Rep. Sylvestre I. Iguel, Covenant-Saipan, said although the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency already cleaned up an area in Tanapag where polychlorinated biphenyls or PCBs were positively identified, other areas in the village which are known to be fuel farms of the American forces during World War II have yet to be tested for certain chemicals.
Iguel told the Variety he introduced House Bill 17-29 which seeks to mandate the CNMI Department of Public Lands to conduct an environmental sampling on areas possibly contaminated with chemicals to gather evidence to compel the U.S.
Department of Defense to clean up the sites.
An environmentalist, Iguel said the U.S. spent about $700,000 in grants to clean up PCBs in Tanapag during the first stage of the process.
But he said it took many years before the cleanup took place.
“Both PCBs and dioxins have been found in dangerous concentrations throughout Tanapag village, clear evidence of widespread contamination and as a result, the U.S. Department of Defense accepted responsibility for the cleanup of the PCB and dioxin contamination in 1992,” said Iguel.
“However, environmental sampling associated with soil removal actions by the United States Army Corps of Engineers had predominantly focused solely on the PCB contaminated soil at source areas within the village on public lands and has not addressed other chemicals such as dioxin, vinyl chloride, benzene, ethylbenzene, dichloroethylene, mercury, nitrites, lead and other heavy metals and chemicals of concern,” he added.
The CNMI government developed Tanapag as a homestead area.
According to a resolution from the 11th House of Representatives, the Attorney General’s Office spent $250,000 on environmental and consultation services before the homestead area was developed.
That study noted concerns about environmental and health impact from potential exposure to PCBs and other chemicals that may have contaminated the village’s water sources, sediments and ecology.
“The presence of such harmful chemicals of concern would constitute a possible imminent and immediate danger to the environment and the health and welfare of the people of Tanapag and the entire village,” stated a portion of Iguel’s bill which remains pending in the House.
If his bill becomes law, DPL is mandated to fund an independent study to conduct environmental samplings and consultations on areas possibly contaminated with chemicals of concern earlier identified.
Iguel said DPL has the obligation to ensure that residents given homestead lots live in a clean and healthful environment.
He said the findings of the study will back up future action from the CNMI to compel the U.S. to clean up its waste.
“That study will obligate the Department of Defense to clean up the chemical wastes they left behind here,” he said.
Saipan was a major site of fierce fighting between Japanese and American forces during World War II.
