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AHEAD OF MILITARY BUILDUP
Farrell: HPO board committed to prepare Section 106 accord
A Historic Preservation Review board member says they will do the best they can to prepare a programmatic agreement as part of the Section 106 process of the National Historic Preservation Act to protect cultural and historic sites that will be impacted by the U.S. military’s live-fire training on Tinian and Pagan.
Board member Don Farrell told Saipan Tribune that the programmatic agreement will be prepared assuming a “worst-case scenario.” Or in other words, that every action detailed in the draft environmental impact statement on live-fire training for Tinian and Pagan “comes into fruition,” he said.
Board members met yesterday morning at the NMI Humanities Council for a “working session,” according to vice chair Dr. Hiro Kurashina. Farrell said they all committed to prepare this agreement.
In attendance were board members Francis Hexel, Kurashina, Farrell, chair Jun Duenas, and Dr. Colt Denfield, who was unable to attend their last official meeting. Both Hexel and Denfield attended via Skype.
Farrell said the board is “doing the best we can…to come up with a programmatic agreement that takes into account as many impacts on historic and cultural sites as possible to be able to protect them.”
He said regardless if the Legislature or the administration back off on live-fire or artillery training on the islands between now and the military’s Record of Decision, the board would proceed in preparation of the agreement.
The draft EIS eyes a date for military construction as early as summer 2016. A Record of Decision on the proposed training is expected before this time.
It appears now that the board would like a programmatic agreement in place to ensure the CNMI is ready should the military push for activities non-compatible with CNMI interests.
For one, the draft EIS notes a “high impact area” for live-fire near the Northfield Runway. It also proposes to dredge coral offshore a National Historic Landmark landing beach to construct an assault vehicle landing ramp.
On the Northfield runway, Farrell called this “a playground” for him. Farrell is a CNMI historian.
