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US, CNMI agree to extend deadline for funding requirement for CUC projects
The U.S. government and the CNMI government have agreed to extend the deadline for the CNMI to comply with the $2.8-million funding requirement for some Commonwealth Utilities Corp. projects.
Under a settlement agreement between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, CUC, and the CNMI government, the CNMI must deposit $2.8 million into the U.S. District Court’s registry or file a notice with the court of the Department of the Interior’s authorization to proceed for funding Stipulated Order 2 projects by Feb. 1, 2015.
SO2 refers to court-mandated projects that include the CUC pipeline; tank erection cleanout and testing; secondary containment; and used oil disposal, among others.
In their stipulation filed in court on Sunday, the parties asked the court to approve their request to extend the deadline to Feb. 13, 2015.
The parties, through their respective lawyers, stated that the U.S. government, including EPA and DOI’s Office of Insular Affairs, the CNMI, and CUC, along with the Engineering and Environmental Management Company, have been working cooperatively and meeting regularly to obtain an authorization to proceed from DOI to devote $2.8 million to SO2 projects.
The lawyers said despite the parties’ diligent efforts, the CNMI will not be able to obtain an authorization to proceed by the Feb. 1 deadline.
