The delegation will be shadowed by the producers of “Dan Rather Reports” and Asahi TV News Media of Japan, according to Sen. Rory Respicio, who is part of the delegation along with Sen. Tina Muna Barnes.
The group made its way around the nation’s capital on Tuesday. The delegation’s visit seeks to secure reassurance that the civilian community of Guam will not be left behind in the massive military buildup.
While attending meetings with high-level federal officials, the Guam senators presented official copies of Resolution 275, which was unanimously adopted on Feb. 11 and copies of documents on concerns raised during public hearings.
Resolution 275 expresses the sentiments of the people of Guam regarding the draft environmental impact statement. It restates Guam’s agenda of priority concerns on federal-territorial issues that must be addressed concurrently with this buildup.
“Day one was extremely productive. We believe our presence here makes a difference, so that these high ranking officials know that Guam is not just a strategic military installation, or that our people are mere numbers.
We are reminding the federal government that our lives and livelihood have been and will continue to be affected by their past, present, and future decisions,” Won Pat said.
Meetings began with Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for enforcement and compliance with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Susan E. Bromm, director of EPA’s Office of Federal Affairs.
Giles stressed that the military buildup on Guam is a “high priority” and that “everyone is paying attention to process” to make sure it meets the needs of the citizens of Guam.
The senators also met with Nancy Sutley, chairwoman of the Council on Environmental Quality, and Cecilia Munoz, the White House director for intergovernmental affairs.
After the meeting, the Guam senators were reassured of a new sense of commitment.
“We can clearly see a shift in focus when compared to the kind of feedback we’ve gotten in past years,” Barnes said. “The White House is exploring ways to ensure better communication with the people of Guam while the draft impact statement is under revision.”
