Feasibility study on Rota nat’l park in defense bill

While an agreement on H.R. 3979 between the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate last week left out a provision regarding the location of a divert airfield in the CNMI, the National Defense Authorization Act included authorization of a study on the suitability and feasibility of establishing a national park on Rota.

“I have been working toward this accomplishment for some time and it looks as though we are finally going to get there. Although we are still probably five years from completing the study, establishing a national park could be a game-changer for Rota’s economy,” said Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP).

The National Park Service was earlier quoted by Saipan Tribune that “the southernmost island of the CNMI preserves striking examples of the 3,000-year-old Chamorro culture surrounded by the best remaining expanse of this island chain’s native limestone forest.”

NPS went on to say that the Mochon Latte Village, the Chugai Pictograph Cave, the Taga Latte Stone Quarry, and the Alaguan Bay Ancient Village prehistoric sites include architectural features unique to the ancient Chamorro culture and represent outstanding examples of the island’s cultural resource.

Sablan, meanwhile, said while H.R. 3979 dropped his provision that would have allowed for a divert airfield to be placed at “any suitable location” in the CNMI, he is still optimistic because Congress has not entirely thumbed down the provision.

“The defense bill did not include a provision I sought that would allow spending for a divert field anywhere in the Northern Marianas. However, Congress has left the door open to the Air Force for approval of this provision, if the environmental impact study expected to be completed in February concludes that Saipan is not the best location for the divert activities,” he said.

Sablan’s provision would have followed provisions last year that barred the expenditure of authorized funds until the Air Force reports to Congress alternatives and construction requirements for the divert airfield.

Sablan and the CNMI government both prefer the divert airfield to be placed on Tinian, where already two-thirds of land is leased to the U.S. military. The U.S. Air Force has expressed a preference for Saipan.

The divert airfield will be used as an alternative airbase in case Andersen Air Force Base in neighboring Guam is rendered inoperable due to attack, bad weather, or other factors.

The military service is eyeing to spend some $29 million in divert activity funds on Saipan.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, for its part, declared the DEIS “insufficient,” citing noise impacts on Saipan residents as severe. The agency felt this was inconsistent with directives requiring hearing loss risk to be properly estimated.