CNMI seeks 4-day extension in Ashland’s stay on Saipan

The CNMI government is asking for a four-day extension in USS Ashland’s mission assignment to assist in post-Soudelor relief efforts on Saipan after their initial assignment expired yesterday.

A vital part of the mission of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit was to produce much needed drinking water and distribute them to villages on the island.

“But that mission has effectively ended Aug. 18. Unless we make some modification in the mission, the Marines are basically poised to pack up and leave,” Gov. Eloy S. Inos said in a press conference yesterday.

Inos said he and Lt. Gov. Ralph DLG Torres talked to Joint Region Marianas Commander Rear Adm. Bette Bolivar and their counterparts regarding the request for an extension.

“We are looking at a request right now that we received from our partners to look at the possibility of extending for four days only the part of the mission that they have been doing relating to reverse osmosis and the distribution of that drinking water,” Federal Emergency Management Agency federal coordinating officer Steve DeBlasio said.

“Maybe, if they can give us just a little more breathing room by way of extending the mission for just a couple more days until we can see some improvement in our own water well production,” Inos said.

The governor said that four days is a “reasonable time period” so that the government can safely say they will be able to provide the community as they prime up some of the wells and get a level of production.

“The additional dates will really benefit us all and we’re going to keep doing what we’ve got to do to make sure we recover as fast as possible,” special assistant to Homeland Security and Emergency Management Marvin Seman said.

Bolivar said the Department of Defense will work with FEMA to process the request for extension. She flew back to Guam yesterday to talk to “higher echelons” and is expecting an answer within 24 hours.

“As I understand, what our initial mission assignment was, was to produce water and distribute water up until a day that was provided, which was the 18th or until Saipan was able to sustain themselves,” Bolivar said.

“Yes, we had a mission assignment that expires today but if the island of Saipan is not comfortable to sustain themselves just yet, then it’s our obligation to look at the mission assignment as requested by FEMA and work to be able to do that,” she added.

Bolivar said their mission will be complete “once we are able to ensure the island of Saipan is able to sustain ourselves and recover.”

Members of the 31st MEU, under Lt. Col. Malinowski of the Combat Logistics Battalion 31, stopped producing water yesterday at 6pm.

Bolivar said they will be managing production as they get authorization.

‘Thank you’

The local government and FEMA also thanked Bolivar and the Marines and sailors aboard the amphibious dock landing ship for their help.

“I really want to thank you, the Marines, and these folks for being out there helping speed up the recovery effort,” Inos said.

“We want to extend our utmost appreciation for this crew, most especially the debris team that’s been out here; it sped up a lot of the process,” Seman said.

“As USS Ashland and the 31st MEU, whether they depart today or four days from now, I just really want to express my true and sincere appreciation for the fine effort and the great accomplishment that you have assisted us in performing here,” DeBlasio said.

Bolivar commended the Marines and sailors but also mentioned the efforts made by the Air Force and first responders such as the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

“It’s been a joint effort since the beginning,” said Bolivar. “We are committed to support this effort until we can move from the relief into the recovery stage.”

FEMA tasked the Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Army, and Coast Guard to help the island after Typhoon Soudelor swept through Aug. 2-3. FEMA has submitted one final mission assignment for the Marine Corps to provide water to island residents through the end of the week. Pending that assignment, most of the military mission will be complete.

The Coast Guard was first on scene Aug. 5 to transport response officials and to assess Saipan’s shipping channel and port. The crew worked to restore aids to navigation, buoys and lights, and cleared debris throughout the harbor to allow safe navigation.

The Navy and Marine Corps followed soon thereafter as the dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48) with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit embarked arrived Aug. 9. They transported supplies and relief equipment with two separate trips from Guam.

The Air Force’s 36th Contingency Response Group also arrived Aug. 9 and unloaded water, tents and cots at the Saipan International Airport. Their unique forklifts made them perfect for large cargo planes that the airport staff was not used to seeing.

The 9th Mission Support Command’s Tanapag Army Reserve Center is being used by FEMA as an operations center and staging area for generators, communications systems, food and water. The Army Corps of Engineers Power Planning and Response Team along with the Army’s 249th Engineer Battalion assessed, installed and maintained emergency generators at water wells and other critical facilities.

In total, the military team provided more than 200,000 gallons of water and 47,000 meals to the people of Saipan. (With Joint Region Marianas)