PCB cleanup pleases Teno • Gov’t will continue to assist affected residents

While expressing satisfaction over efforts by federal and local authorities to address the polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination in Tanapag, Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio yesterday vowed to continue helping village residents seek relief for the environmental and health impact of the problem.

He said he is “happy” following a report that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will finally clean up the area of the highly-toxic chemicals after more than 12 years of inaction by the federal government.

A report that villagers are getting themselves examined by doctors in a clinic set up by the Department of Public Health with the assistance of the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry is also a welcome news for the CNMI, according to the governor.

“I am satisfied that they are doing something now and I am satisfied that the clinic is open,” he told reporters in an interview.
“Hopefully that whatever we can do to assist those people, [we will do]. I’m happy.”

The Army Corps has scheduled the cleanup of the PCB contamination in Cemetery 2 (Lower Base Cemetery) between July and August of this year, according to environment officials.

The plan will also include seven areas in Tanapag which were found to have high contamination level of PCB residues that were left behind by the U.S. military.

Mr. Tenorio and Lt. Gov. Jesus R. Sablan earlier have demanded an extensive cleanup in the northern Saipan coastal village after residents expressed fears that the high rate of cancer diseases among the people living in the area may be due to exposure to the chemical.

The health clinic has been established there to allow those who have lived in Tanapag to undergo medical evaluation. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently completed collecting 450 samples of soil, water, food and fish in the village for PCB analysis which will be conducted by a laboratory in the U.S. mainland.

CNMI officials are hoping to include the islands in the “Superfund Sites” or environmental hot spots under a federal program so that the Commonwealth will receive the highest degree of attention and federal funding.

There are also moves to bring the issue to court following a visit here early this month by two Texas-based lawyers who pledged to help villagers seek compensation and relief from federal agencies responsible for the contamination.

The U.S. Department of Defense used the PCBs in capacitors for a missile radar station that was originally stationed at Kwajalein, and was moved in 1967 to Tanapag.

Villagers used these capacitors as boundary markers, road blocks for driveways, windbreaks for barbecue sites and headstones. Some capacitors were found open as their inner phenolic linings were used to decorate rooftops and cemeteries in the village.