By Walter Ulloa
For Variety
HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — Leaders from Guam’s executive and legislative branches, including the congressional delegate, have joined forces to oppose a federal proposal that could open waters near the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands to commercial deep-sea mining.
According to a press release issued Wednesday, Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero, Lt. Gov. Josh Tenorio, Guam Delegate James Moylan, Speaker Frank Blas Jr., and Sen. Tina Muna Barnes met Tuesday to coordinate their response to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s request for information on leasing portions of the CNMI’s exclusive economic zone.
“Our ocean is not a commodity. It is our lifeline, our heritage, and our responsibility to protect for generations to come,” Leon Guerrero said in the release. “We will not support any action that risks irreversible harm to our waters without clear science, meaningful consultation, and respect for our island communities.”
The unified stance comes as the public comment period on BOEM’s proposal continues through Jan. 12, 2026. Federal officials granted a 30-day extension after Guam and CNMI leaders requested more time, though many said the extension fell short of what was needed.
In an interview with The Guam Daily Post on Tuesday, Blas said the meeting centered on fundamental concerns about transparency and local input.
“One of the things is we just don’t have enough information to be able to make an informed decision,” Blas said. “And we’d like to be a part of that decision-making process as well.”
Blas said critical questions remain unanswered about the proposal’s scope and environmental consequences.
“Are they going to explore? Are they going to extract? What are they going to do? I mean, there’s still a number of unknowns,” he said. “What happens to our fish? What happens to our plants? What happens to many of the other things?”
The speaker questioned the federal government’s timeline for moving forward.
“What’s the urgency in this?” Blas said. “We need to be a part of that discussion.”
Guam’s position aligns with opposition from American Samoa and the CNMI, creating a united front among the three U.S. Pacific territories.
“If you see that coming from all three of us at the same time, it’s got a larger voice,” Blas said. “And it would cause greater scrutiny and more attention to what is actually happening.”
Tenorio, who advocated for the extension in Washington, emphasized the need for collective action.
“We need to collectively assert our position, protect Guam’s interests, and safeguard our natural environment for the generations to come,” he said. “The 30-day extension is not enough.”
