Refaluwasch leader Melvin LO Faisao, a senior advisor and cultural practitioner for the URAALI Refaluwasch Association, has spoken out against proposals to import solid waste into the CNMI—a stance that reflects rising public concern across the islands.
In his letter to Senate President Karl King-Nabors and Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez, dated November 3, Faisao, who also serves as Precinct 5 club president for the NMI Republican Party, laid out his opposition to plans put forward by two private firms seeking to bring construction debris from the Marshall Islands and pharmaceutical waste from Guam to CNMI landfills.
“This proposal has generated significant public concern regarding environmental integrity, fiscal prudence, and long-term sustainability,” a portion of Faisao’s letter to the legislative leaders read.
Faisao’s letter echoes the anxieties and concerns of residents and environmental advocates. The Refaluwasch leader argued that moving forward without economic and environmental feasibility studies would be shortsighted. He said that approving such proposals “poses a serious and detrimental risk to the long-term welfare of our great Commonwealth — both environmentally and economically.”
Faisao called on lawmakers to scrutinize not just the economic and environmental effects of importing off-island waste, but also the regulatory and policy structures that would govern such operations. He pointed out the potential for conflict with recommendations from the 2020 Fiscal Response Summit, which emphasized sustainability and fiscal responsibility as guideposts for the CNMI’s future.
“I urge that this matter be referred to the appropriate oversight and fiscal committees for deliberation to ensure that decisions are transparent, environmentally sound, and fiscally responsible,” Faisao said.
