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BECQ, BSI agree to settlement of enforcement actions
Best Sunshine International, Ltd. has paid $65,000 and will undertake a supplemental enforcement project for up to $145,000 to protect Saipan’s lagoon in a settlement with the Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality.
BECQ, with the assistance of the Office of Attorney General, is charged with investigating and enforcing environmental violations to ensure a clean and healthful environment. The settlement is a result of BECQ citing Best Sunshine several times for unpermitted discharges of wastewater—from its property during the construction of the Grand Mariana Casino and Resort project. The orders required Best Sunshine to cease and desist further discharges and fined Best Sunshine $210,000 for the alleged violations.
Under BECQ’s major sitting process, Best Sunshine is improving the CNMI’s infrastructure in Garapan, which will be turned over to the Department of Public Works once completed.
According to Fran Castro, director of the Division of Coastal Resource Management, “Our permitting and enforcement process is aimed to ensure negative impacts to the environment are avoided, minimized, and mitigated. We want to support sustainable development and protect natural resources in the CNMI.”
Improvements include the installation of a storm water filter, known as a Continuous Deflective Separation Unit. The off-site CDS installation is anticipated to greatly improve the quality of water exiting the Dai-Ichi ditch entering the Saipan Lagoon by removing large debris and filtering sediment and other pollutants.
As part of the agreed supplemental environmental project, Best Sunshine will regularly maintain and repair the CDS Unit for up to five years. Best Sunshine is required to provide training during the final year of the maintenance of the CDS to three or more personnel designated by BECQ, as well as to provide instructions from the manufacturer for the system, in addition, the agreement gives the Superior Court of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands continuing jurisdiction over the stipulated resolution to ensure that the OAG can enforce the agreement.
