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HSEM oversees operations of debris removal on Tinian
Due to the toxic fire that occurred in the island of Tinian on June 19, 2022, acting CNMI governor Jude U. Hofschneider, in coordination with CNMI Homeland Security and Emergency Management special assistant Dennis C. Mendiola, have declared a major disaster warning to collect and discard the debris left behind by Super Typhoon Yutu on the island.
A meeting was held last Friday, June 25, at the Office of the Governor, and a declaration was issued to speed-up the process of awarding the contract to execute the notice to proceed. Once the contract is awarded, CNMI HSEM will communicate with the contractors to collect the leftover debris, conduct tests on the soil making sure no chemicals are involved within, and to prevent contamination of Tinian’s water table.
The scope of work that is stated in the contract is granting permission to collect and discard all leftover waste and debris from Super Typhoon Yutu, and begin tests on the soil to make sure contaminants and other toxins did not seep through to the water table.
“It is up to acting governor Jude U. Hofschneider and CNMI HSEM to ensure that the water table does not get contaminated, as the safety of our people on Tinian is at our utmost concern. We’d like to recognize the Office of Planning and Development, Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality, the Department of Public Works, the Environmental Protection Agency, Tinian [Legislative] Delegation, and the Tinian news office in subsidizing the waste disposal, which may harm the health of our residents on Tinian,” said Mendiola. (PR)
