Previous Story
Managaha cleanup and restoration is completed
The Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality announced Friday that the Managaha Island Cleanup and Restoration Project has been completed. The project was administered by BECQ and funded by a Brownfields grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
On March 7, 2015, MegAnnum, Inc., a CNMI environmental contractor, completed the project and restored the excavation areas on Managaha Island with the removal of buried rusted drums and the discarding of marine batteries and pesticide-impacted soil. MegAnnum excavated approximately 42 cubic yards of suspect pesticide-impacted soil, 23 rusted drums, and 17 discarded marine batteries from two small areas on Managaha Island identified as the Mound A Site and the Battery Site. The materials were secured in 143 WasteAway® drum containers, transported to Saipan, and properly disposed of at the Marpi Landfill with the approval of the Department of Public Works.
Additionally, MegAnnum collected multi-increment soil samples from the Mound A Site excavation area and Battery Site excavation area. The soil samples were submitted for analysis to a USEPA-accredited commercial laboratory located in California. The laboratory results of all the soil samples were non-detect for the contaminant of concern.
MegAnnum recommended no further soil excavation, drum removal, or soil sampling activities at the Mound A Site and the Battery Site. The BECQ reviewed MegAnnum’s final report and the certified laboratory analytical results. A representative of the Department of Fish and Wildlife inspected the restored excavation areas and found them to be satisfactory for future turtle nesting. No unexploded ordnance was discovered during the excavation activities conducted by MegAnnum. The buried rusted drums removed were likely filled with sand and used as a former World War II Japanese defensive position during the war.
On April 9, 2015, the final meeting of stakeholders was held at the BECQ office and the stakeholders were fully satisfied with the results and final report of the project. (BECQ)
