth. And if you know your Pacific history, it is a simple connection of dots to see that the Buildup will likely be as cataclysmic for our people and environment as the atomic testing at Bikini was for the Marshall Islands.
Below are a collection of facts taken from the Draft Environmental Statement released November 20, 2009:
I. ECONOMY
Myth: The military buildup will be great for Guam’s economy.
Fact: The military’s DEIS document states that very little money will go into Guam’s economy. According to the report, most contracts will go to large off-island companies, not to local contractors. Most money spent by the 80,000 newcomers will be spent on base, at companies also based on-island, not at local businesses. The 40,000 low-paid workers imported from the Philippines will not spend their money on Guam, but will send most of it back home.
And don’t think that Guam residents will benefit from an increase in construction jobs. According to the DEIS, at the projected 2014 peak in such jobs, only 2,566 will go to Guam residents, while 15,157 will be taken by off-island workers.
In addition, the military conducted a separate report which revealed that the cost of living will rise, but wages will remain low too low to keep up with skyrocketing costs. Guam Housing Urban Renewal Authority Executive Director, Benny Pinaula, does not feel the buildup will help keep housing affordable.
How will GovGuam fare during the buildup? The costs to the Government of Guam associated with the buildup will be $2.9 Billion dollars. But GovGuam officials are uncertain as to how those projects will be paid for.
Eddie Calvo explained that the buildup will cost millions of dollars to maintain roads, to upgrade wastewater treatment and by taking revenue from the port. Calvo recently wrote that the $50 million appropriated for roads within the 2010 Defense Budget is “a drop in the bucket to what is required to expand the roads and harden bridges to handle the thousands of containers and workers that will be arriving on island.”
Calvo also pointed out that EPA has ordered the local government to spend nearly $300million dollars to develop secondary wastewater treatment facilities. Though the military will ultimately be end-users of the northern facilities, it appears that the local government will bear the brunt of the upfront costs, resulting from EPA’s edict.
According to Calvo, it has been discovered that commercial cargo has been shipping out of the Navy side of the harbor. If this trend is a portend of things to come, this may cost the local government millions of dollars in lost revenue in the years to come.
To sum things up, the military build up will NOT help local Guam businesses, will NOT provide a boon in construction jobs, will NOT be an economic boost for local Guam residents, and will cost Guam’s government millions of dollars. The fact that the DEIS was written by big defense contractors in Hawaii, not Guam, indicates where the money will go, and it is not to you and me.
II. NOT A “DONE DEAL”
Myth: The Guam Military Buildup is a “done deal.”
Fact: The Military Buildup is NOT a “done deal,” as the Pacific Daily News would have us believe. There are many variables that need to take place in order for it to happen.
The buildup depends on what Japan decides to do. The U.S. is relying on Japan building an additional base on Okinawa in order for the troops to transfer from there to Guam. They are also depending on Japan to kick in $6 billion to help fund the buildup. However, Japan doesn’t want to build another base and it has been questioning the exorbitant expenses of the buildup, such as $775,000 per housing unit. Japan could make a decision that significantly delays the buildup, or even prevents it entirely.
Especially since the economic downturn, the Pentagon, too, has been uncertain about the expenses of the buildup (see this article from as recently as May 2009: “Pentagon Reconsiders Pricey Guam Move” at http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0509/050709cdam1.htm )
The powerful Heritage Foundation, the ultra-conservative, rightwing think tank, has been behind this buildup from the start, and has been steadily lobbying Congress to spend the billions of dollars it will take to make it happen. The Heritage Foundation takes the “Manifest Destiny” view of America, that it must rule the world, rather than share the world. And yet, in December 2009, a Pew Research Center study showed that almost half of Americans think that their country should “mind its own business internationally.” No doubt, these people would be opposed to the idea that $15 billion in their tax dollars is going to the Guam buildup, devoted to the military domination of another hemisphere. If these people were even aware of the buildup, let alone if they knew where Guam was, they would object to their Congressional representatives’ greenlighting the buildup. So far, less than $1 billion has been appropriated for the colossal project. There is no guarantee that the remaining $14 billion plus will come through.
So, it isn’t a “done deal” after all. It is a future that can be shaped by the strategy and foresight of the people, starting at the grassroots.
III. WATER
Myth: There will be no problem supplying water to 80,000 new people on Guam. All we need to do is drill 22 more wells.
Fact: False. Twenty-two new wells will deplete our freshwater source. If there were enough water for that many more people, the DEIS would not have listed a desalination plant as a long-term solution. Desalination plants have adverse effects on the environment; and building one would make the people of Guam dependent on the military for the most basic resource for life – water.
If there were enough water to go around, the military would not consider the development of Tolaeyuus River (“Lost River”) in Santa Rita, either, to augment the water supply during the dry season. This would entail dredging the reservoir area of the existing dam, and installing a pump station and pipeline.
Another scheme listed in the EIS is a comprehensive dredging of Fena Lake to increase capacity. Dredging equals more environmental devastation.
The DEIS makes no guarantee of water for the estimated 260,000-plus people to be on the island. So when you run short of water, as too many of us already do in Agat, Santa Rita, Piti and Asan, just remember the old Navy saying: “The needs of the Navy come first”.
IV. SOCIAL AND CULTURAL CONFLICTS
Myth: People living on the base and civilians will live together harmoniously, as “one.”
Fact: The buildup will create three distinct classes: 1) the military, who will be given expensive homes and good salaries; 2) the local people, who will be marginalized as second-class citizens and 3) 40,000 “temporary workers” who will be housed in barracks.
Billions of dollars are slated to be poured into construction inside the fence, while THERE ARE NO PLANS TO SPEND ANY MONEY OUTSIDE THE FENCE, except for road construction (not maintenance). There will be no money to help the current systems deal with infrastructure inadequacies or the expected rise in crime.
The difference between “inside the fence” and “outside the fence” will be more evident within our education system than it already is. There is already a big difference between the quality of education between the DODEA schools and local public schools. The shameful separate-but-equal ethic is alive and well on Guam, and will thrive further if the military buildup is allowed to take place.
Medical care and other social services will share similar problems. While military personnel on-island will receive better funded care, the thousands of additional people will overwhelm Guam’s already stressed medical and social services.
Meanwhile, who will monitor and enforce the labor abuse of the temporary workers, most of whom will be from the Philippines and the Federated States of Micronesia? There is already a problem regarding huge human-rights and labor abuse on Guam. Human-rights violations will most likely get worse, without adequate monitoring or enforcement. In addition, the idea that these workers are really “temporary” is a myth. Studies show that the vast majority of workers who migrate to the states from the Philippines, even on temporary visas, stay, and create families. Do not expect a population reduction after the buildup.
V. CRIME INCREASE
The huge surge of young single males, both Marines and laborers, along with the disparity between haves and have-nots, will lead to an increase in crime, fights, alcoholism, rape and prostitution. According to the DEIS, the buildup will also cause an increase in drug smuggling, due to the increased flow of goods and legal and illegal immigrants into Guam. Currently, the drug methamphetamine is already readily available on Guam, due to a steady supply from the Philippines, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, and South Korea.
VI. STRESSED SOCIAL SERVICES
As pointed out by social worker Dr. Gerhard Schwab, social services cannot keep up with current demands. He says that currently, “children in private and public child welfare organizations experience neglect and abuse… hard-working families do not have the health care and family support they need to care for their elderly and sick family members … our best local social service professionals leave Guam because of poor working conditions and/or lack of support and resources for their work.” And that is the way things are now.
If the buildup is allowed to go forward, troubles will get worse. The workload will double, while no money or resources are being appropriated to deal with these gigantic, foreseeable problem social problems.
Peter Sgro, president of the Guam Healthcare Development Foundation, says 500-600 additional doctors, nurses, technical, management and administration professionals will be needed on Guam, should the buildup take place. Where will they come from? Currently, Guam already falls below the national average in terms of healthcare provider to general population ratio.
VII. CROWDING
Bottom line: More people, less land.
Get ready for a road system that will be a constant traffic jam of construction trucks.
The military is eyeing an additional 3,900 acres to take, including the FAA property, which was supposed to have been given back. The total amount of land they want is one and a half times the size of Barrigada.
Regarding population increase: at first, the DOD told residents that the buildup would increase the population by 40,000, though they were always aware that the figure was really 80,000 — double that! Unfortunately, no one told the people of Guam until the last possible moment – the day the EIS was released (November 20, 2009). Why did they wait so long? Maybe because they knew how upsetting this information would be.
Currently, the cap on H-2B temporary workers allowed to enter the country is only 66,000 for the entire United States. But on tiny Guam, that cap for such workers has been lifted. Instead of protecting the island from a surge of migrants, the government is encouraging a dangerous population spike. Clearly, no consideration was given to living conditions, resources or infrastructure on Guam. All that is considered important to project planners is to get the military facilities up and running – no matter what are the human, social or environmental costs.
VIII. RACIST ATTITUDES
According to the Draft EIS, the transplanted Marines will not have an impact on Guam’s overall crime and social order. Instead the report blames migrants from the Federated States of Micronesia as the likely cause. This blatantly racist mindset behind the planning of Guam’s future is deplorable and goes against everything America stands for.
And racism will continue to flourish as the buildup’s planned social stratification takes hold, with predominantly Caucasian military personnel living in the most comfort inside the fence, while Pacific Islanders live outside the fence in lesser conditions, or outright squalor. It is tragically ironic that people native to the region are the ones to be relegated to the worst housing, the worst education system, the worst medical facilities, and the lowest wages. As 80,000 new people are dumped on Guam to fall into their preordained caste in this new “planned community” of Apartheid, the Buildup will exponentially accelerate the denigration of Pacific Islanders in their own land.
IX. NO MORE GREEN SPACE
Most of the four- and two- lane roads in the north will be widened to six- and seven-land highways.
The greenery in the north will be removed, not just for road work, but to house many of the 80,000 new people. One hundred acres of jungle will be replaced by a camp for tens of thousands of low-wage laborers. More jungle will be razed to make way for the luxury military homes. These homes will be soundproofed to protect those inside from the noise of the new landing pad. Local homes just outside the gate will not have such sound protection.
X. NOISE
Aside from the harrowing noise of helicopters coming and going, the racket of weapons firing from the firing range will plague much of the island. A 2000 study from Asahikawa Medical College shows that aircraft-noise exposure resulted in a range of physical and mental consequences including sleep disorders, hearing loss, higher rates of low birth weight infants, fatigue, neurosis, and negative effects on children.
XI. NO MORE ACCESS TO NATURE
According to the impact study, “There are several recreational resources that the public would lose the access to, and the use of the features if the proposed action were implemented: Guam International Raceway, Marbo Cave, Pagat Trail and associated trails near it, cultural gathering activities (suruhana), and off-shore fishing near Marbo Cave.”
The DEIS spends chapters detailing their plans for creating “recreation space” for their dependents. They go on about how important it is to make sure that there is lots of “wide, open, green space” within their neighborhoods. In the mean time, they are taking away OUR recreation space. They are lessening the wide, open, green space in OUR neighborhoods. And what does the DEIS say to try to make things better? It actually says we should replace our outdoor culture with indoor physical fitness centers, and indoor recreational resources such as bowling, skating rink, youth center, theater and recreational pavilion. Do they really think that bowling is an acceptable substitute for traditional fishing practices? Can they really be that culturally insensitive? And even if people wanted to go bowling instead of fishing, what makes them think local people would be able to afford such diversions, as the cost of living skyrockets against their low wages?
XII. STRESSED INFRASTRUCTURE
As 80,000 newcomers create waste and stress on our utilities and roads, the local people must cope with the burdened electrical system, continual road maintenance, limited water supply and thousands of tons of additional sewage. As mentioned earlier, funding for the Guam Buildup does not include any financial support for infrastructure outside the fence.
XIII. DESTRUCTION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE SITES
The DEIS states that cultural heritage sites to be destroyed or compromised include locations at Apra Harbor, Anderson AFB, Orote Field, Anderson South, and a sizable portion of land south of Route 15. As described in the report, a parcel of land at Anderson Air Force Base that is rich in archaelogical artifacts will be subject to “100-percent disturbance.” In addition, it warns of increased vandalism at the historical coastal site of Haputo, rich with latte stones.
XIV. THE DESTRUCTION OF PAGAT
The limestone forest that stretches from Marbo Caves to Pagat Caves is being considered for use as a firing range, where the military can practice shooting and bombing. The land belongs to several families who have been caring for it for decades, choosing to not develop because they prize the land for its inherent values. Their efforts to keep the land pristine have made it more desirable for the military. The site in Pagat is registered at the Department of Historic Preservation as an archaeological site.
XV. THE DESECRATION OF MOUNT JUMULLONG MANGLO
This holy mountain, where thousands of island residents pilgrimage every year on Good Friday, is also being considered for use as a firing range. This is disrespectful of local Chamorro traditions.
XVI. DESTRUCTION OF REEF AND FISHING IN APRA HARBOR
Twenty-five acres of reef is slated to be dredged. The sediment churned up by the dredging will kill the coral that is not plowed up and the fish population. According to Manny Duenas, president of the Fisherman’s Co-op, the dredging will “affect Guam in itself because we know the fish don’t just live in one area.”
Destruction to Guam’s undersea life will take place through regularly scheduled underwater detonations as part of war games training.
XVII. LARGEST MANGROVE FOREST ON U.S. SOIL DESTROYED
The dredging at Apra Harbor will destroy the mangrove forest there.
XVIII. SEA TURTLE AND SPINNER DOLPHIN HABITAT DESTROYED
The green sea turtle, the Hawksbill sea turtle and the Spinner dolphin, all protected by federal law, will be wiped out in Apra Harbor.
We are trading endangered species and their ecosystems for a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.
XIX. REMOVAL OF DUKDUK TREES; DECIMATION OF IFIT TREES
The ifit tree is the official tree of Guam, traditionally used as timber, for fuel wood and craftsman art. The termite-resistant hardwood has completely disappeared from some parts of southeast Asia already and is increasingly harder to find on Guam. Construction eyed for Finegayan at Andersen South, and a firing range would decimate the critically-endangered ifit trees, says the DEIS. The construction would also require the removal of dukduk trees, a traditional resource used by canoe builders.
XX. DESTRUCTION OF NATIVE MEDICINAL PLANTS
The hundreds of acres of jungle to be destroyed or contaminated contains native plants used in traditional medicine. To destroy these plants is to destroy Guam’s Chamorro heritage.
XXI. HAZARDOUS AND TOXIC WASTE
The total amount of hazardous waste produced by the increased military presence will equal 8 tons per year! (according to the DEIS)
The DEIS refuses to disclose all of the toxic and hazardous materials they will be storing; this is most likely because they are radioactive and banned from the shores of most countries. Our island is still in the process of decontaminating land and removing toxic materials left behind by the military; and many older generations of Guamanians suffer from an abnormally high cancer rate resulting from previous exposure to radiation by the military.
XXII. DEPLETION OF REEF RESOURCES BY H-2 WORKERS
What little reef resources are left may be quickly depleted by the underpaid foreign workers who tend to comb the reefs for food.
XXIII. WILL AFFECT THE ENTIRE MARIANA ARCHIPELAGO
The Guam Buildup does not affect only Guam. It will have grave, irreversible consequences for the entire island chain. The military does not see the Mariana Islands as a biodiverse treasure of natural wonders that the U.S. has even designated a protected Marine National Monument (“protected” from everyone except the military). Rather, the military sees our islands as a gigantic shooting gallery, which they’ve aptly re-named the Mariana Islands Range Complex (MIRC). Guam will be where the soldiers will live; the MIRC will be their enormous playground where they will learn how to destroy life.
The MIRC area will encompass about 501,873 square nautical miles to include open ocean and coastal areas. The combined land area on Guam, Rota, Tinian, Saipan, and Farallon de Medinilla to be used for training areas and facilities will be about 64 nautical miles, and approximately 63,000 nautical miles of airspace will be designated as Special Use Airspace. Already bombing practice occurs routinely on Farallon de Medinilla, an island not long ago prized by locals for its excellent fishing. Now it is off-limits and contaminated, worsening by the day.
Stopping the Guam Buildup will “cut off the head of the snake” that would otherwise kill or severely diminish the celebrated reef and land ecologies of the rest of the archipelago. According to the Population Reference Bureau, only 30% of Guam’s natural habitat remains. But that sad statistic is not shared by the rest of the islands in the chain, still plentiful in biological diversity.
The spectacularly beautiful and ecologically rich island of Tinian would be hardest hit, if we let this happen. Tinian is home to many endemic species, including the Tinian Monarch, an endemic bird. The DEIS explains that the military intends to use two-thirds of the island to routinely conduct many hazardous activities, including live-fire training (which leaves behind depleted uranium and other highly toxic materials), various pyrotechnics and detonations both on land and underwater, and amphibious landings (heavy, lumbering tanks crushing the thriving reef as well as destroying the sea-turtle nesting areas on the beach). No species will be left undamaged. These activities will decimate one of the healthiest and most biologically diverse marine ecosystems on the planet, thus also destroying an important food source for its Pacific Island inhabitants.
In addition to the destruction caused by bombs, tanks, planes, ships and nuclear and hazardous wastes, the islands will also suffer from opportunists “cashing in” on the sudden inflow of a large demographic of single males looking for “rest and relaxation.” As on Guam, we can safely predict a rise in prostitution, illegal drugs, and crime. On Rota – pristine and undeveloped; an authentic “tropical paradise” — the construction of two hotel-casinos are in the works, in anticipation of the Guam Buildup becoming a reality.
As you can see from these facts presented in the military’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement, the Guam Buildup is a recipe for nothing short of social and ecological disaster. Please do what you can to stop it.
Here is an interesting observation from blogger Dave Owen (www.guamblog.com):
“The Draft Environment Impact Statement (DEIS) wasn’t written to protect Guam. It was written to protect the U.S. government from criticism once things go wrong on Guam. The U.S. will say that the 11,000 page DEIS is evidence of its great concern and care for Guam. It’s just the opposite. It’s a pile of data and observation dumped on the island far too late, and Guam has been given precious little time – just 90 days – to respond to it. The buildup, as the DEIS illustrates, impacts every aspect of the island; the environment, land use and development, schools, health care, crime, roads — the sum of Guam’s quality of life. With the DEIS in hand, Guam’s government must now prioritize the buildup’s impact and then prepare mitigation strategies. It’s a Manhattan Project-sized task and one that’s impossible to complete in the amount of time available. Guam can rest assured that the U.S. will use the DEIS as its defense when things go wrong: We prepared you, Guam.”
LATEST VERSION, COMPLETED 5:36 p.m. 12/23/09
By: Craig Santos Perez
Guam, a possession of the United States, is one of 15 islands in the Marianas, an archipelago in the western Pacific so pristine and rich in biodiversity that it was recently designated a federally protected Marine National Monument. However, military activities are exempt from this so-called “protection” and the Department of Defense has plans to effectively destroy the natural habitats of these islands with the “Guam Military Buildup,”slated to take place over the next five years. Guam, an island only half the size of Cape Cod with a current population of 178,000, will soon become home to 80,000 additional troops, dependents and laborers, as well as a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, a missile defense system, and numerous sites for military training practices.
Though the people of these islands are being told that the Buildup will improve their quality of life, the facts below, culled from a recently released Draft Environmental Impact Statement, show otherwise.
The REAL STORY behind the Guam Military Buildup
The Military Buildup being planned for Guam and the rest of the Mariana Islands chain is being sold to us as a once-in-a-lifetime economic opportunity. But if you read the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) put out by the Department of Defense, it quickly becomes clear that this is far from the truth. And if you know your Pacific history, it is a simple connection of dots to see that the Buildup will likely be as cataclysmic for our people and environment as the atomic testing at Bikini was for the Marshall Islands.
Below are a collection of facts taken from the Draft Environmental Statement released November 20, 2009:
I. ECONOMY
Myth: The military buildup will be great for Guam’s economy.
Fact: The military’s DEIS document states that very little money will go into Guam’s economy. According to the report, most contracts will go to large off-island companies, not to local contractors. Most money spent by the 80,000 newcomers will be spent on base, at companies also based on-island, not at local businesses. The 40,000 low-paid workers imported from the Philippines will not spend their money on Guam, but will send most of it back home.
And don’t think that Guam residents will benefit from an increase in construction jobs. According to the DEIS, at the projected 2014 peak in such jobs, only 2,566 will go to Guam residents, while 15,157 will be taken by off-island workers.
In addition, the military conducted a separate report which revealed that the cost of living will rise, but wages will remain low too low to keep up with skyrocketing costs. Guam Housing Urban Renewal Authority Executive Director, Benny Pinaula, does not feel the buildup will help keep housing affordable.
How will GovGuam fare during the buildup? The costs to the Government of Guam associated with the buildup will be $2.9 Billion dollars. But GovGuam officials are uncertain as to how those projects will be paid for.
Eddie Calvo explained that the buildup will cost millions of dollars to maintain roads, to upgrade wastewater treatment and by taking revenue from the port. Calvo recently wrote that the $50 million appropriated for roads within the 2010 Defense Budget is “a drop in the bucket to what is required to expand the roads and harden bridges to handle the thousands of containers and workers that will be arriving on island.”
Calvo also pointed out that EPA has ordered the local government to spend nearly $300million dollars to develop secondary wastewater treatment facilities. Though the military will ultimately be end-users of the northern facilities, it appears that the local government will bear the brunt of the upfront costs, resulting from EPA’s edict.
According to Calvo, it has been discovered that commercial cargo has been shipping out of the Navy side of the harbor. If this trend is a portend of things to come, this may cost the local government millions of dollars in lost revenue in the years to come.
To sum things up, the military build up will NOT help local Guam businesses, will NOT provide a boon in construction jobs, will NOT be an economic boost for local Guam residents, and will cost Guam’s government millions of dollars. The fact that the DEIS was written by big defense contractors in Hawaii, not Guam, indicates where the money will go, and it is not to you and me.
II. NOT A “DONE DEAL”
Myth: The Guam Military Buildup is a “done deal.”
Fact: The Military Buildup is NOT a “done deal,” as the Pacific Daily News would have us believe. There are many variables that need to take place in order for it to happen.
The buildup depends on what Japan decides to do. The U.S. is relying on Japan building an additional base on Okinawa in order for the troops to transfer from there to Guam. They are also depending on Japan to kick in $6 billion to help fund the buildup. However, Japan doesn’t want to build another base and it has been questioning the exorbitant expenses of the buildup, such as $775,000 per housing unit. Japan could make a decision that significantly delays the buildup, or even prevents it entirely.
Especially since the economic downturn, the Pentagon, too, has been uncertain about the expenses of the buildup (see this article from as recently as May 2009: “Pentagon Reconsiders Pricey Guam Move” at http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0509/050709cdam1.htm )
The powerful Heritage Foundation, the ultra-conservative, rightwing think tank, has been behind this buildup from the start, and has been steadily lobbying Congress to spend the billions of dollars it will take to make it happen. The Heritage Foundation takes the “Manifest Destiny” view of America, that it must rule the world, rather than share the world. And yet, in December 2009, a Pew Research Center study showed that almost half of Americans think that their country should “mind its own business internationally.” No doubt, these people would be opposed to the idea that $15 billion in their tax dollars is going to the Guam buildup, devoted to the military domination of another hemisphere. If these people were even aware of the buildup, let alone if they knew where Guam was, they would object to their Congressional representatives’ greenlighting the buildup. So far, less than $1 billion has been appropriated for the colossal project. There is no guarantee that the remaining $14 billion plus will come through.
So, it isn’t a “done deal” after all. It is a future that can be shaped by the strategy and foresight of the people, starting at the grassroots.
III. WATER
Myth: There will be no problem supplying water to 80,000 new people on Guam. All we need to do is drill 22 more wells.
Fact: False. Twenty-two new wells will deplete our freshwater source. If there were enough water for that many more people, the DEIS would not have listed a desalination plant as a long-term solution. Desalination plants have adverse effects on the environment; and building one would make the people of Guam dependent on the military for the most basic resource for life – water.
If there were enough water to go around, the military would not consider the development of Tolaeyuus River (“Lost River”) in Santa Rita, either, to augment the water supply during the dry season. This would entail dredging the reservoir area of the existing dam, and installing a pump station and pipeline.
Another scheme listed in the EIS is a comprehensive dredging of Fena Lake to increase capacity. Dredging equals more environmental devastation.
The DEIS makes no guarantee of water for the estimated 260,000-plus people to be on the island. So when you run short of water, as too many of us already do in Agat, Santa Rita, Piti and Asan, just remember the old Navy saying: “The needs of the Navy come first”.
IV. SOCIAL AND CULTURAL CONFLICTS
Myth: People living on the base and civilians will live together harmoniously, as “one.”
Fact: The buildup will create three distinct classes: 1) the military, who will be given expensive homes and good salaries; 2) the local people, who will be marginalized as second-class citizens and 3) 40,000 “temporary workers” who will be housed in barracks.
Billions of dollars are slated to be poured into construction inside the fence, while THERE ARE NO PLANS TO SPEND ANY MONEY OUTSIDE THE FENCE, except for road construction (not maintenance). There will be no money to help the current systems deal with infrastructure inadequacies or the expected rise in crime.
The difference between “inside the fence” and “outside the fence” will be more evident within our education system than it already is. There is already a big difference between the quality of education between the DODEA schools and local public schools. The shameful separate-but-equal ethic is alive and well on Guam, and will thrive further if the military buildup is allowed to take place.
Medical care and other social services will share similar problems. While military personnel on-island will receive better funded care, the thousands of additional people will overwhelm Guam’s already stressed medical and social services.
Meanwhile, who will monitor and enforce the labor abuse of the temporary workers, most of whom will be from the Philippines and the Federated States of Micronesia? There is already a problem regarding huge human-rights and labor abuse on Guam. Human-rights violations will most likely get worse, without adequate monitoring or enforcement. In addition, the idea that these workers are really “temporary” is a myth. Studies show that the vast majority of workers who migrate to the states from the Philippines, even on temporary visas, stay, and create families. Do not expect a population reduction after the buildup.
V. CRIME INCREASE
The huge surge of young single males, both Marines and laborers, along with the disparity between haves and have-nots, will lead to an increase in crime, fights, alcoholism, rape and prostitution. According to the DEIS, the buildup will also cause an increase in drug smuggling, due to the increased flow of goods and legal and illegal immigrants into Guam. Currently, the drug methamphetamine is already readily available on Guam, due to a steady supply from the Philippines, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, and South Korea.
VI. STRESSED SOCIAL SERVICES
As pointed out by social worker Dr. Gerhard Schwab, social services cannot keep up with current demands. He says that currently, “children in private and public child welfare organizations experience neglect and abuse… hard-working families do not have the health care and family support they need to care for their elderly and sick family members … our best local social service professionals leave Guam because of poor working conditions and/or lack of support and resources for their work.” And that is the way things are now.
If the buildup is allowed to go forward, troubles will get worse. The workload will double, while no money or resources are being appropriated to deal with these gigantic, foreseeable problem social problems.
Peter Sgro, president of the Guam Healthcare Development Foundation, says 500-600 additional doctors, nurses, technical, management and administration professionals will be needed on Guam, should the buildup take place. Where will they come from? Currently, Guam already falls below the national average in terms of healthcare provider to general population ratio.
VII. CROWDING
Bottom line: More people, less land.
Get ready for a road system that will be a constant traffic jam of construction trucks.
The military is eyeing an additional 3,900 acres to take, including the FAA property, which was supposed to have been given back. The total amount of land they want is one and a half times the size of Barrigada.
Regarding population increase: at first, the DOD told residents that the buildup would increase the population by 40,000, though they were always aware that the figure was really 80,000 — double that! Unfortunately, no one told the people of Guam until the last possible moment – the day the EIS was released (November 20, 2009). Why did they wait so long? Maybe because they knew how upsetting this information would be.
Currently, the cap on H-2B temporary workers allowed to enter the country is only 66,000 for the entire United States. But on tiny Guam, that cap for such workers has been lifted. Instead of protecting the island from a surge of migrants, the government is encouraging a dangerous population spike. Clearly, no consideration was given to living conditions, resources or infrastructure on Guam. All that is considered important to project planners is to get the military facilities up and running – no matter what are the human, social or environmental costs.
VIII. RACIST ATTITUDES
According to the Draft EIS, the transplanted Marines will not have an impact on Guam’s overall crime and social order. Instead the report blames migrants from the Federated States of Micronesia as the likely cause. This blatantly racist mindset behind the planning of Guam’s future is deplorable and goes against everything America stands for.
And racism will continue to flourish as the buildup’s planned social stratification takes hold, with predominantly Caucasian military personnel living in the most comfort inside the fence, while Pacific Islanders live outside the fence in lesser conditions, or outright squalor. It is tragically ironic that people native to the region are the ones to be relegated to the worst housing, the worst education system, the worst medical facilities, and the lowest wages. As 80,000 new people are dumped on Guam to fall into their preordained caste in this new “planned community” of Apartheid, the Buildup will exponentially accelerate the denigration of Pacific Islanders in their own land.
IX. NO MORE GREEN SPACE
Most of the four- and two- lane roads in the north will be widened to six- and seven-land highways.
The greenery in the north will be removed, not just for road work, but to house many of the 80,000 new people. One hundred acres of jungle will be replaced by a camp for tens of thousands of low-wage laborers. More jungle will be razed to make way for the luxury military homes. These homes will be soundproofed to protect those inside from the noise of the new landing pad. Local homes just outside the gate will not have such sound protection.
X. NOISE
Aside from the harrowing noise of helicopters coming and going, the racket of weapons firing from the firing range will plague much of the island. A 2000 study from Asahikawa Medical College shows that aircraft-noise exposure resulted in a range of physical and mental consequences including sleep disorders, hearing loss, higher rates of low birth weight infants, fatigue, neurosis, and negative effects on children.
XI. NO MORE ACCESS TO NATURE
According to the impact study, “There are several recreational resources that the public would lose the access to, and the use of the features if the proposed action were implemented: Guam International Raceway, Marbo Cave, Pagat Trail and associated trails near it, cultural gathering activities (suruhana), and off-shore fishing near Marbo Cave.”
The DEIS spends chapters detailing their plans for creating “recreation space” for their dependents. They go on about how important it is to make sure that there is lots of “wide, open, green space” within their neighborhoods. In the mean time, they are taking away OUR recreation space. They are lessening the wide, open, green space in OUR neighborhoods. And what does the DEIS say to try to make things better? It actually says we should replace our outdoor culture with indoor physical fitness centers, and indoor recreational resources such as bowling, skating rink, youth center, theater and recreational pavilion. Do they really think that bowling is an acceptable substitute for traditional fishing practices? Can they really be that culturally insensitive? And even if people wanted to go bowling instead of fishing, what makes them think local people would be able to afford such diversions, as the cost of living skyrockets against their low wages?
XII. STRESSED INFRASTRUCTURE
As 80,000 newcomers create waste and stress on our utilities and roads, the local people must cope with the burdened electrical system, continual road maintenance, limited water supply and thousands of tons of additional sewage. As mentioned earlier, funding for the Guam Buildup does not include any financial support for infrastructure outside the fence.
XIII. DESTRUCTION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE SITES
The DEIS states that cultural heritage sites to be destroyed or compromised include locations at Apra Harbor, Anderson AFB, Orote Field, Anderson South, and a sizable portion of land south of Route 15. As described in the report, a parcel of land at Anderson Air Force Base that is rich in archaelogical artifacts will be subject to “100-percent disturbance.” In addition, it warns of increased vandalism at the historical coastal site of Haputo, rich with latte stones.
XIV. THE DESTRUCTION OF PAGAT
The limestone forest that stretches from Marbo Caves to Pagat Caves is being considered for use as a firing range, where the military can practice shooting and bombing. The land belongs to several families who have been caring for it for decades, choosing to not develop because they prize the land for its inherent values. Their efforts to keep the land pristine have made it more desirable for the military. The site in Pagat is registered at the Department of Historic Preservation as an archaeological site.
XV. THE DESECRATION OF MOUNT JUMULLONG MANGLO
This holy mountain, where thousands of island residents pilgrimage every year on Good Friday, is also being considered for use as a firing range. This is disrespectful of local Chamorro traditions.
XVI. DESTRUCTION OF REEF AND FISHING IN APRA HARBOR
Twenty-five acres of reef is slated to be dredged. The sediment churned up by the dredging will kill the coral that is not plowed up and the fish population. According to Manny Duenas, president of the Fisherman’s Co-op, the dredging will “affect Guam in itself because we know the fish don’t just live in one area.”
Destruction to Guam’s undersea life will take place through regularly scheduled underwater detonations as part of war games training.
XVII. LARGEST MANGROVE FOREST ON U.S. SOIL DESTROYED
The dredging at Apra Harbor will destroy the mangrove forest there.
XVIII. SEA TURTLE AND SPINNER DOLPHIN HABITAT DESTROYED
The green sea turtle, the Hawksbill sea turtle and the Spinner dolphin, all protected by federal law, will be wiped out in Apra Harbor.
We are trading endangered species and their ecosystems for a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.
XIX. REMOVAL OF DUKDUK TREES; DECIMATION OF IFIT TREES
The ifit tree is the official tree of Guam, traditionally used as timber, for fuel wood and craftsman art. The termite-resistant hardwood has completely disappeared from some parts of southeast Asia already and is increasingly harder to find on Guam. Construction eyed for Finegayan at Andersen South, and a firing range would decimate the critically-endangered ifit trees, says the DEIS. The construction would also require the removal of dukduk trees, a traditional resource used by canoe builders.
XX. DESTRUCTION OF NATIVE MEDICINAL PLANTS
The hundreds of acres of jungle to be destroyed or contaminated contains native plants used in traditional medicine. To destroy these plants is to destroy Guam’s Chamorro heritage.
XXI. HAZARDOUS AND TOXIC WASTE
The total amount of hazardous waste produced by the increased military presence will equal 8 tons per year! (according to the DEIS)
The DEIS refuses to disclose all of the toxic and hazardous materials they will be storing; this is most likely because they are radioactive and banned from the shores of most countries. Our island is still in the process of decontaminating land and removing toxic materials left behind by the military; and many older generations of Guamanians suffer from an abnormally high cancer rate resulting from previous exposure to radiation by the military.
XXII. DEPLETION OF REEF RESOURCES BY H-2 WORKERS
What little reef resources are left may be quickly depleted by the underpaid foreign workers who tend to comb the reefs for food.
XXIII. WILL AFFECT THE ENTIRE MARIANA ARCHIPELAGO
The Guam Buildup does not affect only Guam. It will have grave, irreversible consequences for the entire island chain. The military does not see the Mariana Islands as a biodiverse treasure of natural wonders that the U.S. has even designated a protected Marine National Monument (“protected” from everyone except the military). Rather, the military sees our islands as a gigantic shooting gallery, which they’ve aptly re-named the Mariana Islands Range Complex (MIRC). Guam will be where the soldiers will live; the MIRC will be their enormous playground where they will learn how to destroy life.
The MIRC area will encompass about 501,873 square nautical miles to include open ocean and coastal areas. The combined land area on Guam, Rota, Tinian, Saipan, and Farallon de Medinilla to be used for training areas and facilities will be about 64 nautical miles, and approximately 63,000 nautical miles of airspace will be designated as Special Use Airspace. Already bombing practice occurs routinely on Farallon de Medinilla, an island not long ago prized by locals for its excellent fishing. Now it is off-limits and contaminated, worsening by the day.
Stopping the Guam Buildup will “cut off the head of the snake” that would otherwise kill or severely diminish the celebrated reef and land ecologies of the rest of the archipelago. According to the Population Reference Bureau, only 30% of Guam’s natural habitat remains. But that sad statistic is not shared by the rest of the islands in the chain, still plentiful in biological diversity.
The spectacularly beautiful and ecologically rich island of Tinian would be hardest hit, if we let this happen. Tinian is home to many endemic species, including the Tinian Monarch, an endemic bird. The DEIS explains that the military intends to use two-thirds of the island to routinely conduct many hazardous activities, including live-fire training (which leaves behind depleted uranium and other highly toxic materials), various pyrotechnics and detonations both on land and underwater, and amphibious landings (heavy, lumbering tanks crushing the thriving reef as well as destroying the sea-turtle nesting areas on the beach). No species will be left undamaged. These activities will decimate one of the healthiest and most biologically diverse marine ecosystems on the planet, thus also destroying an important food source for its Pacific Island inhabitants.
In addition to the destruction caused by bombs, tanks, planes, ships and nuclear and hazardous wastes, the islands will also suffer from opportunists “cashing in” on the sudden inflow of a large demographic of single males looking for “rest and relaxation.” As on Guam, we can safely predict a rise in prostitution, illegal drugs, and crime. On Rota – pristine and undeveloped; an authentic “tropical paradise” — the construction of two hotel-casinos are in the works, in anticipation of the Guam Buildup becoming a reality.
As you can see from these facts presented in the military’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement, the Guam Buildup is a recipe for nothing short of social and ecological disaster. Please do what you can to stop it.
Here is an interesting observation from blogger Dave Owen (www.guamblog.com):
“The Draft Environment Impact Statement (DEIS) wasn’t written to protect Guam. It was written to protect the U.S. government from criticism once things go wrong on Guam. The U.S. will say that the 11,000 page DEIS is evidence of its great concern and care for Guam. It’s just the opposite. It’s a pile of data and observation dumped on the island far too late, and Guam has been given precious little time – just 90 days – to respond to it. The buildup, as the DEIS illustrates, impacts every aspect of the island; the environment, land use and development, schools, health care, crime, roads — the sum of Guam’s quality of life. With the DEIS in hand, Guam’s government must now prioritize the buildup’s impact and then prepare mitigation strategies. It’s a Manhattan Project-sized task and one that’s impossible to complete in the amount of time available. Guam can rest assured that the U.S. will use the DEIS as its defense when things go wrong: We prepared you, Guam.”
Monday, December 07, 2009
Japan Prime Minister Denies Ever Saying 'Move Okinawa Air Base To Guam'
Japan Prime Minister Denies Ever Saying 'Move Okinawa Air Base To Guam'
Tokyo's Top Ministers Need To Get On The Same Page (And Stop Confusing The Issues!)
Written by Jeff Marchesseault, Guam News Factor Staff Writer
Sunday, 06 December 2009 20:19
GUAM - The day after international media reported that Japan Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa was preparing to fly to Guam to assess the island's capacity to absorb the functions of a U.S. air base in Okinawa, his prime minister is saying he issued no such instructions.
That according to UPI and Mainichi News.
UPI reports that Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama explained that he remained under the impression that Washington still prefers to stand by a previously agreed plan to move the base to an area near Camp Schwab in Okinawa Prefecture.
Kitazawa: Shall We Expect Him Next Week Or Not?
Kitazawa was reportedly scheduled to arrive as early as this week. No word yet on whether his trip is still on, but UPI quotes the Defense Minister as being very clear about the reason behind his mission to Guam:
"I'd like to examine its capacity and geography as well as the conditions of the deployment of U.S. forces," he said. "Okinawa residents and the Social Democratic Party are demanding that we seek relocation out of the prefecture even if the process takes longer."
The bit about seeking relocation out of Okinawa even if the process takes longer seems consistent with Prime Minister Hatoyama's drawn out, indecisive reluctance to accept the terms of a 2006 bilateral accord with the U.S. The agreement requires the relocation of Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Ginowan City to remote, coastal Camp Schwab in Nago City and the transfer of 8,600 Marines to Guam, where a $15 billion buildup is set to begin between late summer and early fall.
A Real World Wakeup
But Okinawans and others in Japan voted Hatoyama and his Democratic Party (along with coalition supporters like the Social Democrats) into power largely on the platform promise that a new government would fight to move Futenma out of Okinawa prefecture and preferably outside of Japan.
But given the cold, hard realities of international security imperatives, that kind of campaign rhetoric is looking more and more like a pipe dream. And that could put the Prime Minister in a pickle domestically, since he reportedly needs the parliamentary support of junior coalition partners like the Social Democrats to get legislation through the Diet.
But no matter how idealistic the Democrats may have thought they were being on the campaign trail, the reality is that the Okinawa-Guam transfer has been nearly 20 years in the making -- from about 15 years of negotiation to about four years of hard planning and prep work. The reality is that the U.S. military can't spend all that time coming up with a solution that does its best to balance competing interests like 'quality of life' and 'economic opportunity' with social and environmental impacts...and then decide nine months before heavy equipment starts clearing land that it's going to put everything on hold so it can scratch its head and figure out a quick alternative. It doesn't work that way. The U.S. has long since done its homework on the alternatives. And the Department of Defense, which leads security and dominates strategy in the region, says there aren't any.
So it's curious why Japan's Defense Minister would think any differently.
Who's On First?
This is not the first time the Prime Minister and his Defense Minister have appeared to be reading from different scripts. After U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates paid a visit to Tokyo in November and insisted that Nago was the only option, Kitazawa agreed that it might be best to stick to the plan. And Foreign Minister Okada said that Okinawa's Kadena Air Base might be an option, although that idea was dead on arrival when Okada visited Okinawa to proffer the notion and met stiff resistance in the prefecture that bears the heaviest concentration of U.S. bases in Japan.
Since winning office at the tail end of August, Hatoyama has appeared to be nervous, noncommittal, evasive, contradictory and defiant on the Futenma issue. Lately, it is presumed that he will delay the announcement of his alternative plan until January (the previous deadline was before the end of this year).
On the one hand, Hatoyama faces those fiercely opposed to any new bases in Okinawa. On the other, he faces an America that views the base relocation within Okinawa and the Okinawa-Guam troop transfer as a way to relieve pressure on Okinawa's crowded civilian city dwellars while re-fortifying the U.S. defensive posture in the Pacific. From one administration to the next, the U.S. has not wavered in its stated intention to move Futenma to Nago and transfer thousands of Marines and their families to Guam.
At some point soon, Japan's new government must decide whether it's going to insist that Futenma must be moved out of Okinawa or whether it's going to honor a 2006 bilateral accord that is designed to help keep Japan safe and protect the collective interests of that nation, ours and others. Japan must decide and decide quickly. At least then, the U.S. and Guam will know where Tokyo stands. Right now it's not exactly clear.
Read the UPI story, "Japan PM: Guam not being eyed for base", December 5, 2009.
Read the Guam News Factor story, "When Mr. Kitazawa Comes To Guam, Let's Speak With One Patriotic Voice", December 5, 2009.
Tokyo's Top Ministers Need To Get On The Same Page (And Stop Confusing The Issues!)
Written by Jeff Marchesseault, Guam News Factor Staff Writer
Sunday, 06 December 2009 20:19
GUAM - The day after international media reported that Japan Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa was preparing to fly to Guam to assess the island's capacity to absorb the functions of a U.S. air base in Okinawa, his prime minister is saying he issued no such instructions.
That according to UPI and Mainichi News.
UPI reports that Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama explained that he remained under the impression that Washington still prefers to stand by a previously agreed plan to move the base to an area near Camp Schwab in Okinawa Prefecture.
Kitazawa: Shall We Expect Him Next Week Or Not?
Kitazawa was reportedly scheduled to arrive as early as this week. No word yet on whether his trip is still on, but UPI quotes the Defense Minister as being very clear about the reason behind his mission to Guam:
"I'd like to examine its capacity and geography as well as the conditions of the deployment of U.S. forces," he said. "Okinawa residents and the Social Democratic Party are demanding that we seek relocation out of the prefecture even if the process takes longer."
The bit about seeking relocation out of Okinawa even if the process takes longer seems consistent with Prime Minister Hatoyama's drawn out, indecisive reluctance to accept the terms of a 2006 bilateral accord with the U.S. The agreement requires the relocation of Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Ginowan City to remote, coastal Camp Schwab in Nago City and the transfer of 8,600 Marines to Guam, where a $15 billion buildup is set to begin between late summer and early fall.
A Real World Wakeup
But Okinawans and others in Japan voted Hatoyama and his Democratic Party (along with coalition supporters like the Social Democrats) into power largely on the platform promise that a new government would fight to move Futenma out of Okinawa prefecture and preferably outside of Japan.
But given the cold, hard realities of international security imperatives, that kind of campaign rhetoric is looking more and more like a pipe dream. And that could put the Prime Minister in a pickle domestically, since he reportedly needs the parliamentary support of junior coalition partners like the Social Democrats to get legislation through the Diet.
But no matter how idealistic the Democrats may have thought they were being on the campaign trail, the reality is that the Okinawa-Guam transfer has been nearly 20 years in the making -- from about 15 years of negotiation to about four years of hard planning and prep work. The reality is that the U.S. military can't spend all that time coming up with a solution that does its best to balance competing interests like 'quality of life' and 'economic opportunity' with social and environmental impacts...and then decide nine months before heavy equipment starts clearing land that it's going to put everything on hold so it can scratch its head and figure out a quick alternative. It doesn't work that way. The U.S. has long since done its homework on the alternatives. And the Department of Defense, which leads security and dominates strategy in the region, says there aren't any.
So it's curious why Japan's Defense Minister would think any differently.
Who's On First?
This is not the first time the Prime Minister and his Defense Minister have appeared to be reading from different scripts. After U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates paid a visit to Tokyo in November and insisted that Nago was the only option, Kitazawa agreed that it might be best to stick to the plan. And Foreign Minister Okada said that Okinawa's Kadena Air Base might be an option, although that idea was dead on arrival when Okada visited Okinawa to proffer the notion and met stiff resistance in the prefecture that bears the heaviest concentration of U.S. bases in Japan.
Since winning office at the tail end of August, Hatoyama has appeared to be nervous, noncommittal, evasive, contradictory and defiant on the Futenma issue. Lately, it is presumed that he will delay the announcement of his alternative plan until January (the previous deadline was before the end of this year).
On the one hand, Hatoyama faces those fiercely opposed to any new bases in Okinawa. On the other, he faces an America that views the base relocation within Okinawa and the Okinawa-Guam troop transfer as a way to relieve pressure on Okinawa's crowded civilian city dwellars while re-fortifying the U.S. defensive posture in the Pacific. From one administration to the next, the U.S. has not wavered in its stated intention to move Futenma to Nago and transfer thousands of Marines and their families to Guam.
At some point soon, Japan's new government must decide whether it's going to insist that Futenma must be moved out of Okinawa or whether it's going to honor a 2006 bilateral accord that is designed to help keep Japan safe and protect the collective interests of that nation, ours and others. Japan must decide and decide quickly. At least then, the U.S. and Guam will know where Tokyo stands. Right now it's not exactly clear.
Read the UPI story, "Japan PM: Guam not being eyed for base", December 5, 2009.
Read the Guam News Factor story, "When Mr. Kitazawa Comes To Guam, Let's Speak With One Patriotic Voice", December 5, 2009.
Improve physical, social environment first
Improve physical, social environment first
By Pat Wolff • December 6, 2009
While our island's business leaders at the Chamber of Commerce and Guam Hotel & Restaurant Association are focused on the economic benefits of the military buildup, those of us in the social service trenches are more concerned with the social and cultural impacts.
I am reminded of a recent East West Center headline, "Re-thinking Development: Gross National Happiness vs. Gross National Product." I am not suggesting it must be an either-or choice, but I believe the prioritization of values is essential, and that when push comes to shove, our island's social fabric is more important.
The niche areas which concern me the most fall into two categories:
# Green spaces and environmental safeguards for healthy living and the creation/maintenance of adequate recreational parks, marine resources and fitness facilities -- especially safe walking/biking paths, playgrounds, ballparks and gymnasiums.
# Addressing the anticipated increase in conflict on our island by ensuring:
1. Preventative conflict resolution training in schools, workplaces and on the village level, to reduce, as much as possible, the escalation of disputes into violence, increased litigation and racial tension.
2. Peacemaking interveners, like Inafa' Maolek, are brought into the planning process so that we have the capacity and infrastructure support to intervene in a timely manner, and so that our mediator pool's size and diversity reflect our changing community.
3. Shady businesses, such as prostitution, adult bookstores and gambling are kept out to the fullest extent possible. Recent legislation against alcohol in our public parks is a positive move as well.
What good is it to increase our island's revenues if we have nowhere safe to enjoy it?
Pat Wolff is the founder of Inafa' Maolek.
By Pat Wolff • December 6, 2009
While our island's business leaders at the Chamber of Commerce and Guam Hotel & Restaurant Association are focused on the economic benefits of the military buildup, those of us in the social service trenches are more concerned with the social and cultural impacts.
I am reminded of a recent East West Center headline, "Re-thinking Development: Gross National Happiness vs. Gross National Product." I am not suggesting it must be an either-or choice, but I believe the prioritization of values is essential, and that when push comes to shove, our island's social fabric is more important.
The niche areas which concern me the most fall into two categories:
# Green spaces and environmental safeguards for healthy living and the creation/maintenance of adequate recreational parks, marine resources and fitness facilities -- especially safe walking/biking paths, playgrounds, ballparks and gymnasiums.
# Addressing the anticipated increase in conflict on our island by ensuring:
1. Preventative conflict resolution training in schools, workplaces and on the village level, to reduce, as much as possible, the escalation of disputes into violence, increased litigation and racial tension.
2. Peacemaking interveners, like Inafa' Maolek, are brought into the planning process so that we have the capacity and infrastructure support to intervene in a timely manner, and so that our mediator pool's size and diversity reflect our changing community.
3. Shady businesses, such as prostitution, adult bookstores and gambling are kept out to the fullest extent possible. Recent legislation against alcohol in our public parks is a positive move as well.
What good is it to increase our island's revenues if we have nowhere safe to enjoy it?
Pat Wolff is the founder of Inafa' Maolek.
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
DEIS States Marines Won't Increase Crime but Micronesian Migrants Will
DEIS States Marines Won't Increase Crime but Micronesian Migrants Will
Guam - Along with the Draft Environmental Impact Statement the military also conducted a stand alone study on the socio-economic impact of the military buildup. A section of the report covers how the buildup will impact crime and how the military believes young local men will test themselves against marines in fights.
The Department of Defense has identified several likely social impacts of the military buildup. According to the Draft EIS socio economic study marines will not have an impact on Guam's overall crime and social order. Instead the report states that other factors related to the buildup may cause this. In fact the report blames in-migrants from the Freely Associated States of Micronesia as the likely cause. Their numbers are expected to increase due to more job opportunities. According to the DEIS these migrants from within Micronesia "have high crime rates associated with adapting to less traditional social structures"
University of Guam instructor Victoria Leon Guerrero says this is a surprising take on the marines impact to crime considering the fact that many Okinawan protests against the marines were fueled by instances of rape and violence. She says that by not taking any responsibility for the possible increase in crime instead blaming Micronesian immigrants the DEIS is “...insulting to our region”.
University of Guam instructor Michael Lujan Bevacua says that the assumption that Micronesians will raise the crime rate rather than the marines even borders on racism. In fact he says “In some places it would be considered racist”. Bevacua adds that this is obviously scapegoating certain populations and that finding a scapegoat is one of the roots of racism.
While the report lays most of the blame of crime on Micronesian migrants in the very next paragraph it admits that there is “...a potential for more prostitution, alcohol or substance abuse and family violence associated with young military populations (including sailors taking shore leave after weeks at sea)”.
As for the potential of violence and fights the Department of Defense attributes most of the blame to the local population. The DEIS states "The particular reputation of marines as fighters could well trigger a transitional period of adjustment in which local young men test themselves against marines in fights" Bevacua says this too is borderline racism adding that he's surprised that they can make these statements with a “..straight face”.
While the DEIS doesn't appear to own up to increased crime and violence it does admit that the expansion of non-chamorro voting populations could affect the proportion of chamorro office-holders and government workers. This could also affect the outcomes of any future votes about Guam's political status. Leon Guerrero says it's simply unjust to allow a transient population that is only here for a couple of years to affect the political status of and island like Guam. She adds that it takes away a human right that is reserved for the native Chamorro people.
Leon Guerrero encourages everyone to read as much of the Draft EIS as possible and then provide comments during the EIS comment period.
Written by :
Clynt Ridgell
Guam - Along with the Draft Environmental Impact Statement the military also conducted a stand alone study on the socio-economic impact of the military buildup. A section of the report covers how the buildup will impact crime and how the military believes young local men will test themselves against marines in fights.
The Department of Defense has identified several likely social impacts of the military buildup. According to the Draft EIS socio economic study marines will not have an impact on Guam's overall crime and social order. Instead the report states that other factors related to the buildup may cause this. In fact the report blames in-migrants from the Freely Associated States of Micronesia as the likely cause. Their numbers are expected to increase due to more job opportunities. According to the DEIS these migrants from within Micronesia "have high crime rates associated with adapting to less traditional social structures"
University of Guam instructor Victoria Leon Guerrero says this is a surprising take on the marines impact to crime considering the fact that many Okinawan protests against the marines were fueled by instances of rape and violence. She says that by not taking any responsibility for the possible increase in crime instead blaming Micronesian immigrants the DEIS is “...insulting to our region”.
University of Guam instructor Michael Lujan Bevacua says that the assumption that Micronesians will raise the crime rate rather than the marines even borders on racism. In fact he says “In some places it would be considered racist”. Bevacua adds that this is obviously scapegoating certain populations and that finding a scapegoat is one of the roots of racism.
While the report lays most of the blame of crime on Micronesian migrants in the very next paragraph it admits that there is “...a potential for more prostitution, alcohol or substance abuse and family violence associated with young military populations (including sailors taking shore leave after weeks at sea)”.
As for the potential of violence and fights the Department of Defense attributes most of the blame to the local population. The DEIS states "The particular reputation of marines as fighters could well trigger a transitional period of adjustment in which local young men test themselves against marines in fights" Bevacua says this too is borderline racism adding that he's surprised that they can make these statements with a “..straight face”.
While the DEIS doesn't appear to own up to increased crime and violence it does admit that the expansion of non-chamorro voting populations could affect the proportion of chamorro office-holders and government workers. This could also affect the outcomes of any future votes about Guam's political status. Leon Guerrero says it's simply unjust to allow a transient population that is only here for a couple of years to affect the political status of and island like Guam. She adds that it takes away a human right that is reserved for the native Chamorro people.
Leon Guerrero encourages everyone to read as much of the Draft EIS as possible and then provide comments during the EIS comment period.
Written by :
Clynt Ridgell
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
Military-civilian friction may lead to brawls
Military-civilian friction may lead to brawls
Wednesday, 02 December 2009 04:10 by Therese Hart | Variety News Staff
SOCIOCULTURAL issues must be addressed if the 8,000 Marines and their families, as well as off-island contract workers are to interact harmoniously with local residents, military and local official acknowledge.
The draft environmental impact statement for Guam military buildup identifies some of the sociocultural problems that the island will have to deal with as a result of increased military presence.
According to the study, there is a potential for more prostitution, alcohol/substance abuse, and family violence associated with young military populations in general, including sailors taking shore leave after weeks at sea.
The draft report acknowledges the Marines’ reputation as “fighters” that “could well trigger a transitional period of adjustment in which local young men test themselves against Marines in fights.”
The Guam Police Department acknowledged this concern and are hoping to get much needed funding to beef up their police force.
There is potential for ongoing social friction due both to more military personnel and more off island civilian migrants, especially in the initial stages of adaptation, stated the report.
The draft report noted that island mayors hope to work with the military to foster more adopt-a-village campaigns that will help bridge the gap between civilians and Marines.
The report also stated that Guam’s Chamorro population has strong concerns about whether incoming military populations would recognize them as both American by nationality and also as a unique ethnic culture worthy of respect and preservation.
The report went on to say that this is an example of a potential social impact that could either occur or be avoided depending on events and policies.
Another sociocultural concern mentioned in the report is the expansion in non-Chamorro voting population that could affect the proportion of Chamorro office-holders and government workers, eventually affecting the current government budgets and activities dedicated to cultural issues and practices.
Senator Judi Guthertz said she hoped that the military will take all the issues of Guam's people and its unique culture into serious consideration.
She stressed it is imperative that sensitive issues be given great importance.
Wednesday, 02 December 2009 04:10 by Therese Hart | Variety News Staff
SOCIOCULTURAL issues must be addressed if the 8,000 Marines and their families, as well as off-island contract workers are to interact harmoniously with local residents, military and local official acknowledge.
The draft environmental impact statement for Guam military buildup identifies some of the sociocultural problems that the island will have to deal with as a result of increased military presence.
According to the study, there is a potential for more prostitution, alcohol/substance abuse, and family violence associated with young military populations in general, including sailors taking shore leave after weeks at sea.
The draft report acknowledges the Marines’ reputation as “fighters” that “could well trigger a transitional period of adjustment in which local young men test themselves against Marines in fights.”
The Guam Police Department acknowledged this concern and are hoping to get much needed funding to beef up their police force.
There is potential for ongoing social friction due both to more military personnel and more off island civilian migrants, especially in the initial stages of adaptation, stated the report.
The draft report noted that island mayors hope to work with the military to foster more adopt-a-village campaigns that will help bridge the gap between civilians and Marines.
The report also stated that Guam’s Chamorro population has strong concerns about whether incoming military populations would recognize them as both American by nationality and also as a unique ethnic culture worthy of respect and preservation.
The report went on to say that this is an example of a potential social impact that could either occur or be avoided depending on events and policies.
Another sociocultural concern mentioned in the report is the expansion in non-Chamorro voting population that could affect the proportion of Chamorro office-holders and government workers, eventually affecting the current government budgets and activities dedicated to cultural issues and practices.
Senator Judi Guthertz said she hoped that the military will take all the issues of Guam's people and its unique culture into serious consideration.
She stressed it is imperative that sensitive issues be given great importance.
Military Buildup to Raise Cost of Living on Guam
Military Buildup to Raise Cost of Living on Guam
Guam - While conducting the Draft Environmental Impact Statement the military also conducted a stand alone study on the socio-economic impact of the military buildup.
This study estimates an increasing cost of living while wages stay low.
In addition to studying the various environmental effects of the proposed military buildup on Guam the military also conducted a study on the various impacts the buildup will have on the economy and the society as a whole.
Tremendous impacts are expected to both the economy and the society due to the drastic increase in population. DOD has estimated that this population boom will reach it's peak in 2014 when over 79 thousand new people will be living on Guam. This increase however won't remain as people will leave when the construction boom winds down. DOD estimates the amount of new people on island to decline to around 30 to 33 thousand. The study reports that this rapid growth and decline in the population construction and the economy will cause what's known as a "boomtown effect".
This according to the report can result in a recession like period when the construction boom ends. One of the biggest impacts however will be the increase to the cost of living on Guam. The D.E.I.S. states that "Guam workers will likely continue to see the cost of goods and services rise faster than their incomes." This is not something new. According to the D.E.I.S. from 2000-2008 guam workers have seen their standard of living or purchasing power decline by 30%. The buildup according to the D.E.I.S. won't reverse this trend. It will however slow the rate of decline in the standard of living by providing for more jobs and an increase in average wages. This increase in wages however is primarily focussed in the areas of construction and civilian military workers. The report states that those with the ability to quickly renegotiate their wages will have a better chance at maintaining or increasing their standard of living.
As for households living on fixed incomes they will have reduced purchasing power and thus a lower standard of living.
Most civilian military jobs would likely go to either the spouses of new active duty personnel or to labor brought in from off-island. Only about 25% of civilian military jobs are expected to be filled by current guam residents.
Overall the cost of living will increase. Only those who are able to get jobs in construction, civilian military positions, and those who are in a position to negotiate their wages should be able to keep up with rising costs. As for the rest they will likely continue to see their purchasing power decline.
Written by :
Clynt Ridgell
Guam - While conducting the Draft Environmental Impact Statement the military also conducted a stand alone study on the socio-economic impact of the military buildup.
This study estimates an increasing cost of living while wages stay low.
In addition to studying the various environmental effects of the proposed military buildup on Guam the military also conducted a study on the various impacts the buildup will have on the economy and the society as a whole.
Tremendous impacts are expected to both the economy and the society due to the drastic increase in population. DOD has estimated that this population boom will reach it's peak in 2014 when over 79 thousand new people will be living on Guam. This increase however won't remain as people will leave when the construction boom winds down. DOD estimates the amount of new people on island to decline to around 30 to 33 thousand. The study reports that this rapid growth and decline in the population construction and the economy will cause what's known as a "boomtown effect".
This according to the report can result in a recession like period when the construction boom ends. One of the biggest impacts however will be the increase to the cost of living on Guam. The D.E.I.S. states that "Guam workers will likely continue to see the cost of goods and services rise faster than their incomes." This is not something new. According to the D.E.I.S. from 2000-2008 guam workers have seen their standard of living or purchasing power decline by 30%. The buildup according to the D.E.I.S. won't reverse this trend. It will however slow the rate of decline in the standard of living by providing for more jobs and an increase in average wages. This increase in wages however is primarily focussed in the areas of construction and civilian military workers. The report states that those with the ability to quickly renegotiate their wages will have a better chance at maintaining or increasing their standard of living.
As for households living on fixed incomes they will have reduced purchasing power and thus a lower standard of living.
Most civilian military jobs would likely go to either the spouses of new active duty personnel or to labor brought in from off-island. Only about 25% of civilian military jobs are expected to be filled by current guam residents.
Overall the cost of living will increase. Only those who are able to get jobs in construction, civilian military positions, and those who are in a position to negotiate their wages should be able to keep up with rising costs. As for the rest they will likely continue to see their purchasing power decline.
Written by :
Clynt Ridgell
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Officials raise concerns on EIS
Officials raise concerns on EIS
By Bernice Santiago • Pacific Sunday News • November 22, 2009
Access to land, strains on infrastructure, the timely transfer of funds for improvements, and the military's commitment to use local port and utility facilities were among the concerns raised by government officials after the release of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement.
The draft EIS, released Friday, lays out proposed plans for military construction associated with the transfer of 8,000 Marines and 9,000 dependents from Okinawa to Guam, along with the environmental and social impact of those changes. The community has until Feb. 18 to submit comments on the EIS report.
All public comments will be weighed and considered, retired Marine Col. John J. Jackson, director of the Joint Guam Program Office, said during a press conference yesterday.
Sen. Judith Guthertz, chairwoman for the legislative committee on the military buildup, said that she's preparing a joint report assessing the draft EIS with the committee on rules, natural resources, and federal, foreign, and Micronesian affairs.
"It's a lot bigger in terms of its impact than most people thought it would be," Guthertz said yesterday, "particularly with the population increase estimates and the proposed footprint for land."
Guthertz is preparing an inventory of non-federal land that the military is proposing to acquire as part of the buildup, she said. "I'm very concerned about the land, and I think probably that's going to be the most sensitive part of the draft EIS," she said.
Gov. Felix Camacho said yesterday that four sites in Dededo, Yigo, Mangilao, and Agat would be affected, according to the proposals in the draft EIS, and that he will be working with the village mayors on public access issues in their villages.
The construction of a permanent Marine Corps base in Dededo could possibly include the long-term lease of private land in the Harmon Annex. The military hopes to build a new firing range in Mangilao and Yigo, as large as 1,680 acres, which would require the use of more than 900 acres of non-military land. In the south, a large portion of land between Agat and Umatac has been proposed as a "maneuver training area," including jungle training, land navigation and air-to-ground operations, for the Marines stationed in Dededo.
Camacho stressed that island residents should read the main volumes and appendices of the draft EIS, in order to submit their comments and help shape the final outcome the military buildup. "The entire community needs to be involved," Camacho said.
Sen. Eddie Calvo expressed concern with the impact of the military buildup on the island's infrastructure. The island's roads, power, water, wastewater, and solid waste systems, which are already strained, will be affected by the population increase. The systems need improvements to cope with the increase, but Calvo said that there have been several stumbling blocks during the process.
Almost $50 million in federal funds has been appropriated for road construction scheduled to begin next year, which isn't nearly enough, Calvo said. In addition, though the EIS states that the military will use the Layon landfill, a formal memorandum of understanding for the future use of the Layon landfill still hasn't been signed, Calvo said.
Major upgrades to the commercial port and the airport were planned because of the expectation of cargo for the buildup entering Guam through those facilities, Calvo said. Calvo is concerned that the military will not use the commercial port for cargo shipments, citing the August shipment of Watts Constructors' cargo from the Guam Shipyard.
"The win-win situation that we're talking about may not be a win for Guam," Calvo said. "It may be a win-win for the government of the United States and the government of Japan."
Calvo is running as a gubernatorial candidate in next year's election.
On Monday, acting Speaker Rory Respicio will be asking each legislative committee to hold joint public hearings with the military buildup committee, to give the public more opportunities to comment on the EIS.
"Every single component of the EIS impacts us one way or another," Respicio said. Residents should be concerned with possibility that power or water rates will go up, that the federal government may or may not move to augment health services, and what the impact to the island's environmental resources will be, he said.
"This military buildup will change the face of Guam," Respicio said.
At the Joint Guam Program Office press conference yesterday, Jackson said the public comments, especially legitimate concerns, do carry a lot of weight in the final decision-making process.
He gave the example of how comments during the public scoping period earlier this year led to the military scrapping its plan to build a firing range in the Finegayan area of Dededo and instead build it along the coast of Mangilao and Yigo.
The original plan would have created a danger zone extending over popular fishing and recreational areas.
"Nothing will be set in stone until the record of decision comes out," Jackson said. "Even when you look at that and we have our plans all in place, things can still change at that point because we may discover something else that wasn't identified in the public comment period or in our surveys."
According to a timeline in the draft EIS, the final statement is scheduled to be available by June 30.
After a 30-day waiting period -- July 6 to Aug. 6, 2010 -- the Record of Decision is scheduled to be issued by July 30, 2010. This allows buildup-related construction to begin.
But those dates are still tentative.
"This is a very long and drawn out process because we really want to get it right. And we want to get it right not only so that the requirements are met for the military, but for the government of Guam and the people of Guam," Jackson said. "We have one chance to get it right."
By Bernice Santiago • Pacific Sunday News • November 22, 2009
Access to land, strains on infrastructure, the timely transfer of funds for improvements, and the military's commitment to use local port and utility facilities were among the concerns raised by government officials after the release of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement.
The draft EIS, released Friday, lays out proposed plans for military construction associated with the transfer of 8,000 Marines and 9,000 dependents from Okinawa to Guam, along with the environmental and social impact of those changes. The community has until Feb. 18 to submit comments on the EIS report.
All public comments will be weighed and considered, retired Marine Col. John J. Jackson, director of the Joint Guam Program Office, said during a press conference yesterday.
Sen. Judith Guthertz, chairwoman for the legislative committee on the military buildup, said that she's preparing a joint report assessing the draft EIS with the committee on rules, natural resources, and federal, foreign, and Micronesian affairs.
"It's a lot bigger in terms of its impact than most people thought it would be," Guthertz said yesterday, "particularly with the population increase estimates and the proposed footprint for land."
Guthertz is preparing an inventory of non-federal land that the military is proposing to acquire as part of the buildup, she said. "I'm very concerned about the land, and I think probably that's going to be the most sensitive part of the draft EIS," she said.
Gov. Felix Camacho said yesterday that four sites in Dededo, Yigo, Mangilao, and Agat would be affected, according to the proposals in the draft EIS, and that he will be working with the village mayors on public access issues in their villages.
The construction of a permanent Marine Corps base in Dededo could possibly include the long-term lease of private land in the Harmon Annex. The military hopes to build a new firing range in Mangilao and Yigo, as large as 1,680 acres, which would require the use of more than 900 acres of non-military land. In the south, a large portion of land between Agat and Umatac has been proposed as a "maneuver training area," including jungle training, land navigation and air-to-ground operations, for the Marines stationed in Dededo.
Camacho stressed that island residents should read the main volumes and appendices of the draft EIS, in order to submit their comments and help shape the final outcome the military buildup. "The entire community needs to be involved," Camacho said.
Sen. Eddie Calvo expressed concern with the impact of the military buildup on the island's infrastructure. The island's roads, power, water, wastewater, and solid waste systems, which are already strained, will be affected by the population increase. The systems need improvements to cope with the increase, but Calvo said that there have been several stumbling blocks during the process.
Almost $50 million in federal funds has been appropriated for road construction scheduled to begin next year, which isn't nearly enough, Calvo said. In addition, though the EIS states that the military will use the Layon landfill, a formal memorandum of understanding for the future use of the Layon landfill still hasn't been signed, Calvo said.
Major upgrades to the commercial port and the airport were planned because of the expectation of cargo for the buildup entering Guam through those facilities, Calvo said. Calvo is concerned that the military will not use the commercial port for cargo shipments, citing the August shipment of Watts Constructors' cargo from the Guam Shipyard.
"The win-win situation that we're talking about may not be a win for Guam," Calvo said. "It may be a win-win for the government of the United States and the government of Japan."
Calvo is running as a gubernatorial candidate in next year's election.
On Monday, acting Speaker Rory Respicio will be asking each legislative committee to hold joint public hearings with the military buildup committee, to give the public more opportunities to comment on the EIS.
"Every single component of the EIS impacts us one way or another," Respicio said. Residents should be concerned with possibility that power or water rates will go up, that the federal government may or may not move to augment health services, and what the impact to the island's environmental resources will be, he said.
"This military buildup will change the face of Guam," Respicio said.
At the Joint Guam Program Office press conference yesterday, Jackson said the public comments, especially legitimate concerns, do carry a lot of weight in the final decision-making process.
He gave the example of how comments during the public scoping period earlier this year led to the military scrapping its plan to build a firing range in the Finegayan area of Dededo and instead build it along the coast of Mangilao and Yigo.
The original plan would have created a danger zone extending over popular fishing and recreational areas.
"Nothing will be set in stone until the record of decision comes out," Jackson said. "Even when you look at that and we have our plans all in place, things can still change at that point because we may discover something else that wasn't identified in the public comment period or in our surveys."
According to a timeline in the draft EIS, the final statement is scheduled to be available by June 30.
After a 30-day waiting period -- July 6 to Aug. 6, 2010 -- the Record of Decision is scheduled to be issued by July 30, 2010. This allows buildup-related construction to begin.
But those dates are still tentative.
"This is a very long and drawn out process because we really want to get it right. And we want to get it right not only so that the requirements are met for the military, but for the government of Guam and the people of Guam," Jackson said. "We have one chance to get it right."
Thursday, November 19, 2009
BREAKING NEWS: 11:20 a.m. - Proposed buildup roadmap outlines how Guam will change
BREAKING NEWS: 11:20 a.m. - Proposed buildup roadmap outlines how Guam will change
Pacific Daily News • November 20, 2009
The Draft Environmental Impact statement, which contains thousands of pages that spell out the proposed military buildup on Guam is now available for public review.
The document outlines proposals, including to:
• Have 30,190 military personnel and their dependents on Guam, of whom 25 percent will live on military base facilities, the rest will live off-base
Related
* V1: 1. Purpose Of and Need for Action
* V1: 2. Overview of Proposed Actions and Alternatives
* V1: 3. Summary of Alternatives
* V1: 4. References
* V2: 1. Purpose Of and Need for Action
* V2: 2. Proposed Actions and Alternatives
* V2: 3. Geological and Soil Resources
* V2: 4. Water Resources
* V2: 5. Air Quality
* V2: 6. Noise
* V2: 7. Airspace
* V2: 8. Land and Submerged Land Use
* V2: 9. Recreational Resources
* V2: 10. Terrestrial Biological Resources
* Executive Summary
* Reader's Guide
* V2: 11. Marine Biological Resources
* V2: 12. Cultural Resources
* V2: 13. Visual Resources
* V2: 14. Marine Transportation
* V2: 15. Utilities
* V2: 16. Socioeconomics and General Services
* V2: 17. Hazardous Materials and Waste
* V2: 18. Public Health and Safety
* V2: 19. Environmental Justice and the Protection of Children
* V2: 20. References
* V3: 1. Purpose Of and Need for Action
* V3: 2. Proposed Action and Alternatives
* Download a map of the proposed buildup plans by clicking here.
• Realign Route 15
• Co-locate the Marine Corps base with the Army administration office in the Finegayan area
This story is developing.
DOWNLOAD
Download the draft EIS documents by clicking here:
http://www.guambuildupeis.us/documents
Pacific Daily News • November 20, 2009
The Draft Environmental Impact statement, which contains thousands of pages that spell out the proposed military buildup on Guam is now available for public review.
The document outlines proposals, including to:
• Have 30,190 military personnel and their dependents on Guam, of whom 25 percent will live on military base facilities, the rest will live off-base
Related
* V1: 1. Purpose Of and Need for Action
* V1: 2. Overview of Proposed Actions and Alternatives
* V1: 3. Summary of Alternatives
* V1: 4. References
* V2: 1. Purpose Of and Need for Action
* V2: 2. Proposed Actions and Alternatives
* V2: 3. Geological and Soil Resources
* V2: 4. Water Resources
* V2: 5. Air Quality
* V2: 6. Noise
* V2: 7. Airspace
* V2: 8. Land and Submerged Land Use
* V2: 9. Recreational Resources
* V2: 10. Terrestrial Biological Resources
* Executive Summary
* Reader's Guide
* V2: 11. Marine Biological Resources
* V2: 12. Cultural Resources
* V2: 13. Visual Resources
* V2: 14. Marine Transportation
* V2: 15. Utilities
* V2: 16. Socioeconomics and General Services
* V2: 17. Hazardous Materials and Waste
* V2: 18. Public Health and Safety
* V2: 19. Environmental Justice and the Protection of Children
* V2: 20. References
* V3: 1. Purpose Of and Need for Action
* V3: 2. Proposed Action and Alternatives
* Download a map of the proposed buildup plans by clicking here.
• Realign Route 15
• Co-locate the Marine Corps base with the Army administration office in the Finegayan area
This story is developing.
DOWNLOAD
Download the draft EIS documents by clicking here:
http://www.guambuildupeis.us/documents
Activists to protest DEIS
Activists to protest DEIS
Friday, 20 November 2009 03:59 by Therese Hart | Variety News Staff
EVEN with the draft environmental impact statement scheduled for release and public comment by tomorrow, the Guahan Coalition for Peace and Justice is staging a rally at the ITC intersection from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. today in protest of the impact study.
The draft study is expected to report the impact the proposed military buildup and
population boom on Guam.
According to Victoria Leon Guerrero, spokesperson for the coalition, the study was not conducted in a manner that demonstrated a true assessment of the social, cultural and political implications of increased military presence on island.
“Local residents and their elected officials were largely excluded from the process of gathering information and making recommendations for this study,” said Leon Guerrero.
The 10-volume, 1,000-page document is huge and the community will have 90 days to
respond.
Leon Guerrero said even with the extension, this does not provide a sufficient opportunity for local residents to thoroughly investigate its findings and voice their concerns.
The Department of Defense is already finalizing their plans for the build-up, without first taking into consideration the comments and concerns from local residents and leaders, she said.
Meanwhile, Sen. Ben Pangelinan suggested the mayor’s offices, libraries and commercial centers as possible sites to hold public hearings and review of the impact study.
“I am happy to provide this information to [the Joint Guam Program Office],” the senator said. “I am also somewhat perplexed that during all the planning and discussions on the [study] for the past several months which, in my opinion were an important component to the process, we were never asked for any input. But for simple solutions as to location sites, our suggestions and ideas are valued.”
Friday, 20 November 2009 03:59 by Therese Hart | Variety News Staff
EVEN with the draft environmental impact statement scheduled for release and public comment by tomorrow, the Guahan Coalition for Peace and Justice is staging a rally at the ITC intersection from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. today in protest of the impact study.
The draft study is expected to report the impact the proposed military buildup and
population boom on Guam.
According to Victoria Leon Guerrero, spokesperson for the coalition, the study was not conducted in a manner that demonstrated a true assessment of the social, cultural and political implications of increased military presence on island.
“Local residents and their elected officials were largely excluded from the process of gathering information and making recommendations for this study,” said Leon Guerrero.
The 10-volume, 1,000-page document is huge and the community will have 90 days to
respond.
Leon Guerrero said even with the extension, this does not provide a sufficient opportunity for local residents to thoroughly investigate its findings and voice their concerns.
The Department of Defense is already finalizing their plans for the build-up, without first taking into consideration the comments and concerns from local residents and leaders, she said.
Meanwhile, Sen. Ben Pangelinan suggested the mayor’s offices, libraries and commercial centers as possible sites to hold public hearings and review of the impact study.
“I am happy to provide this information to [the Joint Guam Program Office],” the senator said. “I am also somewhat perplexed that during all the planning and discussions on the [study] for the past several months which, in my opinion were an important component to the process, we were never asked for any input. But for simple solutions as to location sites, our suggestions and ideas are valued.”
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
A tale of three cities
A tale of three cities
Thursday, 19 November 2009 04:07
by Mar-Vic Cagurangan | Variety News Staff
First of a two-part series
IT is the best of times, it is the worst of times. Such juxtaposition commonly characterizes Guam, El Paso and Olongapo City, which all have faced the challenges to beat the bane and reap the boon of military presence in their communities.
Dealing with the requirements and impact of the corresponding population surge that comes with military expansion requires flexibility. But, obviously, the situation calls for more than the right attitude toward major transformation because it also brings with it confusion and uncertainties.
“The impending military buildup has excited many inside and outside our community, but many also fear the impacts this buildup will have on our social, cultural and environmental resources,” said Frank Campillo, outgoing chairman of the Guam Chamber of Commerce’s board of directors.
“I am not one who dismisses the fears but I also believe that the future opportunities outweigh the potential adversities,” he added.
Guam is tasked by the United States to accommodate 8,000 U.S. Marines from Okinawa under the still uncertain $15 billion armed forces relocation agreement with Japan. With no firm commitment from the federal government that the cost of building infrastructures will be federally subsidized, Guam is left scrambling for resources to meet the demands of the population explosion.
*Early planning*
El Paso stands apart from Guam in the aspect of preparation, which promptly commenced when the Pentagon started planning the Bases Realignment and Closure process. “We did some impact economic study ahead of time. We believe the revenue growth from sales and property tax revenues will be enough to pay for physical infrastructure improvements,” according to Bob Cook, CEO and president of El Paso Regional Economic Development Corp.
As far as federal aid is concerned, Cook said, El Paso has nothing to complain about. “We’re getting great deal of federal assistance; we’re maybe getting 20 to 25 cents on the dollar that is required to meet at the military buildup,” he said.
El Paso, a county in Texas with a population of 736,000, hosts Fort Bliss, home to a U.S. Army post. With the transfer of 20,000 soldiers from different military installations across the U.S., El Paso’s population is projected to increase by 54,000. The armed personnel buildup is about 75 percent complete. Full relocation completion is scheduled between 2012 and 2013.
Adequate infrastructure
“We’re actually doing quite good on the physical infrastructure,” Cook said. “Essentially, our study indicated that we have had the capacity in most infrastructure items like water sewer, electricity and natural gas. We can handle the growth fairly easily.”
The county recently adopted a $1.5 billion transportation improvement plan. “About 25 percent of this transportation investment is related to the buildup,” Cook said.
The weight of the military expansion is mostly felt in the healthcare sector. But this area is also being taken care of, according to Cook. El Paso has stepped up its recruitment of medical and health professionals by adopting a program to offer debt payment incentives medical students.
“If we do nothing for the next four years, we would have a shortage in health personnel of about 4,000,” Cook said. “So were taking steps right now to make sure that we don’t have large gap four years from now.”
Generally, El Paso’s local community is “responding very well to the military buildup,’ Cook said.
Bases closure
Olongapo City is a different story. Located in the province of Zambales, Philippines, the city’s economy was once largely tied to the Navy’s presence in Subic Bay. The Subic area tarted as Spain’s arsenal and ship-repair facility in 1885. Following the Spanish-American war, Subic Bay became a U.S. Navy and Marine base, and grew to become a major military installation until it was shut down in 1991.
By this time, the reverse challenge for then Olongapo City mayor Richard Gordon was to overcome the impact of the U.S. bases’ closure. (To be continued)
Thursday, 19 November 2009 04:07
by Mar-Vic Cagurangan | Variety News Staff
First of a two-part series
IT is the best of times, it is the worst of times. Such juxtaposition commonly characterizes Guam, El Paso and Olongapo City, which all have faced the challenges to beat the bane and reap the boon of military presence in their communities.
Dealing with the requirements and impact of the corresponding population surge that comes with military expansion requires flexibility. But, obviously, the situation calls for more than the right attitude toward major transformation because it also brings with it confusion and uncertainties.
“The impending military buildup has excited many inside and outside our community, but many also fear the impacts this buildup will have on our social, cultural and environmental resources,” said Frank Campillo, outgoing chairman of the Guam Chamber of Commerce’s board of directors.
“I am not one who dismisses the fears but I also believe that the future opportunities outweigh the potential adversities,” he added.
Guam is tasked by the United States to accommodate 8,000 U.S. Marines from Okinawa under the still uncertain $15 billion armed forces relocation agreement with Japan. With no firm commitment from the federal government that the cost of building infrastructures will be federally subsidized, Guam is left scrambling for resources to meet the demands of the population explosion.
*Early planning*
El Paso stands apart from Guam in the aspect of preparation, which promptly commenced when the Pentagon started planning the Bases Realignment and Closure process. “We did some impact economic study ahead of time. We believe the revenue growth from sales and property tax revenues will be enough to pay for physical infrastructure improvements,” according to Bob Cook, CEO and president of El Paso Regional Economic Development Corp.
As far as federal aid is concerned, Cook said, El Paso has nothing to complain about. “We’re getting great deal of federal assistance; we’re maybe getting 20 to 25 cents on the dollar that is required to meet at the military buildup,” he said.
El Paso, a county in Texas with a population of 736,000, hosts Fort Bliss, home to a U.S. Army post. With the transfer of 20,000 soldiers from different military installations across the U.S., El Paso’s population is projected to increase by 54,000. The armed personnel buildup is about 75 percent complete. Full relocation completion is scheduled between 2012 and 2013.
Adequate infrastructure
“We’re actually doing quite good on the physical infrastructure,” Cook said. “Essentially, our study indicated that we have had the capacity in most infrastructure items like water sewer, electricity and natural gas. We can handle the growth fairly easily.”
The county recently adopted a $1.5 billion transportation improvement plan. “About 25 percent of this transportation investment is related to the buildup,” Cook said.
The weight of the military expansion is mostly felt in the healthcare sector. But this area is also being taken care of, according to Cook. El Paso has stepped up its recruitment of medical and health professionals by adopting a program to offer debt payment incentives medical students.
“If we do nothing for the next four years, we would have a shortage in health personnel of about 4,000,” Cook said. “So were taking steps right now to make sure that we don’t have large gap four years from now.”
Generally, El Paso’s local community is “responding very well to the military buildup,’ Cook said.
Bases closure
Olongapo City is a different story. Located in the province of Zambales, Philippines, the city’s economy was once largely tied to the Navy’s presence in Subic Bay. The Subic area tarted as Spain’s arsenal and ship-repair facility in 1885. Following the Spanish-American war, Subic Bay became a U.S. Navy and Marine base, and grew to become a major military installation until it was shut down in 1991.
By this time, the reverse challenge for then Olongapo City mayor Richard Gordon was to overcome the impact of the U.S. bases’ closure. (To be continued)
EIS Process Worthy of Protest - Nov. 20th
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20TH
4:00PM to
7:00 PM
at the ITC Intersection
For Immediate Release
from the Guåhan Coalition for Peace and Justice
November 18, 2009
EIS Process Worthy of Protest
Community to Respond this Friday
The Guåhan Coalition for Peace and Justice will lead the community in a response to the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) scheduled for release this Friday, November 20.
The EIS is expected to report the impacts the proposed military build-up and population boom will have on Guam’s environment. However, it was not conducted in a manner that demonstrated a true assessment of the social, cultural and political implications an increased military presence will have on the island’s people. Local residents and their elected officials were largely excluded from the process of gathering information and making recommendations for this study.
The EIS is an 11,000-page document, and the community will have 90 days to respond. This does not provide a sufficient opportunity for local residents to thoroughly investigate its findings and voice their concerns. The Department of Defense is already finalizing their plans for the build-up, without first taking into consideration the comments and concerns from local residents and leaders. An 11,000-page visual will be presented at Friday’s event to represent the enormity of the EIS.
The Coalition, which is made up of grassroots organizations and individuals advocating for the political, cultural, social, environmental and human rights for the people of Guam, will gather at 4 p.m. Friday at the ITC intersection in Tamuning to express these and other concerns about the EIS.
When: Friday, November 20, 2009, 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Where: ITC Intersection
What: A Community Action Response to the Release of the EIS
Who: Guåhan Coaltion for Peace and Justice
For More Information: Call Victoria-Lola Leon Guerrero at 735-2747 or email reclaimguahan@gmail.com
4:00PM to
7:00 PM
at the ITC Intersection
For Immediate Release
from the Guåhan Coalition for Peace and Justice
November 18, 2009
EIS Process Worthy of Protest
Community to Respond this Friday
The Guåhan Coalition for Peace and Justice will lead the community in a response to the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) scheduled for release this Friday, November 20.
The EIS is expected to report the impacts the proposed military build-up and population boom will have on Guam’s environment. However, it was not conducted in a manner that demonstrated a true assessment of the social, cultural and political implications an increased military presence will have on the island’s people. Local residents and their elected officials were largely excluded from the process of gathering information and making recommendations for this study.
The EIS is an 11,000-page document, and the community will have 90 days to respond. This does not provide a sufficient opportunity for local residents to thoroughly investigate its findings and voice their concerns. The Department of Defense is already finalizing their plans for the build-up, without first taking into consideration the comments and concerns from local residents and leaders. An 11,000-page visual will be presented at Friday’s event to represent the enormity of the EIS.
The Coalition, which is made up of grassroots organizations and individuals advocating for the political, cultural, social, environmental and human rights for the people of Guam, will gather at 4 p.m. Friday at the ITC intersection in Tamuning to express these and other concerns about the EIS.
When: Friday, November 20, 2009, 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Where: ITC Intersection
What: A Community Action Response to the Release of the EIS
Who: Guåhan Coaltion for Peace and Justice
For More Information: Call Victoria-Lola Leon Guerrero at 735-2747 or email reclaimguahan@gmail.com
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