GOVERNOR Juan N. Babauta and various government agencies believe that finding solutions to the CNMI’s environmental problems should be their priority.
Yesterday marked the opening ceremonies of the first CNMI Environmental Symposium which was participated by some 100 environment experts, government personnel, students and guests.
The governor, in his opening remarks, said the government was taking steps to develop sanitary landfills on Rota and Tinian, and complete the cleanup for polychlorinated biphenyls and other hazardous materials in the CNMI.
Babauta said he and Lt. Gov. Diego T. Benavente had vowed to close the Puerto Rico dumpsite and open the Marpi landfill while implementing a comprehensive solid waste plan.
“We’re also coming up with ways to restore the environmental quality of the Saipan lagoon and protect all near-shore waters,” he added.
There is also a need to improve the quantity and quality of the CNMI’s drinking water, Babauta said.
These steps include the reduction of non-point pollution or “runoffs,” controlling fishing in the Saipan lagoon and establishing a marine sanctuary.
“This administration is about promoting eco-tourism, energy conservation and environmentally friendly business practices, as our overall goal is to be known as the Green Marianas,” Babauta said.
John I. Castro, director of the Division of Environmental Quality, said the community is now more concerned about the environment.
“I’m glad there’s a big turnout for the symposium. It’s our hope that we will be able to further reach out to the community about the importance of addressing environmental problems,” Castro said.
DEQ sponsored the environmental symposium in collaboration with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Coastal Resources Management, the Division of Fish and Wildlife and Northern Marianas College-Cooperative Research, Education and Extension Services.
The governor said protecting, conserving and preserving the CNMI’s natural resources “is everybody’s business.”
“April is Environmental Awareness Month, but awareness shouldn’t end just because the month is over. It should be part of our daily lives,” Babauta added.
Bob Kenney, the keynote speaker at the symposium and a teacher at NMC, encouraged the public to enjoy and protect the environment.
Frances Castro, DEQ non-point source coordinator, said runoffs or non-point source pollution continue to threaten the Saipan lagoon.
These are caused by excess use of pesticides, fertilizers and cleaning agents with phosphates, improper land clearing, failing septic systems, improper disposal of chemicals and littering, she said.
Brian Bearden, DEQ’s environmental engineer, said the Garapan area continues to have the “worst water quality” on Saipan as shown by DEQ data.
The drainage system at the back of Dai-Ichi Hotel in Garapan continues to discharge polluted water into the lagoon, Bearden said.
This makes it one of the most polluted beaches on Saipan. In 2001 alone, the beach site had been declared unsafe for fishing and swimming for 21 weeks.
This year, DEQ hoisted the red flag at the same beach site for six weeks.
One of the presenters, Kathy Yuknavage of NMC-CREES, called on the public to stop driving vehicles on the beach.
“A lot of us are not aware that it is actually illegal to drive on the beach. We are working with the Department of Public Safety to make sure the public knows this,” Yuknavage said.
Driving on the beach leads to the accumulation of drips or deposits of oil and gasoline that will pollute the sand and the lagoon, she said. Further, ruts caused by tires in the sand will destroy turtle nests, vegetation and erosion.
Benny Pangelinan, CRM coastal coordinator and also a speaker at the symposium, called on the public to obey environmental regulations, including the removal of canoes and boats along the shoreline.
Other presenters at the first day of the event included CRM marine biologist John Starmer, DEQ marine biologist Peter Houk, Marine Mania of Guam’s George Washington High School, the CNMI Youth Congress, other officials from DEQ, the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. and the U.S. Geological Survey.
