By Gina Tabonares
Variety News Staff

LAWMAKERS who toured the Ordot Dump and the future site of a landfill in Layon say they will focus on the immediate improvement of the island’s solid waste management.
“A lot of things need to be done and most of them should have been done earlier. Now we cannot afford further delay,” Sen. James V. Espaldon, R-Tamuning, said yesterday.
Espaldon, chairman of the infrastructure committee, initiated a site visit to the Ordot Dump, the Andersen Air Force Base sanitary landfill, recycling facilities, and the new landfill site in Dandan in order to get a better perspective on the island’s solid waste system operations.
“It was a good opportunity to bring together all the parties concerned. We were able to discuss some issues and exchange information with government agencies concerned about the whole operation,” Espaldon told Variety.
He said lawmakers who participated in the tour now have a clearer picture of the whole garbage situation.
“The tour opened our eyes and senators realize that we need to take a serious look at this. We have to get together and make sure that we will invest in a new landfill that is worth the taxpayers’ money. We have to study every detail because this new landfill will be around for at least 40 years and we don’t want to make mistakes and regret that we didn’t plan it well,” Espaldon said.
He admitted he was not fully aware of the whole situation concerning the consent decree on the closure of the Ordot Dump and the construction of a new landfill, but he said his committee is studying the possible resolution of solid waste management problems.
“This is a very complicated issue. A lot of things have been brought up and recommended but we have to weigh things out but I am not confident to give specific details on certain plans yet,” Espaldon said.
He said he fully agrees with the idea of sharing the cost of the landfill with the federal government.
Espaldon said the federal government should not only share the cost of the new landfill but also of the water system and all other government infrastructure that will equally benefit the incoming military population.
He said he is leaning towards the creation of a private corporation that will oversee the operation of the island’s solid waste management.
“The Public Utilities Commission has recommended that we take a look at the suggestion. I am leaning towards this sort of autonomous authority for solid waste operations but, again, I cannot fully give my whole opinion because I am still studying all the factors related to this suggestion,” Espaldon added.
He reiterated the need to immediately act to comply with the consent decree.
“The closure of Ordot is at the top of my priorities. Its closure has been 20 years in the making, but it just hasn’t happened. We need to address this once and for all and end further delay,” Espaldon added.