$21M contract OK’d for Puerto Rico dump closure

After 12 years the final closure of the Puerto Rico dumpsite will finally proceed.

Lt. Gov. Ralph DLG Torres told Saipan Tribune that a $21-million contract has been signed for the project earlier this month.

Despite the administration disclosing only sparse information, it was learned that a contract was already awarded to a contractor and the agreement is in the final stages of completion.

During their inauguration in January, Gov. Eloy S. Inos and Torres promised that the administration would work toward the closure of the Puerto Rico dump.

Torres said that it was “a process since last year.”

“Now that a contractor won the bid we are going to do construction on the first phase. Hopefully we will be seeing something in the next couple of months, hopefully by summer,” he said.

In a separate interview, Capital Improvement Projects administrator Virginia Villagomez confirmed that they are going to have a groundbreaking but it has no estimated timetable yet.

“The great thing to note about this project is that it will be converted into a park,” she said.

Documents obtained show that a grant request for $20 million for fiscal year 2015 from the CIP office has been earmarked for the Puerto Rico dump closure.

Project description

Puerto Rico dump is located at the northwestern coast of Garapan on Saipan adjacent and southeast of Able Dock and Saipan Harbor and bordered by the Tanapag Lagoon.

It was used for the disposal of nonhazardous solid waste between the years of 1950 and February 2003, after which time the government stopped accepting waste and began operation off-site at the solid waste transfer station and at the Marpi landfill.

“The government intends to convert Puerto Rico Dump into a public parkland by stabilizing and sealing PRD in accordance with the final closure and post-closure requirements approved by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency and the government of the NMI, and Division of Environmental Quality,” the document states.

The goal is to reduce migration of contaminated water into the lagoon, protect the toe and slopes of the dump from erosion, control storm-water, collect and safely treat or vent landfill gas, and provide limited public access while meeting full compliance with EPA administrative order on consent.

The scope of work includes the installation of dump static and seismic slope stability, installation of drainage and erosion control, installation of landfill gas system and the final cover system.

It adds that “in addition to the base bid, additives will include the installation of landscape and hardscape site enhancement and solar LED integrated pathway, construction of a restroom, parking area, access road site lighting system, and site landscapes.”

“This project will also include the conversion of the dump into a passive park which will include landscapes/hardscapes, elements as well as a relief area on the top deck for events.”