Retired U.S. Navy Cmdr. Edward J. Lynch, program manager of the Mariana Islands Range Complex, and Randy Vavra, fleet environmental counsel, are here on Saipan to inform the public and solicit comments about the draft environmental assessment on the proposed upgrading of sites for military training and testing activities.
In an interview yesterday, Lynch said training in the Marianas is extremely important because it has a large area of sea and air space that provides them the ability to train their forces.
The area also gives them the ability to train their forces to come ashore, which a training base on Tinian currently provides.
Lynch said before they conduct these activities, they will analyze everything from explosions to movement of troops.
Aside from the explosions and Naval gunfire within the bombing ranges on Farallon de Mendenilla, the military also conducts submarine warfare activities and air-to-air combat activities between two air planes, both of which involve no explosions.
But Lynch said they also conduct certain types of exercises that require, for example, the sinking of an old destroyer.
“We have analyzed this activity and it has a minimal effect.”
Lynch said they have certain rules for sinking exercises to make sure that the vessel is totally clean of any type of hazardous materials as certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and in consultation with the local government.
The executive order creating the National Marine Monument specifically exempts the military from certain regulations, he added.
However, he said the executive order also states that once the management plans and regulations are in place, the military should look at those and see how the training activities may or may not affect the area.
Lynch said the Hawaii national monument provides the same exemptions to the military.
Lynch, Vavra and other representatives from Guam were scheduled to hold a public hearing at the multi-purpose center in Susupe at 7 p.m. last night.
They were seeking written and oral comments from the public regarding the draft environmental assessment for the range complex.
