Feds, CNMI agree on work plan for Marpi landfill

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife has made a commitment to help the CNMI government hurdle the biggest obstacle in getting a permit to begin work on the Marpi landfill as scheduled in the year 2000, according to John Harder, Solid Waste Manager.

In a recent meeting with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife officials in Honolulu, Mr. Harder said a working arrangement has been made with them to make sure that the endangered reed warbler, a bird specie endemic to the Northern Marianas, will be protected once construction of the landfill begins.

Lt. Gov. Jesus R. Sablan, head of the Solid Waste Task Force, Division of Environmental Quality Ignacio Cabrera and Mr. Harder attended the meeting in Hawaii with federal officials.

“We have come a long way in addressing the issue as a result of the meeting. They have assured us of assistance and we have all agreed on a working arrangement,” said Mr. Harder. However, he said he is more concerned with the bidding process which usually causes the delay in many projects on the island.

Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio has been disappointed with the slow progress on the landfill project as U.S. Fish and Wildlife officials have delayed the issuance of a permit due to concerns raised on the protection of the endangered bird specie.

The CNMI government has offered one of the Northern Islands as mitigation site for the endangered bird specie which federal officials said maybe affected with the landfill project. But the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Division has turned down the proposal.

Government officials and business leaders have been frustrated with the slow permitting process due to the environmental and health problems caused by the failure to close the Puerto Rico dump site. A Hawaii-based consulting firm, Harding Lawson and Associates, was hired last June to carry out the design of the Marpi landfill and develop an island-wide solid waste management plan.

It will take about six months to meet the federal regulations plus the design process and 10 months of actual construction work. Based on the original plan, the landfill is expected to be operational by October 2000.

The Legislature has already set aside some $16 million for the closure of the existing dump and establishment of the landfill.