DPW mulls increasing tipping fees

Ray N. Yumul

The Department of Public Works is considering increasing the tipping fees at DPW’s Transfer Station in Lower Base and Marpi Landfill.

Speaking at the Ways and Means Committee of the House of Representatives budget hearing yesterday for DPW’s budget for fiscal year 2024, DPW Secretary Ray N. Yumul said they will be revisiting the tipping fee rates and making adjustments.

The tipping fee, which is also called a gate fee, refers to a fee paid by anyone who disposes of waste in a landfill.

“As you know, inflation hit the United States, to include the Commonwealth,” Yumul said.

He said there are costs that are beyond DPW’s control that they have to mitigate, such as sending recyclable items out of the Commonwealth, which the department is required to do.

As for DPW’s Right of Way Office, Yumul said the office is still inadequate, with only a staff of two and without a competent manager that needs to be brought in quickly so that they can address all right-of-way concerns.

Yumul said they also do not have an in-house surveying team, so they are heavily dependent on the Department of Public Lands and the Division of Natural Resources for these services.

“And right now, we’ve been placed on the lowest level of priority. So it is taking a lot of time. We’re talking about tracing properties, retracements, and the like,” he said.

Yumul said should their Right of Way Office be updated and properly staffed, they will be able to start dealing with these issues that have been plaguing the system.

He said he would be asking from the Legislature a lot of leeway and assistance.

The secretary said that Public Law 20-52, which placed the right-of-way management under DPW, still has some rough edges that need to be clarified. A primary concern is the disposition of the fees and leases and permit payments that’s going to be received, he said.

For example, Yumul said, the Office of the Attorney General still believes in its prior opinion that these collected funds need to be sent to the Marianas Public Land Trust.

But just like how the Department of Public Lands used to run the program, Yumul said they may hold back a certain portion of the collected funds for the expenses that the Right of Way Office will incur.

Yumul said MPLT has mentioned in conversation with him that they are willing to sit down with DPW to help draft the rules and regulations and any minor amendments to Public Law 20-52 just to make things clear.