“Properties that have been assessed or cleaned may actually be more attractive to investors because investors will know that their properties are clean,” said DEQ site assessment and remediation manager Ray Masga in an e-mail to the Variety.
“Brownfields will actually protect investors from being responsible for contamination they did not cause or contribute to,” Masga said.
Brownfields sites turned into parks, historic sites or wildlife habitats will also be more attractive to tourists, he added.
Masga shared the story of a landowner of a former garment factory that closed shop and left several drums of manufacturing waste.
He said the property owner had no way of properly disposing the the hazardous waste.
The property owner contacted DEQ which then asked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s peromission to use Brownfields funding for “site stabilization.”
“Another important aspect of having a property assessed and cleaned prior to being acquired is that investors will not assume the liability associated with acquiring contaminated properties,” Masga said.
Masga, together with DEQ technical advisor Jim Callier, environmental specialist Edward Manibusan, student Maria Bugarin and Department of Public Lands assistant manager Mario Cepeda, discussed the Brownfields program and the Superfund law at the multi-purpose center last week.
Masga noted that contaminated properties are found everywhere as he underscored the importance of public cooperation and assistance.
The purpose of the Brownfields program, he added, is to assess and clean up properties for redevelopment or reuse for commercial/economic uses or greenspace — parks or wildlife habitats.
“Under federal law, a landowner or operator can assume liability by simply owning a contaminated property, regardless of who caused the contamination,” Masga said.
Another example of a Brownfields site is the Marpi area, which was used by the U.S. and Japanese armed forces during the wars and is habitat to many endangered species.
“Assessing and cleaning up Brownfields would only add more value to the Marpi area and other similar areas in the CNMI,” Masga said.
According to DEQ, 71 brownfields sites on private and public lands in the CNMI have so far been identified.
There were 16 potential hazardous substances found on Saipan, one on Tinian and three on Rota.
On Saipan, there were 25 potential sites with presence of petroleum. There were 10 on Tinian and 16 on Rota.
The potential Brownfields site on Saipan are Marpi (2), Capital Hill (2), San Vicente (2), San Jose (1), Tanapag (5), Talofofo (2), Dandan/airport (4), Susupe (2), Lower Base (6), Kagman (1), As Terlaje (2), Chalan Kanoa (3), Puerto Rico (3), As Lito (3), and San Antonio/Chalan Piao (3).
