Navy looks into closure of Tinian mortar range

The U.S. Navy is now looking into changing Tinian’s mortar range status to “inactive,” which would pave the way for a site investigation and cleanup of hazardous materials, following safety and tourism concerns that Tinian Mayor Ramon Dela Cruz raised as early as September.

Two-thirds of Tinian land is leased by the U.S. military.

Dela Cruz, at the same time, asked Gov. Benigno R. Fitial as president of the CNMI Military Integration Management Committee to initiate discussions with the U.S. Department of Defense on a new land management agreement.

This proposed new agreement would be for, among other things, maintenance of roadways, mowing, and filing potholes in military leased land on Tinian.

Tinian currently absorbs the cost of maintaining some of these areas.

Fitial, in a separate interview, said he is currently reviewing the existing agreements with the U.S. military on the use of Tinian and see how it can proceed with a new land management agreement. He said he has yet to find out how much the CNMI government spends in maintaining these military areas.

Capt. J.V. Heckman, regional engineer for the U.S. Navy’s Civil Engineer Corps, said in order to facilitate the closure of Tinian’s mortar range, he has requested that the status of the facility be changed to “inactive,” which would allow its entry into the Navy’s Munitions Remediation Program.

“Once the site is approved in the MRP, funding for site investigation and cleanup will be provided by the Navy based on a risk assessment model,” Heckman said in a Dec. 7 response letter to Dela Cruz.

The one-page Navy letter, a copy of which was obtained by Saipan Tribune last week, said that in the interim, funding will be available to maintain the access controls until the site can be remediated.

Heckman said his staff will coordinate with the Tinian mayor to maintain the fencing and update the signs as necessary. The mortar range was used during World War II.

Dela Cruz said the fence surrounding the old mortar range between the Blowhole and Chicket on the northeastern coast of Tinian has become an eyesore.

The signs on the fence, featuring a skull and crossbones sign, are very unappealing and “perhaps even offensive,” the mayor said.

The mayor also said that a review of a Sept. 20, 2010, Record of Decision show that it does not contain any indication related to the Department of Defense using the mortar range in the future.

“Therefore, we would request that the Department of Defense contract an explosives ordnance company to clear the range of all hazardous materials and remove the fence,” Dela Cruz said in a Sept. 6 letter to then outgoing Navy Rear Adm. Paul J. Bushong of the Joint Region Marianas.

If there’s going to be talks between the CNMI government and Defense on military land management on Tinian, it could be the first working dialogue with the U.S. military in years.

It is expected that an active dialogue between the CNMI and Defense would help resolve, for example, the issue of liability if an accident happens on military land on Tinian.

Fitial called for a meeting with the Tinian leadership on Dec. 9. Prior to that meeting, the governor requested documents that will be used in consideration of the Tinian mayor’s request to initiate discussions with Defense regarding maintenance of some military areas on Tinian.

“I met with the Tinian leaders because they have concerns about the problems they are now faced with concerning the roadway access so we still have more meetings [about it]… to come up with a definitive decision and plan on what to do with the existing Tinian lease agreement,” he said.

The governor said he has already tasked MIMC coordinator Tom Linden and James Stump to get all the facts about the lease agreement.

Senate Vice President Jude Hofschneider (R-Tinian), chair of the Tinian Legislative Delegation, said yesterday that the meeting between the Tinian leadership and the governor was prompted by concerns raised by the Tinian municipality on the maintenance of military areas.

“With budgetary constraints, the Tinian municipality is seeking for ways to address the issue. It’s costly to maintain the roadways and access roads, especially during rainy seasons when grass grows taller. We are expecting a progress report by mid-January, on how to go about this maintenance agreement, if that’s what we’re aiming for. There could be other things,” he said.

Sen. Frank Cruz (R-Tinian), also at the meeting, said it’s important that both the CNMI and Defense revisit their lease agreement to resolve issues related to maintenance of military areas.

“It’s been over 30 years since the lease agreement was signed. It’s a good meeting with the governor,” he said.

The lease agreement was signed on Jan. 6, 1983, and was made pursuant to the Covenant signed in 1975.