In its October 2020 status report, Gilbane Federal said beginning in March, travel restrictions have hampered staff and subcontractor access to Saipan and Rota and affected the schedule of the projects.
In spite of travel restrictions, progress has continued in the field on several task orders or TOs on Saipan, Gilbane Federal stated. The federal court-appointed engineering company based in California also stated in its project status report that it has maintained one employee on island and several contractors have continued work on the TOs.
Gilbane Federal said its engineering and environmental management program is on-track, but behind in schedule due to the pandemic.
“Time extensions will be necessary on all TOs. Overall, while the program budget has been strained by the travel restrictions resulting in delays, TO budgets may still be adequate (depending on the length of the ongoing delays) with one major exception — facility drainage improvements at Power Plants 1 & 2, to 12,” Gilbane Federal told the court.
The company noted that because the July 2020 status conference was canceled by the court, the status report “would be typically…presented at the status conference.”
The status report was signed by Daryl Greenway, Engineering and Environmental Management Company principal, and Jeff Hess, Gilbane Federal senior project manager.
In November 2008, after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency cited CUC for violation of the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act, the federal court issued Stipulated Orders 1 and 2.
SO1 focuses on drinking water issues while SO2 focuses on oil issues, such as requiring CUC to repair and replace oil storage and operation infrastructure, manage tank and pipeline facilities, and require spill and emergency response equipment and protocols.
In 2014, the federal court appointed Gilbane Federal as the engineering and environmental management company that will assist CUC in implementing SO2 projects.
In January 2020, District Court for the NMI Designated Judge David O. Carter extended the term of Gilbane Federal to February 2021.
