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TINIAN WATER WELL DRILLING PROJECT Gov’t told to pay USGS $2 million
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Posted on Jun 29 2000
The chair of the House Committee on Public Utilities, Transportation and Communications has disclosed that the CNMI government still owes the U.S. Geological Survey more than $2 million for a water well drilling project on Tinian.
Rep. Rosiky F. Camacho told Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio that the it is a financial obligation that must be paid by the Commonwealth, even though the debt was incurred due to a decision by former mayor of the island municipality.
Mayor Francisco M. Borja has raised his concern over the “little attention” given by the central government on the issue during a recent public hearing conducted by the House committee.
He had informed Mr. Camacho that a billing amounting to $2,000,700.00 was sent to the mayor’s office by the U.S. Treasury Department, Division of Debt Management, trying to collect payment.
Former Mayor Herman Manglona had apparently
“continued contracting with USGS during his entire two terms in office for the drilling of test water wells, absent the appropriation of funds and consequently had never paid,” the PUTC chair wrote to Mr. Tenorio.
Loren Sutton, the mayor’s legal counsel, had pointed out that the debt is a Commonwealth obligation and not that of Tinian since the municipality is not a legal entity and cannot be sued, added Mr. Camacho.
The Commonwealth Utilities Corporation has previously expressed concern over termination of the drilling project in view of Tinian’s current underground water resources which could be depleted without finding new sources.
The project, which began in 1991, involved drilling, rehabilitation and an overall water resource study which was stopped due to failure by town officials to meet its financial obligations to USGS.
Tinian officials could face potential lawsuit if it fails to pay the overdue charges which represented the municipality’s contribution to the project.
Mr. Borja has been seeking ways to meet its obligations and has asked the government-owned utility firm to buy the drilling equipment used in the project that can be utilized for other CUC projects.
