HPO aims to discuss military impact further

The Historic Preservation Office Review Board meets today to further discuss military impact in the CNMI.

The board had called for special meeting about a month ago to further discuss the effects of impending military activities on historic properties in the CNMI.

In an email yesterday, board vice chair Dr. Hiro Kurashina called today’s meeting a “working session.”

The board will meet at 9am at the Office of Aging conference room, Saipan Tribune learned. This meeting will be for a special briefing by Navy archaeologist Karen Desilet on the programmatic agreement for the CNMI Joint Military Training draft environmental impact statement.

HPO is expected to lead talks on Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. This process requires federal agencies like the military to take into account their effects on historic properties.

At 9:30am the board moves to the Humanities Council office for the Historic Preservation Review Board to begin preparing its comments on the DEIS.