Tinian resident questions ‘socio-economic’ aspect of EIS

Tinian resident Kyle Sandbergen intends to focus on the “long-term” when submitting his comments on U.S. military’s live-fire plans.

Sandenberg, who attends college in Guam, spoke to Saipan Tribune after a public information meeting on Tinian with Dentons, the company hired to review the military’s plans.

Saying his comments would focus on “loss of culture” and what would happen to the CNMI in the long run, Sandenberg wonders if Tinian will be the same island 20 years from now.

“[Dentons] brought up the issue of cost of living [and] how that will probably increase due to restricted airspace. …I personally know of a number of people who are willing to move as far as Guam just to find jobs to support their families. What we are looking at here is a potential depopulation of the island like we’ve seen on the island of Rota,” he said.

The 2012 Census reported a population decline of 23 percent on Rota—from 3,283 in 2000 to 2,527 in 2010.

“You can imagine how that could affect their culture, our culture. I refuse to say that our indigenous culture is a dying culture but it is definitely a struggling one,” he said.

Sandbergen’s said his main concern is “socio-economic.”

“Will it be the same islands that we live in now, maybe 20 years from now…? How would we be able to survive with the increased cost of living on the island? Will the military address this by maybe accommodating these things, by maybe supplementing the costs of fuel, the costs of…goods?”

“…With this restricted airspace, are they going to accommodate or address the potential issues that are going to rise from the restricted airspace?” he asked.

When asked if he would like to give a message to people out there about public participation, Sandbergen noted that he is part of the younger generation and that he was looking at things “50 years” down the line.

“I want to be able to settle down here. I want to be able to say that the Tinian I bring my family to is the same Tinian that I grew up in. If this preferred alternative actually goes through, I am not sure if I can do that in the future 50 years from now, so if the people really want to do the same with their families in the future, they probably want to get on the ball and” comment on the military’s plans, he said.

The public is being urged to comment on the U.S. military’s live-fire proposals before Aug. 5. In their comments, the public can offer alternatives to the military’s proposals.

One participant at the meeting last week said he has a farm near the boundary between civilian area and a proposed live-fire range.

“If they are shooting with the big cannon, there is no tranquility there,” the man said.

In their comments, the public can ask that ranges be redesigned or moved elsewhere.

Under the military’s preferred alternative, fences and gates will be built, limiting access to the northern part of the island. The public can comment on this limited access to beach sites at the northern part of the island, for example.

More information can be found at cnmieis.org. or CNMIJointMilitaryTrainingEIS.com.