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Regional recycling plan eyed in 9 months
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Posted on Jul 16 2004
Chief executives of four Micronesian territories, including the CNMI, have created a regional recycling committee that would work on developing a comprehensive action plan within nine months.
At the same time, the leaders established the Invasive Species Council, noting the growing environmental concern invasive species pose in the region. Each territory—the CNMI, Guam, Yap and Palau—should designate two representatives to the council within 30 days, based on the leaders’ directive.
CNMI Gov. Juan N. Babauta, Guam Gov. Felix Camacho, Yap Gov. Robert Ruecho and Palau President Tommy Remengesau created the Pacific Islands Regional Recycling Initiative Committee, vowing to implement a realistic and achievable regional recycling plan, which would initially focus on removal of metallic wastes.
The committee outlined a schedule of meetings in connection with finalizing the plan. The meetings will be supplemented by teleconferences and Internet communication, for which the leaders would seek funding from the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Environmental Protection Agency.
The leaders also agreed to remove regional barriers among the territories. “This issue focuses on establishing an international, regional and sub-regional environment that permits joint collaboration between the different types of governments with varying political standing,” according to a communiqué among the leaders.
Additionally, the chief executives established the Invasive Species Council and appointed initial members. They agreed that each of their jurisdictions would designate two representatives to the council within 30 days.
The council would identify species that are invasive to Micronesia and resources needed to address the growing environmental and ecological concern. In their desire to review discussions about the Brown Tree Snake Act, the leaders would write a letter to the U.S. Congress and the U.S. President.
