However, according to Department of Public Lands Secretary John Del Rosario Jr., land designation and homestead issuance will still depend on the availability of funding for the required infrastructure.
In a report to the Senate Committee on Resources, Economic Development and Programs, Del Rosario Jr. said, “Tinian and Rota still have sufficient land for homestead development. And given the availability of land, applicants would be accommodated through the issuance of homestead lots via a lottery system.”
The committee held a hearing on public lands last week.
Del Rosario cited the lack of funding “for the subsequent emplacement of basic infrastructure of water, power, roads and sewer system.”
But he said DPL has already resolved the issue of a sewer system for both islands.
“[The Division of Environmental Quality] has agreed to allow the use of septic tanks with DEQ specifications for Tinian and Rota and on Saipan, where a sewer system doesn’t exist,” Del Rosario said, adding that this is a major hurdle that DPL has to overcome.
He said DEQ’s move should “pave the way for the designation of additional homestead subdivisions” on Rota and Tinian.
Tinian has some 500 pending homestead applications.
Sen. Henry H. San Nicolas, Covenant-Tinian, yesterday said they want to know the amount of funding DPL needs.
“We’re happy to know that there are sufficient lands available for homestead on Tinian,” he said. “The next thing we want to know is if there’s money available at DPL for basic infrastructure … because it will be useless to issue homestead without the basic necessities like roads to those lands.”
He added, “We want to help expedite the process and we intend to look for funding that will assist DPL in this purpose.”
On Saipan, there are 3,400 homestead applicants, a figure that exceeds the size of remaining lands for homesteads.
DPL also needs some $256 million to construct the needed infrastructure for the new homesteads on Saipan, Rota and Tinian.
