Sablan introduced one of the bills, H.R. 3511, on July 31, 2009.
It authorizes the secretary of the Interior to build a multipurpose visitor center in the CNMI for interpretation and public education and enjoyment of the Monument.
Two weeks ago, Bordallo introduced the other bill, H.R. 4493, which provides for Monument visitor and research services on Guam.
Bordallo’s bill also gives the government of Guam a role in the management of the Monument.
“I think that it is very important to have a hearing on these two bills,” said Sablan. “And I look forward to working with Chairwoman Bordallo.
“The subcommittee especially needs to hear witnesses from the Northern Marianas who negotiated the terms and conditions of the Monument with the White House. They can testify what promises or understandings were given concerning facilities for visitors and concerning the management of fisheries and other resources within the Monument,” he said.
“We have to be sure that those promises are fulfilled and that Congress does nothing out of line with the agreements the White House made to the people of the Northern Marianas,” he added.
Then-President George W. Bush created the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument by Presidential Proclamation on Jan. 6, 2009.
The 95,216-square mile Monument is made up of three units.
Two of these, the Volcanic and Trench Units, do not include any waters, but only submerged lands — volcanic hot spots on the ocean floor and the Marianas Trench itself.
The third, the Islands Unit, includes both submerged lands and the ocean waters above them.
The Islands Unit also completely surrounds three islands — Farallon de Pajaros, Maug, and Asuncion — which belong to the CNMI.
The presidential proclamation prohibits commercial fishing within the Islands Unit, but does allow traditional indigenous fishing and recognizes the role of the CNMI government in determining what is traditional indigenous fishing.
