DUE to the presence of World War II unexploded ordnance or UXO, the Department of Public Lands is looking for an alternative site for the proposed Tinian landfill.
More than 10 years ago, a place called Pina, located southwest of Tinian, was identified as a potential site for the relocation of the landfill, which is currently at Puntan Diablo, an open dump that is now considered a health and environmental hazard.
On June 2, 2009, DPL designated 12 hectares of land in Pina for the construction of the new landfill and other facilities for solid waste management on Tinian.
In her letter to Senate President Jude U. Hofschneider on May 4, then-DPL Secretary Marianne Concepcion-Teregeyo said the study conducted by AMPRO LLC indicated that the proposed relocation site was used during World War II as an Army Air Corps ordnance storage facility in support of the Northfield B29 flight operations. It was found out that “a high potential exists for the site to have unexploded ordnance…remaining in the area as a result of these activities.”
Concepcion-Teregeyo said based on the findings, “this site is contaminated with unexploded ordnance, which will be encountered during construction phase and [AMPRO] stated that no work should be undertaken in the designated site until the area has been swept and cleared of UXO due to the confirmed presence of explosive items.”
She said DPL will work on finding an alternative viable site for the Tinian landfill outside of the Pina area and cooperate with the Tinian delegation in taking steps toward the authorized clearing of UXO.
The Tinian leadership earlier asked DPL for an update on the new landfill site ahead of the development of a zero waste management plan for Tinian, which will be funded by the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act.
The CNMI stands to receive $5.6 million in ASADRA funds from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
