New site eyed for the relocation of Tinian landfill

SAN JOSE, Tinian—The relocation of Tinian’s landfill in Puntan Diablo is still being discussed with the U.S. military but a proposed site has already been identified, according to Tinian Mayor Joey Patrick San Nicolas.

The Tinian landfill is an open dump, which is the subject of health and environmental concerns by local and federal agencies. The dump is located southwest of Tinian and near the airport.

San Nicolas told Saipan Tribune an appropriate site has been located but this is still up for discussion with the military. The area is in Pina, which in the eastern part of Tinian.

“The property where the dump sits has been leased to Alter City Group so the leadership is working very hard to relocate the dump and we’ve thought that the appropriate site should be at Pina,” he said.

Alter City’s land lease for a proposed $360-million casino resort was approved by the CNMI’s 18th Legislature in November last year. The open dumpsite in Puntan Diablo is the proposed area for the Alter City’s land lease.

Alter City has proposed to provide funding for the relocation of the dumpsite, saying that they wouldn’t move forward with their project until Tinian’s leadership relocates the dumpsite.

In February 2010, the CNMI government solicited bids for the architectural and engineering design of the Tinian sanitary landfill, which had some $5.4 million in available federal and local funding then and would cover the planning and actual construction of the landfill and transfer station.

San Nicolas said the municipality’s leadership is moving aggressively for the opening of the new landfill.

In the past, the relocation of the landfill was complicated by the fact that the land being eyed was in an area leased by the U.S military, which earlier asserted that they might need to close access to the area in the event of training.

This would require Tinian to build a transfer station that would be able to accommodate waste for a longer period of time.

“The transfer station has been identified and there are some regulatory requirements. There will be a public hearing and it will be sponsored by the Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality,” San Nicolas said.

According to Lt. Gov. Ralph DLG. Torres during the Pika Festival yesterday, the CNMI government is working on helping the Tinian municipality for the construction of both the transfer station and the new Tinian landfill.

The Tinian landfill violates regulations of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, as it is neither covered, segregated, and lacks equipment such as a bulldozer.