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Kilili to Jewell: Speed up co-management plan
Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) pressed Interior Secretary Sally Jewell to “speed up” the co-management agreement governing federal and CNMI submerged lands in the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument, three months after President Barack Obama signed a proclamation temporarily withholding the transfer to the CNMI of submerged lands around five islands that are either part of a national marine monument or under lease to the U.S. military.
Obama exempted from the transfer to the CNMI the control of submerged lands around Farallon de Pajaros (Uracas), Maug, and Asuncion, which are part of the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument, as well as Tinian and Farallon de Medinilla that are under lease to the U.S. military.
Gov. Eloy S. Inos and the Legislature asked for a firm 180-day timeline to come up with a co-management plan, among other things, but this was not considered.
Sablan got to raise the co-management issue during the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee’s hearing on the U.S. Department of the Interior’s fiscal year 2015 budget proposal.
The delegate said after signing over the oil, gas, and mineral rights around the CNMI to the Commonwealth government last month, the next step for the Interior is to complete a co-management agreement with the Commonwealth for the submerged lands in the Islands Unit of the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument.
Sablan asked for a timeframe for completion.
The Interior secretary responded that she has already directed Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service to complete an agreement.
Jewell also testified on the president’s budget proposal to increase assistance to territories by $3 million and provide an additional $1.8 million to improve safety conditions in insular schools. Sablan said he supports both changes.
