By Haidee V. Eugenio
Variety Assistant Editor

IN late January or early February, the U.S. Navy will announce the start of the environmental studies on Guam and in the CNMI required to support the military buildup in the region, which is likely to result in at least $1 billion in annual spending for infrastructure development in the Marianas, primarily on Guam.
Aside from the relocation of 8,000 U.S. Marines from Okinawa, Japan to Guam, along with their dependents, there will also be a buildup of the Navy and the Air Force in the region and the CNMI is expected to benefit economically as a venue for military training to support the buildup and host ships for rest and recreation.
Rear Adm, Charles Leidig, the U.S. Pacific Defense Representative to Guam, the CNMI, the FSM, and Palau, said the environmental studies — which are expected to be completed in two to three years because of the complexity and magnitude of the military buildup — will be conducted on Guam and in the CNMI.
Leidig, guest speaker at the Saipan Chamber of Commerce gala dinner on Friday at the Fiesta Resort and Spa, called on business and government leaders to participate in the dialogue between the civilian and military on how to make the military buildup a success.
“It would only be after we do the required environmental studies that are required by U.S. law that we could actually make final decisions as to where these forces would go. You`ll see by the end of this month an announcement that says we are officially starting those environmental studies,” he said.
Another two to three years will be needed to complete the construction needed for the Marine relocation.
“That takes us until the year 2012 and the Marines will start moving out of Okinawa and coming to Guam (and that would) be completed by 2014 which is the agreement between the Japanese and the U.S. governments,” Leidig said.
A key point stressed by Leidig is for the CNMI government, the business community and the environmental groups to “start partnering now…so that we get moving on this big project.”
“Again, this goes back to my theme, ‘we have time but we don’t have time’,” he added.
The top Navy official cited as an example of a successful partnership the Civilian-Military Task Force created by Guam Gov. Felix P. Camacho, who also attended the Saipan Chamber of Commerce installation dinner.
The task force on Guam brings together people from the government, business sector, the community and the military to start setting up committees to begin discussion and open the dialogue concerning the military buildup.
“The initial discussions we had on Guam have been very successful in helping us understand what the impact will be on the community, and for the community to understand how we intend to do this…properly to benefit the people,” he said.
Leidig said Guam currently does not have enough workers to support needed military construction so they encourage the business community to make recommendations to solve this and related problems.
“And so as the business community works hand in hand in the Northern Marianas, I think you will find the solutions that will help us achieve success…Again, I look forward very much to working with you to properly plan this,” he added.
The Navy has been designated as the lead agency for the military buildup in the region.
Besides the task force, the Navy will also establish a Joint Guam Program Office in Washington, D.C. which will handle strategic issues related to the military buildup.
By the end of this month, an official announcement will be made about who the director of this Joint Guam Program Office will be, according to Leidig.
“I hope to have him, along with the assistant secretary of the Navy, visit Guam and Saipan later this month so that you can meet him,” Leidig said, adding that offices on Guam and Saipan may follow.
$15 billion in 10-20 years
The relocation of the Marines alone is estimated to require $10 billion in infrastructure development.
But Leidig said this doesn’t take into account yet the Navy and Air Force buildup that will account to an additional $3 to $5 billion.
“So this buildup will be (about) $15 billion over a 10 to 20-year period so we could be talking as much as a billion dollar a year of construction at some point to support this buildup. That, in itself, presents some challenges not only for the military but to the business community. We will depend on you to come up with innovative ideas on how we can meet this challenge,” said Leidig.
He added that there will be increased naval activity on Guam and in the CNMI as a result of changes within the Navy.
He said two cruise missile submarines will be home ported in the Pacific on the West Coast, “but they will operate primarily out of the harbor in Guam so in addition to the three home ported attack submarines, there will be two cruise missile submarines that will operate out of Guam more frequently.”
The Navy is also building a new class of submarines that are multi-mission capable. Those ships, according to Leidig, will be home ported in the West Coast initially but will also operate out of Guam and the Marianas region of operations.
The Navy is also building a new class of supply ships to replace the current logistics ships operating on Guam and making visits to Saipan.
“In addition, with the relocation of the Marines, there will have to be many more of our large deck amphibious ships coming to Guam and as a couple of them are out here, they will be visiting the islands of the Marianas,” he said.
The Navy, he added, also made a decision to have 10 carriers in the Pacific and four in the Atlantic. Although a decision still has to be made sometime in April as to where these six will be home ported, the Marianas will see more carriers operating in the area with frequent visits to the port in Guam over the next 10 to 15 years.
Leidig said the business community can also help find ways to transport Marines from Guam to training venues in the CNMI. He also noted the need to improve the harbors on Saipan and Tinian to support the movement of troops.
Newly installed Saipan Chamber of Commerce President Juan T. Guerrero, in his remarks, asked Leidig to open an office on Saipan to ensure a direct working relationship with the local community. Leidig said he will take up the matter with ranking military officials.