Submerged lands revert to NMI

Gov. Ralph DLG Torres, left, signs the document stating the transfer of management of the submerged lands while Lt. Gov. Victor B. Hocog and Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP), right, look on yesterday at the Governor’s Office conference room. (Jon Perez)

The irony was not lost to the scores of CNMI officials present at yesterday’s signing ceremony when the Commonwealth finally got back its submerged lands—even though the lands were not freely given to the federal government.

Gov. Ralph DLG Torres signed yesterday the patent transferring the Northern Islands submerged lands from the United States to the CNMI at the Office of the Governor’s conference room.

Others present were Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP), Office of Insular Affairs field representative Harry C. Blanco, Lt. Gov. Victor B. Hocog, Senate President Francisco M. Borja (Ind-Tinian), and Senate Vice President Arnold I. Palacios (R-Saipan).

Rep. Joseph Leepan Guerrero (R-Saipan), representative-elect Gregorio Sablan Jr., Cabinet secretaries Mark O. Rabauliman (Commerce) and Richard B. Seman (Lands and Natural Resources), commissioners Robert Guerrero (Public Safety) and Georgia Cabrera (Corrections), Bureau of Environmental Coastal Quality administrator Frank Rabauliman, and Mariana Islands Nature Alliance members also witnessed the event.

Torres said the submerged lands had been a sensitive issue for the people of the CNMI. “This issue is part of our culture and our way of life. It is not easy to move this in D.C., that’s why we thank [Delegate] Kilili in helping us push for the federal government give back the submerged lands to us.”

He recalled a conversation he had with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration assistant administrator for Fisheries Eileen Sobeck, who told him that the federal government is giving back the submerged lands.

Torres replied: “I think you’re giving back something that we already own. You actually took it away from us. In fact, it is not three miles, we’re asking for 200 miles. You’re arguing something that I still believe is ours. …When we voted to be part of the United States, we voted to be part but it doesn’t make sense to give you our waters.”

Torres, however, still saw the bright side of the deal. “ As much as we want 200 miles, we should be glad we have three. Then we’re going to continue to work in order to move further beyond that. Let’s protect our waters for the next generation as we managed our submerged lands.”

Sablan echoed Torres’ sentiment, adding it has not been an easy task to convince the federal government. “This is a result of countless back-and-forth negotiations. There’s an irony in this situation because we’re actually given back land that actually belongs to us. Throughout all this time, I find it ironic in getting back land that we strongly believe is ours.”

“But we are a government ruled by law and the courts had [also] decided on the submerged lands. The bill passed the [U.S.] House but it got stuck in the Senate. Finally we got it. We try to get the best of every situation and we are aware of the work done by Gov. Torres and the late governor [Eloy] Inos in getting the patent transferred. We’re going to continue to fight for it.”

Borja said CNMI officials would continue to try and get back what is truly for the people of the Commonwealth. “In the first place, we have not given it to the federal government. We need to continue to try to get back what is ours. Especially on Tinian where there are restrictions on the submerged lands with the [U.S.] military.”

“We need to continue to support this to get back the submerged lands. We’re supposed to get 200 miles. I never read in our history that we gave the lands to the U.S. I ask all our leaders to work together so we could get back most of our submerged lands.”

Palacios said that getting back the submerged lands is the result of long discussions with NOAA and the Department of the Interior. He said all is not lost as the CNMI could continue talking with federal officials.

“There were provisions that if the CNMI had some problems with certain issues with some federal agency, then we could come to the negotiation table, and that was cited on the conveyance bill. We’re going to make sure the CNMI’s interests are protected as anticipated by [Delegate Sablan’s] bill. We’re looking forward to the closure of this chapter, and to work with NOAA and [DOI].”

Hocog also cited the CNMI Covenant with the U.S. where it was never mentioned that the federal government owns the submerged lands. “And that makes it more difficult, getting back something that is actually ours and we did not give them. Being an adopted family of the U.S., we live with it and the law of the federal government.”

“We’re part of the family but we must work on improving the document and see what more needs to be done so we could obtain real ownership. They gave it back, but [still] it is not actually ours because they still hold a large portion. We need to work on it and continue with the negotiations.”