EPA gives Army more time to plan cleanup in Tanapag

The US Environmental Protection Agency has granted the request of the Army Engineer District in Honolulu to extend the deadline for the submission of a PCB cleanup work plan in Tanapag Village.

Officials said the extension would allow agencies concerned to redefine the scope and enforceable schedule of cleanup operations in the village.

The Work Plan which is originally slated to be submitted last month was rescheduled by EPA Superfund Division Director Keith Takata to March 1, 2001.

The extension will give both the Army Corps of Engineer and EPA on-scene coordinators sufficient time to thresh out differences and encroachment problems, said Mr. Takata.

In a letter to Deputy District Engineer for Programs and Project Management Ray H. Jyo, Mr. Takata also allowed the extension of two other programs to ensure the prompt and satisfactory result of the PCB contamination cleanup operations in Tanapag.

Mr. Takata allowed the submission of comprehensive Work Plan to March 1 while the submission of groundwater investigation was moved to April 15 and the completion of excavation activities to May 1.

The EPA director further explained that with the extension, the agency hopes to get a thoroughly defined work plan, which will address the additional items and the submission of supplements to the program.

Mr. Takata pointed out present circumstances at the site are causing the continued delays of the excavation activities and are sufficient enough to grant the requested additional days.

The US Army Engineer District earlier urged EPA to extend several due dates specified in the Unilateral Administrative Order issued by the Department of Army effective December 20, 2000.

The AO required the Army Corps of Engineer to clean up the PCB contamination in Tanapag Village as discussions on whether to ship the PCB-contaminated soil out of Saipan for proper disposal are ongoing.

Officials and members of the Tanapag Action Group have repeatedly urged Division of Environmental Quality acting Director Antonio I. Guerrero to consider the position of the residents on the issue.

TAG chairman Juan I. Tenorio said the most favorable option to completely rid Tanapag with the poison that affects the life and environment of Tanapag residents is to ship off PCB-laced excavated soil.

To support this call, TAG has already solicited the signature of more than 900 residents in the village and gearing to collect 1,000 more in hopes to make the petition more binding.

Mr. Tenorio said the group is currently locating former residents of Tanapag who transferred to Kagman, Koblerville and As Matuis village to support the petition letter.

In addition to this, TAG also asked DEQ to initiate a local government undertaking in conducting more soil samples in areas where capacitors are not known to be found.

These areas are specifically identified in the Cluster Map approved by the group as an official document of the residents.

Mr. Tenorio stressed there is a legitimate reason for TAG members to be suspicious on the question of contamination within the areas identified in the map based on the findings of the blood test.

The organization is the only recognized representative of the residents in any PCB-related discussions and meetings. Mr. Tenorio said that the group’s stand on the two issues must be worth consideration.

Meanwhile, TAG disclosed the Department of Health also approved the use of its Tanapag Clinic for the regular Wednesday meeting for the PCB project operation update of the DEQ. (EGA)