By Emmanuel T. Erediano
Variety News Staff

THE creation of a volcano observatory in the Northern Islands may no longer be possible because funding for it was not included the fiscal year 2008 budget submitted by President Bush for the Office of Insular Affairs, according to the U.S. Geological Survey’s Dr. James Quick.
Quick, in an-email to Rep. Ramon A. Tebuteb last week, said “unless the U.S. Congress decides otherwise, there will be no work on CNMI volcanoes in FY 2008.”
Quick was replying to. Tebuteb’s e-mail.
The Saipan Republican earlier asked Quick about federal funding for an early warning system.
Tebuteb said funding for the project could have been included had the CNMI government continued working closely with the USGS.
He introduced House Joint Resolution 15-15 last month urging the Fitial administration to act immediately on a memorandum of understanding with the USGS for cooperation on volcano monitoring.
This MOU, he said, would pave the way for the creation of a volcano observatory in the Northern Islands.
“Tomorrow, we don’t know what’s going to happen. (A volcano) may erupt anytime, and that’s how urgent this issue is,” Tebuteb said in an earlier interview.
He cited the case of Pagan which is “continuously showing signs of activity.”
Tebuteb said the CNMI may have to seek the help of the Federal Aviation Administration.
Quick told Tebuteb that the FAA may still have funding for volcano monitoring.
Otherwise, Quick told the lawmaker, “I will be forced to cancel plans for monitoring Pagan this year, and (the) completion of its hazard assessment.”