McCain hits appropriation for Guam military buildup

FRIDAY, 23 SEPTEMBER 2011 00:38 BY THERESE HART | VARIETY NEWS STAFF

UNITED States Senator John McCain said on the Senate floor that it was incredible to him that the Senate

Senator John McCain

Appropriations Committee would prioritize and appropriate $33 million to purchase school buses for Guam’s school children, build Phase One of a repository for Guam’s cultural artifacts, and fund a facility for Guam’s Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse.

The Committee last week passed H.R. 2219, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2012, which included the $33 million for Guam.

“That legislation should reflect the will of the Defense Authorization bill, but runs directly contrary to it in many areas,” said McCain.

The $33 million is for operation and maintenance funds, that is, money used to maintain the readiness and combat capability of U.S. troops.

The $33 million and the $40 million appropriation expected next year “to complete these facilities, is, at least in theory, supposed to help promote Guam’s cooperation as part of the plan to move 8,700 Marines and 9,000 family members from their current bases on Okinawa to Guam,” said McCain.

But McCain warned that the plan to move the Marines, which will require spending between $18 and $23 billion on Guam to build up its capabilities as a permanent base, “is so much in doubt that both the Armed Services Committee and the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee have stopped funding Guam military construction projects until the Department of Defense provides a master plan and considers alternatives that may provide the needed Marine forward presence at much less expense.

“In the face of all the doubt about the scope and timing of the eventual buildup, the Appropriations Committee put a premium on buying school buses, an artifact repository, and a mental health clinic in Guam. Those simply are not my idea of top Defense priorities in the fiscal environment we face.”

Bordallo response

Rep. Madeleine Z. Bordallo criticized McCain for his comments.

“Senator McCain’s views are out of step with the Department of Defense, the House, and the State Department, and they are not consistent with his previous stance on infrastructure funding for Guam,” said Bordallo.

“During last year’s debate on the National Defense Authorization Act, the Senate expressed concern about infrastructure funding and requirements in Guam. This $33 million address critical civilian infrastructure needs and provides funding for the Department of the Navy to fulfill certain obligations agreed to in the Programmatic Agreement.”

Bordallo said McCain’s comments are not consistent with recent developments in Japan.

“For the first time, the government of Japan has a concrete plan on how to achieve tangible progress in Okinawa next year, and Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda has expressed his government’s support for moving forward with the realignment. The buildup in Guam is an absolute necessity for the United States to ensure regional stability, and Congress must provide the resources necessary to ensure that it is a win-win for both our military and Guam’s civilian community,” said Bordallo.

Guthertz response

Senator Judi Guthertz, Guam buildup chair, also responded, saying McCain’s remarks are “irresponsible and suggest his memory is failing.”

“He has forgotten many promises that were made to pave the way for the buildup,” she said.

“Now I know the Marines will enjoy being on Guam,” McCain said. “I’m not sure it’s absolutely necessary for them to have a repository for cultural artifacts.”

Guthertz said, “If Senator McCain or his staff had bothered to look into why these decisions were made, rather than firing off cheap media shots, they would understand, unless they have been totally brainwashed by the Tea Party,” Guthertz said.

The funding for these projects came about when the Department of Defense offered to fund the museum in view of widespread concern that the massive development planned for the buildup would destroy archaeological and culturally significant artifacts on the island. It is supported by a 2010 Programmatic Agreement signed off by both the government of Guam and the military.

Guthertz said the “sniping at the construction funds for the mental health facility was particularly outrageous since the Environmental Impact Statement process made it quite clear that the arrival of Marines and their dependents envisioned in the original buildup plans would push present mental health facilities in Guam past the breaking point.”

Guthertz accused McCain of not caring “one bit about the U.S. citizen civilians on Guam, who have been assured by the DOD that impacts on the civilian community would be mitigated in exchange for their support of the buildup.”

McCain said in the Senate, the process of authorizing prior to appropriating money for the federal government was a “fundamental problem of this body,” and “it is time this process be stopped.”

McCain said this was because “a handful of senior appropriators, and their unelected staffs, dictate the spending of hundreds of billions of dollars – often in a manner that directly contravenes the will of those committees that still authorize spending.”

The solution, said McCain, is to not authorize appropriation bills and any funding proposed for unauthorized projects which should be subject to the scrutiny of the authorizing committees and reflect the will of their members.

“We are all to blame for this problem. The fact is that routine passage of authorizing legislation simply doesn’t occur as it should. And far too often, even routine passage of appropriations legislation has devolved into passage of a single ‘omnibus’ bill. This also must stop.”

McCain said at a time when the government is facing a $14.7 trillion national debt, “the Senate Appropriations Committee is proposing a Defense spending bill that uses a budget gimmick totaling over $10 billion to mislead the American people about the savings the Committee claims to achieve.”

“And while the Department of Defense is struggling to find more than $400 billion in cuts directed by the President, the Appropriations Committee is still conducting business as usual by rewarding special interests and funding pet projects that have little or nothing to do with our national defense,” he said.

McCain listed roughly 580 items that were changed by the Appropriations Committee which are differences from the bill adopted unanimously by the Armed Services Committee in June in the Department of Defense Authorization bill. The list is 45 pages long and represents $20 billion in changes.

Air Force Official Visits Guam, But Snubs Leaders

THURSDAY, 08 SEPTEMBER 2011 01:43 BY JANELA BUHAIN | MARIANAS VARIETY

LOCAL leaders weren’t notified about a visit U.S. Air Force Secretary Michael Donley made last month to Andersen Air Force Base for an Airmen’s Call.

Donley was touring the Pacific region to reconnect and thank Airmen serving in the area, according to an article posted on the USAF website. He was on Guam Aug. 29.

The apparent snub has caused frustration among local leaders, particularly Senator Judi Guthertz.

“We’ve repeatedly emphasized the need for harmonious relationships between the Guam civilian community and all branches of the military operating in Guam as the buildup and related work goes forward,” Guthertz said. “This insensitive handling of the visit by Secretary Donley doesn’t help matters.”

Guthertz said she was disappointed with the protocol and general handling of the visit, and hopes 36th Wing Commander Brig. Gen. John Doucette will reconsider the relationship between the base and the civilian community in light of this.

In the article, Donley was quoted as saying, “As the farthest western piece of sovereign territory in the U.S., Guam is critically important to the United States. This is a great wing, and it plays a very important role in this region, and for our nation and our Air Force.”

Apart from encouraging the men and women in uniform and applauding their efforts, Donley also spoke in-depth about the ongoing and future challenges the Air Force faces in light of the “expected reductions” in the Department of Defense budget.

Donley said: “We're in a time of great financial volatility and fiscal crisis at home. The need to get our fiscal 'house' in order has become a national priority. In the last couple of years, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Michael Mullen identified the national debt as the single biggest threat to our national security.”

According to the Air Force public affairs office, a response to Guthertz from Secretary Donley’s office is forthcoming.
Donley also reportedly visited Singapore and Australia in the following days.

Meanwhile, Guthertz, chairperson of the Committee on the Guam Military Buildup, questioned the leadership of the new Joint Guam Program Office director, Capt. Daniel Cuff, who replaced Col. John Jackson, (USMC Ret) in June. Guthertz has yet to meet the new director and wondered if policies have shifted in dealing with the Guam community.

“Director Cuff is most welcome to visit my office at any time to share views on the status of the buildup,” Guthertz added.

Buildup Master Plan May Change

WEDNESDAY, 31 AUGUST 2011 02:15 BY JANELA BUHAIN | VARIETY NEWS STAFF

ASSISTANT Secretary of the Navy Jackalyne Pfannenstiel confirmed to Senator Judi Guthertz that the Guam military buildup plan will likely be different than what is reflected in the 2010 Record of Decision.

Pfannenstiel was responding to Guthertz’s requests for a copy of the current draft plan for review, which, according to Guthertz, has been “circulating for months in Washington.”

According to a press release from Guthertz, the Navy had originally said the finalized plan would be released in early July, following a congressional mandate. The General Accounting Office has been given a draft of the master plan, Guthertz said.

However, Guthertz said that according to Pfannenstiel, changes may be made before the new document is finalized and released to the public, due to the budgetary climate in Congress.

Pfannenstiel said the Navy’s commitment to possessing less land after the buildup than before would “require further adjustments to land-use plans.”

“Although it may not reflect the current state of play and potential future adjustments, we are willing to discuss with you the draft [master plan] associated with the decisions memorialized in the [Record of Decision],” Pfannenstiel wrote.

In response, Guthertz said that “more than ever, we must engage the [Department of Defense] and other federal stakeholders on all buildup plans to ensure the best interests of the people of Guam are met. I welcome Secretary Pfannenstiel’s offer and hope to review the draft plan with her as soon as possible.”

Opportunity

“We view this as a continued opportunity to offer Guam’s input to a process that is too often closed until decisions are made,” Guthertz said. “We’ll keep pushing until we achieve that ‘win-win’ outcome for all the parties involved in the buildup.”

Earlier this month, U.S. Senator Tom Coburn, R-OK, publicly stated he wants to cancel the military buildup and close Department of Defense-funded schools.

Coburn presented his “Back in Black” plan to save $69.5 billion by reducing military spending overseas, including Guam.

Lack of Integrity over Buildup

Guthertz to Pfannenstiel: There Appears to be a Lack of Integrity in Navy's Dealing With Guam on Buildup

Last Updated on Thursday, 07 July 2011 10:55
Written by Kevin Kerrigan
Thursday, 07 July 2011 09:24
Guam News

Guam - Senator Judi Guthertz has written to Assistant Navy Secretary Jackalyne Pfannenstiel about her concerns over what Guthertz believes to be an apparent "lack of integrity in the U.S. Government in its dealing with the people of Guam regarding the military buildup."

In her letter, the Senator, who Chairs the Legislature's Buildup Committee, cites the contradiction between a U.S. State Department cable and the Department of Defense's Environmental Impact Statement.

READ Senator Guthertz's letter

The July 2009 cable is from the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo to the U.S. State Department. It was leaked by Wikileaks.

The cable reports on a meeting DoD's former Japan Director Suzanne Basalla had with Japanese Officials during which Basalla is reported to have told Japanese officials that "while the political value of the 2014 target completion date is clear, the United States has been very frank with Japan that the date is increasingly unrealistic ... The U.S. side looks forward to discussing with Japan ways in which to best manage ‘beyond 2014’ messaging.”

4 months after this cable was sent to the Department of State, the Department of Defense released its draft EIS based upon the 2014 completion date which predicted 79,000 new residents on Guam by 2014. "The residents of Guam were alarmed by this and other numbers" writes Guthertz to Pfannenstiel, adding that "the negative reaction that resulted led to much community division."

In light of what the leaked cable reveals, Guthertz calls the November 2009 release of the draft EIS "false and purposefully un-updated" and blames the EIS for leaving "our community confused and divided."

And she asks "Why was it that the Japanese were told in July of 2009, but it was kept secret from the people of Guam - fellow American citizens - until the release of the Record of Decision in July of 2010?"

The Senator also writes that if the leadership of the Guam military buildup were to appear before the Guam Legislature's Ethics Committee she believes that they "would be found guilty of gross ethical violations."

"This is not the way to treat American citizens. The Americans living in Guam deserve to know the truth about the military buildup plan at the same time, if not sooner, than a foreign government."

Crackdown on ‘Guam’ products

TUESDAY, 12 APRIL 2011 05:09 BY THERESE HART | VARIETY NEWS STAFF

AFTER yesterday’s roundtable discussion regarding the deficiencies in the Guam Product Seal Law, Senator Judi Guthertz is expected to introduce legislation today which will fix the most obvious loophole that allows off-island products to use “Guam” in their packaging.

Some distributors who bring in off-island products using the name “Guam,” but clearly displaying the manufacturing origin, will no longer be able to take advantage of this loophole.

Guthertz’s bill is expected to give these distributors the opportunity to sell off their products in the local markets given their products’ shelf life. But afterwards, they will no longer be able to bring these products into Guam’s port of entry.

Guthertz said that section in the law will be amended in her bill. The senator said there are other issues that need to be addressed with the Attorney General’s Office.

Law

The Guam Product Seal Law has two provisions, which state it is unlawful for any business establishment to state or imply in an advertisement display of any type, including packaging, that a manufactured product is made on Guam if the product does not have a Guam product seal on it; and that it is unlawful for any business establishment to sell a product that has the words “Guam” or “Chamorro” or a derivation of such words on the product, as such product was not manufactured on Guam, unless the place where the product was manufactured is clearly labeled on the product.

“That last statement is one of the technical issues which creates some of the problems right now,” said Guthertz.

James Bonanno, owner of Island Manufacturing & Wholesale which distributes locally manufactured products, said even with the current law, the labeling requirement is not being enforced.

Representatives from Customs and Quarantine said when they come across off-island products that have “Guam” on its packaging, these products pass Customs because the packaging clearly states its manufacturing origin.

Guthertz’s bill, if enacted into law, would disallow copycat products that mislead visitors and the general public into believing the products that are offered to them are actually made in Guam.

Denise Selk, who manufactures Coco Joe’s cookies, shared that customers may be thinking, “Are these made in Guam and packaged in China?” Selk also said a company that brings in off-island cookies manufactured in China has been copying her company’s packaging and flavors of cookies, which is not right.

Selk and other local manufacturers would like a resolution to the problems and hopes that closing the loopholes will provide the incentive for new entrepreneurs to produce locally-made products, proudly and legally displaying the Guam Product Seal.

DEIS comment period expires tomorrow

DEIS comment period expires tomorrow

Wednesday, 17 February 2010 03:33
by Zita Y. Taitano | Variety News Staff

GUAM residents have until 3 p.m. tomorrow to submit their comments on the draft environmental impact statement, upon expiration of the 90-day public review and comment that officially started on Nov. 21 last year.

The Record of Decision is expected to be issued in August.

Senator Ben Pangelinan wants to see the final draft of the document to see if changes are made to include public input. “Then we would submit comments on the final draft for the final copy,” he said.

There were two ways for residents to submit their comments, whether it was to submit on line on the impact study’s website www.guambuildupeis.us or to do download the comment form the site and mail it to the Joint Guam Program Office courtesy of the Naval Facilities headquarters in Hawaii.

The latter of which must be postmarked on Feb. 17 in order for the comment document to be included with the thousands of other comments on the study.

The original time frame for the comment period was 45 days, but was extended to 90 days after concerns were raised that the allotted time was not enough for residents to fully digest the 11,000-page document and express their thoughts.

Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo has requested the Department of Navy to extend the comment period further, but the congresswoman received no response.

Senator Judi Guthertz, chairman of the military buildup committee at the legislature, yesterday sent another installment of comment paper, in which she emphasized the billions of dollars that Guam needs in order to adequately prepare itself for the military buildup.

“Only minimal assistance has been forthcoming from the federal government, which has placed this unfunded mandate upon 178,000 American citizens living on a tiny island of only 212 square miles,” said Guthertz.

Once all the comments have been received at the NAVFAC Pacific, they will be reviewed and put together for the final draft copy.

Residents who would like to send their comments via regular mail can send them to the following address JGPO c/o NAVFAC Pacific, 258 Makalapa Drive, Suite 100, Pearl Harbor, HI 96860-3134 ATTENTION: GMPO. Again, all comments mailed out by Wednesday should have it postmarked Feb. 17.

PNC :: Senators & We Are Guahan React To Governor's Speech

PNC :: Senators & We Are Guahan React To Governor's Speech

Monday, 15 February 2010

Guam - Meanwhile some members of the legislature and the We Are Guahan Coalition chimed in on how they felt about the governor's speech.

Buildup chairwoman Senator Judy Guthertz says she was very pleased with the governor's speach however she wishes he had taken these positions on the military buildup years ago. Guthertz says much of the speech re-iterated issues that Guthertz and other lawmakers have been talking about for years.

As for changing guam's name officially to Guahan Guthertz supports the idea as long as it's accompanied by something more concrete in the way of guam's political identity. Senator Rory Respicio says that he was touched by the governors speech when referring to the sacrifices he and his family have endured however, Respicio was hoping that he would speak a little bit more in detail about how he plans to handle the challenges of the military buildup. The senator says resolution 275 should be used a blueprint for how to deal with the buildup. Respicio also supports changing Guam to Guahan but he like Guthertz would like to see it accompanied with some kind of legislation that deals with Guam's political status.

Republican Senator Frank Blas Jr. was a part of the first Camacho administration and helped bring Guam back from the rubble of typhoon Pongsona. He says that people tend to forget the kind of adversities the Camacho administration had to deal with when first taking office. As for the idea of changing Guam to Guahan Blas says he's all for it.

We are Guahan member Vicki Leon Guerrero was pleasantly surprised by many of the points the governor touched upon in his speech. The We Are Guahan Coalition has been very vocal about the concerns that many members of the community have with regards to the military buildup. They have spoken at various DEIS hearings including ones held by the Governor. A lot of the concerns the governor spoke about reflected those of the We Are Guahan group. Leon Guerrero says she believes the Governor could have said a little more though particulary about what his agency heads have discovered after reviewing the DEIS. Nevertheless Leon Guerrero says that the governor's speech was "definitely refreshing". What interested her most though was the propossal of changing Guam to Guahan.

Written by : Clynt Ridgell

Guthertz: DEIS planners didn’t do their homework

Guthertz: DEIS planners didn’t do their homework

Friday, 12 February 2010 03:45
Variety News Staff

(Legislature) -- Senator Judith P. Guthertz has added to four earlier comment papers on the draft environmental impact statement on the military buildup with a lengthy list of errors in the draft study and numerous recommendations “to establish goodwill and trust of the people of Guam for the buildup and mitigate the sociocultural impacts” of the buildup.

Guthertz has frequently said that a “two-Guams outcome, in which military members inside the fenceline would live in the first world while Guam residents outside live in third world squalor would not be acceptable. She noted that elaborate recreational and educational facilities planned for the bases should not be located deep inside the bases with no access to the Guam public.

As one of her basic complaints about the draft impact report, Guthertz asks where the numbers of 8,600 Marines and 2,000 transient Marines to be relocated here came from. The draft cites no source for the numbers.

Guthertz points out that portions of the study contain a variety of errors in describing Guam history and its present government. One particular howler concerns World War II. “The Navy’s administration of Guam was disrupted during WWII, when in 1941, following the invasion of Pearl Harbor, Japanese military forces bombed Guam.”

“Every American should know that the Japanese did not invade Pearl Harbor,” Guthertz said.

On another issue that is sure to come up with the arrival of the Marine contingent, Guthertz said the military should settle its differences over drinking ages. Sailors on the Navy Base must be 21, while airmen at Andersen AFB can drink at 18. Given that Guam’s drinking age is 18 and unlikely to change, the stage is set for problems when Navy and Marine personnel spend time off base.

PNC :: Legislature Passes Buildup Resolution

PNC :: Legislature Passes Buildup Resolution

Thursday, 11 February 2010

Guam - The Guam Legislature unanimously passed a resolution Thursday afternoon, which functions as the official comment on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement from the body.

The resolution is authored by Senator Rory Respicio, Senator Judith Guthertz, and Speaker Judi Won Pat. All other senators are co-sponsors. Resolution No. 275 outlines many concerns raised about the DEIS and makes recommendations for Congress to address long-standing local issues in light of the coming military buildup.

A delegation of Senators are planning to present the resolution personally in Washington D.C. in March.

Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle worked together to agree on the language included in the resolution. Two days of working sessions were conducted, allowing the body to come to a consensus on the important document. Among the issues requested to be addressed are:

· Self-determination

· Unreturned ancestral lands

· War reparations

· Inclusion in the Supplemental Security Income program

· Exemption from the Jones Act

· Removal of caps from Medicaid and all federally mandated public assistance programs

· Full reimbursement for impact costs as a result of the Compacts of Free Association

· Cleaning-up of environmental hazards that were created or augmented by the federal government

· Full participation in economic stimulus legislation

· Establishment of a secure Guam-only visa waiver program

· Inclusion of the Philippines, Russia and China in the Visa-Waiver Program

· Reimbursement for Earned Income Tax Credits paid or owed

The Legislature also asserted a number of findings it is requesting to be honored:

* Executive and Congressional intervention mandating the Department of Defense present a revised DEIS that can be reviewed and commented on
* Reconcile inconsistencies with DoD studies and those from the General Accountability office regarding the military buidup
* Establish a Civil-Military Advisory Council
* Asses the need for an omnibus appropriations bill addressing the needs of the buildup
* Conduct a proper and accurate assessment on the additional revenue that will be collected as a result of the buildup
* Allow the reimbursement of all Medicare and Medicaid costs incurred by U.S.-accredited health care facilities in the Republic of the Facilities
* Create a full fledged U.S. Veterans Affairs Office
* Allow Guam to control its Exclusive Economic Zone

Written by : News Release

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.

Guthertz: Carrier Should Use Kilo Warf Rather Than Dredge Coral

Guthertz: Carrier Should Use Kilo Warf Rather Than Dredge Coral

Tuesday, 09 February 2010

Guam - Rather than dredge 36 acres of coral in Apra Harbor, Senator Judi Guthertz is proposing that the Navy continue to use Kilo Warf for any visiting Aircraft Carriers, and then moor ammunition ships out in Apra Harbor.

Visiting carriers currently use Kilo Warf, located near the tip of Orote Point, near Gab Gab Beach, but its primary purpose is for loading and off-loading ammunition.

However, the military's Draft Environmental Impact Statement argues that a separate berthing is now needed because of plans to extend the stay of visiting aircraft carriers to a total of 63 days a year and that would interfere with the "munitions mission" of Kilo Wharf.

Read Guthertz's Coment Paper on Aircraft Carrier Berthing
http://www.pacificnewscenter.com/images/pdf/gutpap.pdf

But in a "Comment Paper on Aircraft Carrier Berthing", Guthertz counters that "the assertion that the situation will become too difficult is not proven. It merely comes down to a matter of having a scheduling challenge."

In a release, the Chairperson of the Legislature's Buildup Committee, argues that: “The solution is to moor the ammunition ship at one of the deep draft buoys in outer Apra Harbor, where the Maritime Pre-position Ships (MPS) moor, whenever there is an overlap in their schedules. "

Guthertz says “This location for the ammunition ship would only be needed for those days when the aircraft carrier is moored to Kilo Wharf. The aircraft carriers would still be able to visit Guam at an enhanced frequency and duration compared to now.”

The Senator says it would be "a 'win-win' soultion for both.

"The aircraft carriers would have more ship visit days in Guam as desired by the military, and the coral would remain untouched as desired by the civilians.”

Written by : News Release

Sen Judi Guthertz with Ray Gibson

Sen Judi Guthertz with Ray Gibson

Monday, 08 February 2010

Interview between Ray Gibson and Senator Judi Guthertz about Resolutions 160 and 275 which will be debated at the 30th Guam Legislature today. Senator Guthertz said the resolutions deal with the military buildup and federal relations issues. They then talked about the new proposed future changes to the military buildup with the advertisement by the Army for the placement of High Speed Vessels at Apra Harbor. They then talked about the issues beween GPD Chief Suba and Senator Adolpho Palacios.

If the player does not work click here to download the entire podcast.
http://www.pacificnewscenter.com/images/stories/k57podcasts/feb10/100208_081827.mp3

Written by : Bob Gaeth

Guthertz drafts strategy for coral dredging

Guthertz drafts strategy for coral dredging

Posted: Feb 08, 2010 2:15 PM
Updated: Feb 08, 2010 2:15 PM

by Nick Delgado

Guam - Senator Judi Guthertz has proposed a solution to concerns raised about the dredging of 36 acres of coral in Apra Harbor to accommodate an aircraft carrier berthing. The Democrat lawmaker has suggested that ammunition ships be moored at one of the deep draft buoys in outer Apra Harbor where maritime pre-position ships moor.

Guthertz stresses that because an aircraft carrier is not expected to spend more than 63 days a year on the island, using kilo wharf would be a better solution. "If there's an overlap between the ammunition ships that use Kilo Wharf and the carrier, then they need to take turns. Either the ammunition ships can be out in the water and stay while the carrier comes in and vise-versa," said the senator.

Compromise deal on carrier berthing problems proposed

Compromise deal on carrier berthing problems proposed

Monday, 08 February 2010 04:25
by Therese Hart | Variety News Staff

NOTING the community’s concern over the aircraft carrier berthing plan, Sen. Judi Guthertz said the solution is to moor the ammunition ship at one of the deep draft buoys in outer Apra Harbor where the Maritime preposition ships moor, whenever there is an overlap in their schedules in Kilo Wharf.

In a detailed comment paper submitted to the Joint Guam Program Office, Guthertz said this alternative was not studied in the draft environmental impact statement.

“The DEIS states that the current scheduling overlaps are manageable, but fears that with enhanced carrier port visits and increased ammunition ship visits that the situation will become more difficult. I assert that this cannot be proven,” said Guthertz, chair of the committee on the Guam military buildup and homeland security.

Guthertz said her suggestion is a “feasible fall back option to the DEIS’ preferred option,” which is to use Apra Harbor.

The location for the ammunition ship would only be needed for those days when the air craft carrier is moored to Kilo Wharf, she said.

The air craft carriers would still be able to visit Guam at an “enhanced frequency and duration compared to now,” said the lawmaker.

No dredging of coral will be required, said Guthertz. Extensive dredging has been done around Kilo Wharf, primarily to clear rock and coral under and next to the extension itself.

The draft study proposes the dredging of about 36 acres of coral in Apra Harbor to accommodate a new pier for berthing nuclear aircraft carriers.

The impact report claims that if aircraft carrier visits are extended to total 63 visit days a year, that the munitions mission will suffer if the current Kilo Wharf is continued to be used for the aircraft carriers.

Kilo Wharf, located near the tip of Orote Point, near Gab Gab Beach, is currently used for aircraft carrier visits while its primary purpose is to moor ammunition ships, said Guthertz.

Guthertz’s paper states that the assertion that the situation will become too difficult is not proven. It’s a matter of having a scheduling challenge.

Guthertz asserts that the draft study’s position to destroy 36 acres of coral reflects a viewpoint of maximizing the satisfaction of the military needs.

“I believe that a firestorm within the civilian community has begun over the coral destruction issue,” she said. “A compromise is needed that provides for the core-interests of both sides being protected. My solution does that.”

Army’s vessel-deployment plan puzzles senator

Army’s vessel-deployment plan puzzles senator

Monday, 08 February 2010 04:22
by Tiffany Sukola | Variety News Staff

The U.S. Army’s plan to station a fleet of joint high-speed vessels on Guam has left Senator Judi Guthertz second-guessing the transparency of military officials involved with military buildup efforts.

As chair of the military buildup committee, Guthertz said she is frustrated with the way military officials notified the public of its intent to station additional ships on Guam.

An advertisement was published yesterday asking island residents and government agencies to provide feedback so the Army could draft a programmatic environmental impact statement for the stationing of the vessels.

However, Guthertz said that little information was given regarding the timeline of implementation of the project, where these vessels will be housed and other vital information necessary for residents to determine whether it would help or hurt the island.

The advertisement said a copy of the Army’s notice of intent was posted on www.aec.army.mil, however Variety’s attempt to find the link failed.

According to the notice, residents have until March 5 to comment on the project.

“This is another case of the military telling the people of Guam- here’s what we want to do, what do you think,” said Guthertz adding that the comment period for this new project, like the length of the commenting period for the draft environmental impact statement, is too short.

Guthertz said that the military’s decision to ask residents to consider the environmental impacts of the stationing of up to twelve high-speed vessels on island while the upcoming military buildup is still a hugely debated topic is a case of bad timing.

Guthertz said that island residents, who are still trying to sift through the complicated DEIS, now have to worry about an additional project that could have a negative impact on the island’s community.

“Why was this not included in the draft environmental impact statement or buildup talks,” said Guthertz, adding that nowhere in the 11,000-page document does it mention the stationing of the vessels.

Guthertz said she is in the process of sending letters to military officials explaining her concerns.

“I want more information, more logistics about how this will affect the island,” said Guthertz.

Guthertz said that island residents are concerned about the lack of transparency on buildup efforts, something that needs to change.

Guthertz said that it isn’t fair for the military to ask the people of Guam what they think about buildup efforts if the entire picture isn’t presented. She added that she is worried more last-minute projects will be dumped on island resident’s laps in the coming months.

“How many more of these situations are going to occur,” asked Guthertz, adding that she, like most island residents, just want to know what’s in store for the island as the next few years unfold.

Obama asked to meet with civilian community

Obama asked to meet with civilian community

Thursday, 04 February 2010 02:44
Variety News Staff

(LEGISLATURE) - Guam Sens. Judith P. Guthertz and Rory J. Respicio urged President Obama “to meet a few of your fellow Americans who live outside the military gates,” during his planned stopover in Guam in March.

The two island lawmakers, who chair the legislative committees that deal with military and federal relations, said the president address military buildup issues directly with the Guam civilian community, rather than making a typical VIP “pit stop” behind the gates of Andersen Air Force Base.

“History and our high enlistment rates prove that the people of Guam are undeniably patriotic and pro-military, but dissatisfaction over the Pentagon’s buildup plan is spreading rapidly across our island. To make matters worse, we have yet to receive any of the promised assistance that is meant to cushion the impact of the buildup,” the senators stated in a letter to the president.

Calling for President Obama to provide “your leadership to guide the buildup properly,” the senators urged their ‘fellow islander’ to hold a town hold meeting outside of the gates: “We would like to have the same opportunities as our brothers and sisters on the mainland who often interact with you in this manner.”

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.

Guthertz Proposes Civ-Mil Advisory Council For Buildup

Guthertz Proposes Civ-Mil Advisory Council For Buildup

Guam - Buildup Committee Chairwoman Senator Judi Guthertz says that the draft Environmental Impact Statement on the military buildup makes no provision for managing the relationship between service members and the civilian community.

In a ‘comment paper’ directed to Major General David Bice, USMC (Ret.), Executive Director of the Joint Guam Program Office (JGPO), Senator Guthertz proposes a civilian-military advisory council to deal with the issues that will arise between the military and the civilian community during and after the buildup.

The Advisory Council would be established by the U.S. Secretary of Defense and the Governor of Guam and be a part of the Guam First Commission.

Senator Guthertz says the right organization on Guam to handle this would be the Guam First Commission, which was created by law in 2008 over Governor 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.

Senator Guthertz urged that the proposal be incorporated in the EIS and that the Secretary of the Navy, in coordination with the Governor take immediate action to implement it.

Written by :
News Release

Senators ask Obama to meet outside the gates

Senators ask Obama to meet outside the gates

Posted: Feb 02, 2010 1:49 PM
Updated: Feb 02, 2010 2:49 PM

by Nick Delgado

*Letter to President Obama from sens. Respicio & Guthertz
http://ftpcontent.worldnow.com/kuam/custom/news/02-02-10%20JPG%20RJR%20to%20President.pdf

Guam - Senators Judith Guthertz and Rory Respicio sent a letter to President Barack Obama today, asking that he make time in his busy schedule to meet a few of his fellow Americans who live outside the military gates. The senators ask the president that he use his leadership to help guide the military buildup properly.

They also write that Guam has yet to receive any of the promised assistance that is meant to cushion the impact of the buildup. In closing they state that a town hall meeting could help everyone gain a better understanding of the issues adding, "Please don't ignore us, Mr. President, you are Guam's best hope for a truly beneficial buildup."

Camacho asks Defense to slow buildup

Camacho asks Defense to slow buildup

By Gaynor Dumat-ol Daleno • gdumat-ol@guampdn.com • January 30, 2010

Saying Guam simply can't absorb the shock of a population surge in four years, Gov. Felix Camacho is asking the Defense Department to relocate about 8,000 Marines and their 9,000 dependents to Guam in eight years instead of four.

Rather than completing the Marines' relocation from Okinawa to Guam by 2014, Camacho is requesting the Defense Department for a phase-in time extending through 2018.

"I believe that a request for an extension would help lessen the impact of the military buildup on Guam. In fact, during our village workshop on Jan. 20, I expressed my intention to ask the United States to consider extending their deadline for the buildup," according to Camacho.

"The extension will greatly impact every area of public concern. It will lessen the pressure currently being placed on our people to accommodate a significant influx in our population," the governor added.

Camacho on Thursday wrote to Navy Secretary Ray Mabus requesting the delay.

Guam's population is expected to soar -- with 79,178 additional people in 2014, an increase of almost half the current population. And as the population increases, the military buildup is expected to create 33,000 new jobs by 2014, according to the military's draft Environmental Impact Statement. In 2014 alone, the government of Guam would see $325 million in additional revenue -- an increase of about 60 percent of its current annual budget, according to the impact statement.

Island residents have until mid-February to comment on the draft EIS.

The proposed delay in the completion of the Marines' move, according to the governor, "will lessen the impact on our territory, to give us more time to make preparations, and that affects everything from the number of wells that need to be drilled, the number of workers that need to be here at a certain time."

The island also needs more time to expand the island's only commercial port of entry for construction materials for the military buildup, according to the governor.

"I don't have a set date, but I think that moving it beyond 2014 to even 2018, a four-year push, would be better for us. It is a more sustained growth. There's no peak and a bust," Camacho said in an interview yesterday.

There will be no post-buildup recession as predicted in the draft impact statement, he added.

David Leddy, president of the Guam Chamber of Commerce, said the governor's request is consistent with the Defense Department's revisions to the buildup timetable.

"We think a delay is good for the island as it will afford us more time to assimilate the changes that are coming forth and for more of our local businesses to participate," Leddy said.

Gerry Perez, a member of the initial group of Guam Chamber officials who started knocking on doors in Washington, D.C., almost a decade ago to invite the military to expand its presence on Guam as the island faced an economic downturn starting with the economic crisis, said yesterday Guam also needs to consider America's national security interests.

Voicing his personal opinion, Perez, who also is the Guam Visitors Bureau general manager, said: "I can say that our original objective of attracting a larger military footprint to expand our economic base, provide local employment, and stimulate other economic activity was a success."

"The key question now before the island's leadership is how best to negotiate and harness this military buildup opportunity in a manner that benefits the local community while satisfying our national security interests," Perez said.

"Quite frankly, it is the reality of funding, capacity constraints, and the timely resolution of differences in the magnitude and dispersal of this (military expansion footprint) that will ultimately determine the buildup schedule, whether in 2014 or beyond," Perez said.

The relocation of Marines from Okinawa to Guam is part of a Japan-United States pact to reduce the presence of U.S. troops in Okinawa.

Japan has agreed to pay $6 billion of the $10.2 billion relocation cost under an agreement that was finalized last year -- before a new set of Japanese elected leaders came into office.

Later last year, however, some of the newly elected leaders in Japan began to suggest they want all U.S. troops out of Okinawa completely. In recent weeks, Japan officials hinted they may ask for the bilateral agreement to be renegotiated.

The relocation of Marines to Guam is part of a broader military expansion plan on Guam, which includes building an Army missile defense facility, and accommodations and wharf facilities for recurring visits of an aircraft carrier or two, according to preliminary military plans.

Vice Speaker Benjamin Cruz and Delegate Madeleine Bordallo both have written letters in support of extending the amount of time residents can comment on the buildup's draft impact statement.

Without the granting of the 45-day extension request, Guam residents have until Feb. 18, Guam time, to comment. The deadline to comment is Feb. 17, Washington time.

Bordallo was unavailable for comment yesterday. The Defense Department's Joint Guam Program Office, which coordinates buildup issues, did not have an immediate comment.

Sen. Judith Guthertz also has called for the Marines' move to be stretched "over a period of eight years instead of only two years."

The island would have to accommodate not only the Marines and their dependents, but also workers from off island who will contribute to the population boom.

"We reported on the availability of workforce housing and all of the Guam Land Use Commission's approval of all those properties in terms of the needs of the H2 workforce," said Department of Land Management Director Chris Duenas.

He said the agency presented more than 130 comments on the draft EIS to the governor's office.

The department also visited JGPO officials and requested a discussion between JGPO, the governor's office and the Legislature.

"The military and JGPO should go to the governor's office and the Legislature to discuss the possibilities of what they would do in terms of land exchange and what that would mean for the people of Guam."

The department has been working with the Chamorro Land Trust and the Ancestral Land Commissions to ensure they all have the correct inventory on the properties on Guam, Duenas said.