Manglona wants quarrying operations to resume on Rota

Manglona

Sen. Paul A. Manglona (Ind-Rota) has asked the Department of Public Works on the possibility of resuming quarrying operations on Rota, in order to support the planned construction of a road from Songsong Village to the airport.

Manglona, who is the Rota Legislative Delegation’s chairman, was prompted to write DPW Secretary James Ada about this after a notice of intent to award was issued last week to the project, called the Rota Route 10 Hazard Mitigation Project.

“We are all aware that the bidding and construction of this project presented many challenges since 2009. For many different reasons over the years, the project was repeatedly postponed, the most recent delay being caused by the lack of a quarry business operation on Rota,” said Manglona. “This letter is to request your office to discuss the possibility of working out a contract arrangement with the successful contractor to open up a quarry operation on Rota in lieu of shipping the quarry products to Rota from Saipan or Guam.”

He pointed out that shipping the quarry products to Rota is unproductive. “Although the cost of shipping the quarry products is already incorporated in the contract bid amount, it is nonetheless very expensive and time consuming.”

“In addition, starting a quarry operation will go a long way to helping our Typhoon Mangkhut victims who suffered damage to their homes that require quarry products to be rebuilt or repaired, as well as other pending construction projects on Rota.”

Manglona said that repairing and resurfacing the nine-mile stretch of road from Songsong to the Benjamin Taisacan Manglona Rota International Airport is long overdue. “We are grateful that you equally share and echo the concerns of our residents that, once completed, this…project will significantly reduce the number of vehicular accidents.”

“It is also our hope that, in finally moving this road project forward, we can ‘kill two birds with one stone’ by supporting the establishment of a quarry operation at the same time. Your attention to the foregoing concern is greatly appreciated.”

Almost a week after Typhoon Mangkhut hit Rota last year, Manglona asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency to temporarily suspend the regulations governing quarrying and mining operations on Rota to help in the rebuilding projects.

He has sought the lifting of all regulations set by the Mining Safety and Health Administration on quarrying and mining on Rota, with the suspension allowing private companies to begin quarrying operations that would also help in Rota’s rebuilding projects.