FLASHBACK -April 19, 2012

EPA OKs shipment of PCB-laced soil to US[/B]

Tanapag villagers received full support from Guam and US Environmental Protection Agency officials after amendments were made to the Toxic Substance Control Act which warrants the shipment of PCB-contaminated soil to mainland. Even Guam Environmental Protection Agency lamented that PCBs from several cleanups are in indefinite storage on the island. These storage areas are subject to damage by frequent typhoons and earthquakes. “The proposed rule would remove a tremendous burden on Guam and ensure that a safe and viable mechanism existed for the protection of health and the environment of Guam and other US territories communities from PCB waste,” the EPA report reads.

The Commonwealth Council for Arts and Cultural has canceled its Street Parade scheduled for April 21 from 7am to 9am but added that all other Flame Tree Arts Festival activities and programs will go on as scheduled. The Arts Council will hold the 20th Annual Flame Tree Arts Festival back on its original date in April after last year’s celebration failed to generate as much following as it did in the past. Last year’s three-day festival did not meet the number of people originally expected to troop to the American Memorial Park to take part in the Commonwealth’s celebration of island cultures and traditions.

Govt spending down by 7.5 percent[/B]

Government spending over the first two months of the new administration is down by 7.5 percent compared to the same period last year, representing a $1.7 million drop. The decrease follows the expenditure control directive issued by Gov. Juan N. Babauta in late January for all Executive Branch departments and agencies. “The Lt. Governor and I realized early on the importance of taking immediate action to control spending,” said Babauta. “We have more to do, but we are very pleased to see these positive results.” Total government expenditures during February and March this year were $21.5 million compared to $23.2 million during the same period in 2001.

With the Babauta administration projecting a $24-million budget deficit this year, the Department of Public Health said it has adopted a new policy on vehicle use as part of its belt-tightening measures. Acting Public Health Secretary James U. Hofschneider said the department is consolidating its vehicles under one office, the Division of Hospital Administration. “The whole purpose is to consolidate vehicles under one division to make sure that we monitor their use, ensure proper maintenance, and also, so that we can share,” he said. “In the past, when a vehicle is assigned to a unit, basically the car is kept within that unit,” Hofschneider explained.

Legislator unconvinced of need to terminate homestead program[/B]

House Committee on Natural Resources chairman Rep. Arnold I. Palacios said eliminating the homestead program under the Marianas Public Land Authority is a proposal that would require long talks and lots of justification from the MPLA. MPLA Commissioner Henry Hofschneider had cited the termination of the program as one of the options being explored by the agency amid the scarcity of public lands. But Palacios reminded that the MPLA-the successor of the Marianas Public Land Corporation-is fundamentally mandated under the Constitution to run a homestead program.

The Hawaii Pacific Medical Referral has now lifted its suspension on prescription drug coverage for Group Health and Life Insurance Program members, which means that GHLI members can now order their drugs again through RxAmerica. The suspension on the pre-certification of patients remains in place, however, which means that GHLI members who go to participating health service providers for treatment may still be asked to pay up-front. This was learned during yesterday’s regular meeting of the Fund’s Board of Trustees, with Fund administrator Karl T. Reyes reporting that this arrangement was arrived at after a meeting between him and HPMR. “In that meeting, we were assured of the lifting of the pharmaceutical suspension, in exchange for our assurance to pay HPMR $500,000 every month,” said Reyes.