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US Army Corps of Engineers to finance environmental project
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Posted on Aug 02 1999
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineer has expressed interest in funding projects in connection with Saipan Lagoon Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Study to protect the island’s fragile environment.
In a meeting last week with Martin Castro, acting director of the Coastal Resources Management, representatives from the U.S. Army Engineer District in Honolulu said sewerline and road drainage projects are just among the many areas which they can fund.
The Army Corps of Engineers said runoffs from the drainage system have contributed to the degradation of the ecosystem in Saipan Lagoon’s Chalan Laulau vicinity. At the same time, not all the residents in the area have made connections to the sewerline, which helps the island in preventing the deterioration of the aquatic ecosystem there.
According to Castro, the U.S. Army Corps may provide funding for the sewerline connection of the residents. An assessment by the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. on how much it will cost the residents within the Chalan Laulau area to hook up to the sewerline will help determine the total project amount.
The U.S. Army Engineers has set up guidelines in project funding. For example, a $200,000 project cost would be 65 percent shouldered by the federal and 35 percent local government. Maximum total project cost based on the 65/35 cost share is $7.69 million. Once the federal limit has been exceeded for all project costs, local sponsor will shoulder everything.
With the rapid urbanization of Saipan due to the mushrooming of many businesses, the U.S. Army Corps and CRM noted the importance of drawing up an ecosystem management plan for Saipan Lagoon to determine the different types of marine life and recommend the necessary conservation measures.
A master plan on Saipan Lagoon has earlier been made by Duenas and Associates, Inc. in association with marine biologist Dr. Steven S. Amesbury which recommended ways on how to eliminate pollution, specifically the contamination coming from the dump site.
