How the ‘Build Back Better’ plan can benefit US territories

Editor’s note: The following is the author’s written testimony before the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources’ oversight hearing on “How the Biden Administration’s Build Back Better plan can benefit the U.S. territories.” It is being published as a series due to its length. The first part was published on March 26, 2021.

Second of a series

The Tinian International Airport hosts a runway of 8,600 feet with one parallel and two connecting taxiways. The aircraft capacity of the airfield is of the B777-747 class aircrafts. The Tinian airport terminal facility houses three ticket counter positions and CNMI Customs and Quarantine counters. 

The Tinian Seaport is comprised of a 1,000-foot-long dock, three quays and two piers. The main quay has a usable length of 2,200 feet with depths between 25 and 29 feet. Piers 1 and 2 to the southwest of the main quay each have a usable length of 500 feet and a depth of 25 feet. One of the shorter quays reside between the main quay and pier 1 and the other between piers 1 and 2. Both piers were constructed in 1945 and have fallen into disrepair and are largely unusable. 

The Benjamin Taisacan Manglona International Airport has an airfield with a runway that spans 7,000 feet in length with two connecting taxiways and an aircraft capacity of a B373-400 type air craft or smaller. The terminal facility houses three ticket counter positions, two U.S. Customs and Border Protection stations, and CNMI Customs and Quarantine counters. The holding room has the capacity to hold 120 passengers. 

On Rota, the West Harbor is the primary seaport facility located on the southwest side of Songsong village. There are two docking areas that comprise West Dock, one is approximately 100 feet long and the other is 150 feet long. Berth 1 was constructed during the Japanese occupation of the islands prior to World War II to facilitate export from the Nanyo Kohatsu Kabushiki sugar mill. The harbor and berth were severely impacted by Typhoon Pamela in 1976 and, following recommendations from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the second berth was completed in 1983. This dock can support two vessels simultaneously.

The CNMI’s Northern Islands are currently devoid of even basic air and seaport, water, and electrical power infrastructure. Increased utilization of the islands of Alamagan, Pagan, and Agrihan, for residential and agricultural use, and future tourism, will require an investment in basic infrastructure. Current small residential populations on these islands are especially challenged by the lack of adequate water catchment and distribution systems, electrical power, and air and sea ports. The only aircraft runway is a pre-WWII unpaved strip, that has been unusable for a number of years due to weather damage. Similarly, the existing and unusable seaport on Pagan was originally constructed before 1945 during the Japanese administration of the islands. The Northern Islands are ideally suited for alternative energy solutions.

Infrastructure needs and the way forward in the CNMI
Many of the CNMI’s roads are in substandard condition and in need paving or repaving. This is an opportunity to see the kind of investment we need to see our thoroughfares redesigned to better accommodate traditional vehicle transportation, but at the same time integrate a “complete street” design, that incorporates bike lanes, sidewalks, and appropriate lighting and landscaping. Such a redesign and re-envisioning of our roadways, that takes into consideration a variety of forms of transportation, will better serve our community and facilitate numerous sustainability objectives including helping to reduce our carbon footprint. It will further provide us with the opportunity to address longstanding issues with drainage and runoff that causes significant damage to our marine environment.

In 2020, U.S. Public Law 116-20 appropriated $56 million to the EPA to plan for improvements to solid waste management on Saipan, Tinian and Rota. These funds are to be awarded in phases over the course of five years and targeted at the supplementing the necessary expenses to recover from the impacts of Super Typhoon Yutu.

The CNMI Office of Planning and Development received $565,980 for the formation of the interisland solid waste task force. The task force includes the Department of Public Works, representatives from the Offices of the Mayors of Tinian and Rota, and the Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality. The CNMI is grateful for this assistance and looks forward to a sustainable waste management solution that meets the highest environmental standards and supports our goal of achieving sustainable production and consumption patterns as well as growth and resource use that meets the needs of current and future generations.

To be continued tomorrow

Ralph DLG Torres (Special to the Saipan Tribune)
Ralph DLG Torres is governor of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.