HAGÅTÑA — From all indications, Sen. Judi Guthertz said the U.S. military still has its heart set on an extensive firing range in the Route 15, Pågat area, despite a range of opposition that includes all members of the Guam Legislature and Gov. Eddie Calvo, whom Guthertz recalled memorably pledging during his campaign last year, “Pågat is not for sale.”
But probably the strongest resistance is from long-time area residents, former Sen. Ted Nelson and his family, who learned from preliminary plans that a planned nearby grenade range would render their home uninhabitable, because of the constant explosions during training exercises that will disrupt an otherwise quiet area.
Since last year, Guthertz has been trying to obtain a map of what the actual range boundaries will be, and to get military officials together with the Nelsons to discuss the impact on their property. Neither has happened to date.
Guthertz has since been told by Assistant Secretary of the Navy Jackalyne Pfannenstiel that the range will be reconfigured so that the possible grenade range will have no impact on the Nelson property, though without a map, this might be hard to determine.
Guthertz has been actively reviewing other possible locations for the firing ranges and renewed her request for action by the military to communicate with the Nelson family.
“You have announced that the firing range will be reconfigured so that the public will have continued unimpeded access to the village of Pågat and the Pågat Cave,” Guthertz said in a letter to Pfannenstiel.
“However, here it is, several months later, and no military has visited the Nelson clan and no map has been produced showing the new borders for the proposed firing range and the orientations of the individual weapon ranges.”
Guthertz said she hopes to hear from Pfannenstiel, otherwise it would seem her requests are being ignored.
