CRM weighs in on abolition of MPLA

The Coastal Resources Management has outlined its concerns regarding the operations and practices of the Marianas Public Lands Authority.

CRM director John B. Joyner said the agency was particularly concerned about how MPLA subdivides public land, MPLA’s authority to issue permits, and about MPLA’s long-range planning for the use of public lands.

Joyner said that, while CRM has had good working relationships with MPLA, the agency believed that the CRM permitting process would be smoother with the Executive Branch managing public lands.

“By its nature, the CRM permit process is a collaborative, interagency effort. CRM agencies would like to fold MPLA mission, concerns, and opportunities unambiguously into the CRM planning and permitting process. This bill would be a positive step toward that objective,” Joyner said, referring to House Bill 15-57 and Senate Bill 15-33, which would abolish MPLA.

One of the reasons cited for the move to scrap the autonomous agency is MPLA’s alleged failure to work with other agencies regarding land use, permitting, licensing, and leasing matters.

Joyner noted that MPLA, for instance, failed to coordinate with CRM agencies when it updated its 1989 Public Land Use Plan. He said that coordination in this matter was important to ensure that the plans and programs of each agency were consistent with the zoning protocol established by CRM.

“None of the CRM agencies have, to this date, been provided a view of the new [public land use] plan nor had an opportunity to comment on it. Also, CRM agencies are not able to get a map of the lands that MPLA owns. These obstacles make it difficult for CRM agencies to think proactively and to solve problems early,” Joyner said.

CRM agencies are the Commonwealth Utilities Corp., Historic Preservation Office, Division of Environmental Quality, Department of Lands and Natural Resources, and the Department of Commerce.

Joyner also said that MPLA, in initiating land subdivisions, has not exercised proper foresight in providing necessary infrastructure such as sewage system, stormwater management system, and protection of habitat for endangered species.

Such lack of foresight, he said, has left indigenous homesteaders individually to work out the issues. It has also burdened other government agencies with the challenge of finding additional land areas and designing and installing infrastructure after-the-fact.

Furthermore, CRM wanted to clarify whether MPLA has the authority to issue land use permits.

According to Joyner, MPLA has issued authorizations called permits, rather than leases. However, the Attorney General’s Office has issued legal opinion that MPLA was not authorized to do so. Permits are supposed to be issued by CRM.

“This leaves CRM agencies in a legal bind and it would be helpful to have this issue clarified,” Joyner said.