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Update on Marine relocation from Okinawa
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Posted on Jan 08 2014
The Department of the Navy is conducting a thorough assessment of environmental impacts of the relocation of approximately 5,000 Marines and approximately 1,300 family members from Okinawa to Guam. The results, along with a description of the affected environment and the range of alternatives, will be published in a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement that will be made available to the public for review and comment in the spring of 2014.
Public input from the citizens of Guam is an integral part of the department’s planning efforts.
There have been multiple opportunities to participate and provide public comment during the SEIS process. The first was during the SEIS scoping period for the Live Fire Training Range Complex SEIS from Feb. 9 to Apr. 6, 2012. Following this scoping period the SEIS was expanded to assess impacts of a reduced number (and changed composition) of Marines going to Guam; and a second scoping period was held from Oct. 11 to Dec. 10, 2012. The next formal opportunity for public involvement will be during the public comment period and public meetings that will follow the release of the Draft SEIS in early 2014.
For information about the proposed military relocation and the associated SEIS process visit our website at http://guambuildupeis.us. You can also sign up at our website to receive notifications when new information is posted.
The relocation of Marines from Japan is part of a realignment plan developed between the United States and Japan, and is critical to the U.S. strategy known as the “rebalance to Asia.” The Marines in Guam will maintain our forward presence and conduct engagements necessary to strengthen the defense capabilities of Pacific allies and partners, while making our regional force posture geographically distributed, operationally resilient, and politically sustainable. As the westernmost U.S. territory in the Pacific, Guam offers a strategic location to address emerging challenges in the region to include piracy, terrorism, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations. [I](Joint Guam Program Office)
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