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Village residents are up in arms
According to many residents of the 26 families that comprise the Susupe Lake Neighborhood Watch Committee, they are constantly exposed to toxic waste and noise pollution from a construction and junkyard business within their residential neighborhood. The business, USA Fanter Inc., is located on the shores of Lake Susupe, the CNMI’s only freshwater lake or reservoir.
The problem came to a head in July 2016 when certain residents had had enough and filed a lawsuit against the company and Steven Qian, the owner. Reporter Ferdie de la Torre of the Saipan Tribune covered this story and the details of the lawsuit in an article published in the Tribune on July 11, 2016.
The neighbors’ current complaint is that USA Fanter Corp. has intensified its activities since the July 11, 2016 article and lawsuit, from yet an additional site in the Lake Susupe neighborhood on the east side of our home.
Last weekend and during the week the neighbors parked a car in front of the Fanter dumpsite, with a sign placed in the windshield saying: Please stop working on Saturday & Sunday. Stop noise & disturbing our peace & quiet life. Your neighbors.
Fanter answered the sign by misrepresenting the civil nature of the long running dispute and the ongoing court case against Fanter. Mr. Qian was seen at the site, claiming to the police this was a criminal act and asked the police to tow the car parked in from of Mr. Qian’s property. The car—even though parked on public street (not private land)—was impounded by the police and cost a lot to retrieve from the tow yard.
Susupe Lake and the land that Fanter is occupying is zoned village residential, yet Mr. Qian has continued to run his junkyard and polluting activities unabated and has ignored the lawsuit and the loud outcry of residents.
The noise pollution from the construction of trusses and steel welding and manufacturing activities commence every morning at 6:30am even on Saturday, Sunday, Easter and Christmas days. The noise and whistles from the bulldozers beeping, beeping, beeping awakes the residents every day at 6:30am, even on Sundays and holidays.
Dr. Gene and Anna Eagle-Oden
Susupe Lake, Saipan
