By Emmanuel T. Erediano
Variety News Staff

OBYAN Beach, a nesting ground for green sea turtles, now has an emergency access gate and new stairs.
Coastal Resources Management and the Mariana Island Nature Alliance will hand the keys to the Emergency Management Office and the Department of Public Safety at 10 a.m. today, according to CRM natural resource planner, Kathy Yuknavage in an e-mail yesterday.
A ceremony will be held in the parking lot at the beach.
The construction of the stairs was completed by HBR International Inc. late last month and funded through a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services grant awarded to MINA and CRM.
Last year, MINA, CRM, the local Division of Fish and Wildlife, with the help of many other groups, particularly the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. and the Beautify CNMI! coalition, installed used power poles in the area to prevent vehicles from driving in the area leading to the beach.
Three signboards were also installed in the area which provide information about green sea turtles and their life cycle.
The sea turtle photographs were donated by Dr. Mark Robertson of the Marianas Eye Institute and members of All American Divers.
Presentations at various schools were also held to give students information about environmental protection, and the reason why motorists should not drive on the beach.