Acting CPA Executive Director Lee Cabrera reported to the Legislature that the agency will charge airlines 5 cents per gallon of waste received and 5 cents per gallon of water replacement for their aircraft.
Cabrera said CPA spent more than $300,000 for a tritulator — a machine that receives aircraft wastes — but never charged airlines for its use until this month.
“CPA has not passed on these costs for recovery and is doing so now. CPA will charge .05 cents per gallon of aircraft waste received and .05 cents per gallon for replacement water for the aircraft. Again, these new charges will take effect on June 13,” he said in a report to the Legislature.
He also told lawmakers that CPA is increasing airport incinerator charges for foreign vessels entering the CNMI beginning this month.
“These rates were approved by the CPA board in Nov. 2006 but were never implemented. Signatory and non-signatory airlines will pay these new charges in 30 days from June 13, 2008…. At the same time, CPA, in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General, has issued emergency regulations for the same rates for those ships or carriers which call on the port of Saipan and use the airport incinerator,” the acting CPA executive director added.
CPA remains under Gov. Benigno R. Fitial’s control following the extension for another 30 days of the state of emergency declaration for the autonomous agency.
Fitial made the decision amid fears that Bank of Guam — the trustee of CPA’s $20 million bond indenture — would declare the loan on technical default, which could further undermine the CNMI’s future bond floats and loans.
All members of the CPA board resigned and the governor has yet to name new appointees to the governing body of the agency in charge of all airports and seaports throughout the commonwealth.
