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Sinkhole to undergo environmental assessment
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Posted on Dec 02 2004
Government agencies led by the Division of Environmental Quality have agreed to conduct an environmental assessment of the San Vicente sinkhole, amid suspicions that the illegal dumpsite not only contains unexploded ordnance but also hazardous hospital wastes.
Agencies reached the consensus in a meeting held at the DEQ office Wednesday.
Quoting oral history cited by the Historic Preservation Office, DEQ environmental specialist Tina Sablan said that there used to be hospitals in the area before World War II. The sinkhole might have been used to dump hospital wastes, based on this account.
The account raises the risks in conducting a cleanup of the sinkhole. Earlier, Sablan cited anecdotes that the site was used as a dumping site by the Japanese military, possibly leaving unexploded ordnance at the sinkhole.
The agencies had initially agreed to put up a fence around the area to prevent residents from dumping wastes at the sinkhole, a 60-foot-deep, 40-foot wide natural geological formation that has a cave-like structure at the bottom.
To be funded by the office of Lt. Gov. Diego T. Benavente, the fence would be designed and installed by the Department of Public Works, according to Sablan, who added that the project could be completed by January 2005.
Sablan also said the Saipan Mayor’s Office would put up a “no dumping” sign at the site, which would be provided by the DEQ. The agencies agreed on the conduct of an initial cleanup of the top portion of the dumpsite.
After the initial cleanup, the environmental assessment would proceed. Sablan said the DPW agreed to fund the assessment, which is necessary before implementing a full restoration plan for the dumpsite.
Besides DEQ, agencies involved in the project include DPW, Solid Waste Management Division, Saipan Mayor’s Office, Coastal Resources Management Office, Department of Public Safety, and Historic Preservation Office.
The lieutenant governor, who also heads the CNMI Solid Waste Task Force, and lawmakers such as House Reps. Joe Guerrero and Janet Maratita, also form part of the interagency group.
