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Sablan, Cabrera to meet with fed officials
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Posted on Dec 07 1999
Lt. Gov. Jesus R. Sablan and Division of Environmental Quality Director Ignacio Cabrera will meet with U.S. Fish and Wildlife officials in Hawaii in a bid to settle the delay in the issuance of permit for the construction of Marpi landfill.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife has refused to give a go signal on the project due to its potential impact on the endangered nightingale reed warblers, birds only found in the Northern Marianas that.
Apparently exasperated on the failure to get the federal agency’s approval, Mr. Cabrera said the CNMI government cannot allow further delays, noting the health risks the dump poses to the community.
During the meeting, Mr. Cabrera said the CNMI government “will try to work out a partnership” with the federal agency because of the urgency of settling the issue. The CNMI government is under compliance to close the dump because of the health hazards.
Mr. Cabrera said the Northern Marianas will implement the necessary mitigation measures to protect the reed warbler. “This has been as problem since 1980 and we do not want to allow this to go on because we have to consider the health of the community,” he said.
Solid Waste Program manager John Harder said failure to get the permit soon may further push back the opening of Marpi landfill in late 2000.
A transfer station will be established in the Lower Base area to reduce overall hauling costs, minimize traffic impact and significantly reduce possibilities for illegal dumping.
In a move to better plan the size and projected use of the new landfill and other facilities, waste surveys have been conducted to determine the type, volume and weight of wastes currently being disposed of at the Puerto Rico dump.
The Division of Solid Waste Management has initiated management strategies to improve the existing operations at the Puerto Rico dump and is developing a system of tipping fees, or charges for the disposal of solid waste, which will help pay for the costs of operations.
The CNMI government has already appointed Hawaii-based consulting firm Harding Lawson Associates to carry out the design of a new landfill in Marpi and develop an island-wide solid waste management plan.
