Consider the following:
There is a short section in the executive summary referring to an additional need for Marine Air-Ground Task Force training and its potential location the CNMI. It is simply explained away with a note that it will be reviewed in a future. However, National Environmental Policy Act requires environmental impact statements to review all foreseeable related actions, which is clearly the case here. If not considered in this review then, it is a segmented action, which is contrary to federal law.
The draft report (Volume 2, Chapter 2) discusses the Marine Corps aviation relocation to Guam and four landing zones in addition to Andersen Air Force Base, but provides no maps or discussion of the training flight routes between the five or elsewhere. There is also a statement of low level terrain flights over Guam. This is seriously low level at only 50 to 200 feet above the terrain, both during the day and night. This is not discussed further in the draft study and aircraft flights cannot be contained within the air space of the military lands with speeds up to over 300 miles per hour. So be prepared to wake up to this. Also, let’s not forget the fatal crash of a military helicopter in Fena Reservoir a couple of years ago.
Take a look again at Volume 2, Chapter 12 regarding cultural resources. Only cultural resource probability maps are provided, thus attempting to hide the location of our cultural resources from the impacts of the buildup. For the Lajuna, Pagat, and Sasayan area, the cultural resource survey work is incomplete with the DEIS, admitting that only 60 percent has been surveyed. Then, for instance, the Chamorro village at Pagat is reduced to a line on a table while no cultural resource surveys are included in the appendixes. The result is that insufficient information is provided leaving the reviewer in the dark. Are there surprises there, too?
While we have focused on access to the Chamorro village site of Pagat, let us not overlook the new sewer line ocean outfall on our northwestern coastline as a long term alternative illustrated in Volume 6, Chapter 2. The new sewer line would drop down the scenic towering cliffs at Tanguisson Point, considerably north of the power plant, cross the tranquil beach at Sagua Boti, and enter the ocean at Danu Charu. This route will encounter the ancient Chamorro Village at Hilaan on one of Guam most scenic spots. Certainly the sewer line will desecrate Chamorro burials. Again, this component’s impacts are not discussed as required by the federal law.
And there are probably more buildup surprises buried in the 11,000 pages.
DAVE LOTZ
Yigo, Guam
