Tinian leadership meets to discuss issues facing BIG

Tinian Mayor Joey P. San Nicolas called upon the Tinian leadership and Tinian Commonwealth Ports Authority board member Kimberlyn King-Hinds on Monday to meet with representatives of Bridge Investment Group to discuss ongoing concerns about BIG’s siting permit application.

The Tinian leadership had been informed that BIG cannot be granted a major siting permit to proceed with their project because the project is not considered a “port related activity.”

During the meeting, San Nicolas expressed that it was the leadership’s intent to assist and support BIG as they undergo the major siting permit process.

“We’ve been informed that the BIG project may have some issues with the [Coastal Resources Management] permitting process and that DPL (Department of Public Lands)may also have concerns with BIG’s lease with CPA. We want to be fully briefed of all the issues so that we can figure out how to best address the concerns,” said San Nicolas.

King-Hinds explained to the leadership that, as a condition of BIG’s lease with CPA, BIG is required to comply with all federal and local laws, rules and regulations, one of which is the CRM/BECQ permitting requirements. CRM has made it clear that under the permitting requirements, a casino development, even one who provides ferry services, is not considered a port related activity.

“As such, CRM may not be granting BIG its permit to develop at the port. The Department of Public Lands has also raised its concerns to CPA that the BIG lease may be in violation DPL’s grant of public domain to CPA because CPA has leased out the property to a developer whose activities are not considered port related.”

King-Hinds further explained that BIG, CPA, DPL, CRM, and Gov. Ralph DLG Torres have met to discuss the matter.

“The governor has stated his unequivocal support of this project and is aware of the major hurdles faced by BIG. It has been suggested that to circumvent CRM permitting requirements, CPA give up the property to DPL and BIG enters into a new lease with DPL, in essence giving up half of the Tinian port.”

San Nicolas asked King-Hinds if CPA would support of this decision. According to King Hinds: “I can’t answer that question. There may be federal laws or regulations related to border security which precludes CPA from doing that, given the size of the port. Clearly, when this lease was first considered these are questions and issues that should have been addressed in some sort of a due diligence report. To answer that question, CPA has to do its due diligence considering future expansion, actual current port related activities, applicable federal and local laws governing port operations in vetting whether it is even feasible to altogether give up that piece of property.”

Sen. Jude U. Hofschneider, on behalf of the delegation, expressed their support of the project and asked BIG representative Trenton Conner how the Tinian Legislative Delegation could assist BIG. Conner requested that the Tinian Delegation request for CPA to draft legislation that gives the port the authority to define “port related” activities. King-Hinds responded, that “even if a law were to pass tomorrow that CPA gets to define ‘port related’ activities, we can’t tell CRM or DPL how to define port related activities.”

In concluding the meeting, San Nicolas reiterated the leadership’s support and vowed towork with BIG and other government agencies to find a way to move the project forward. (PR)