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US urged to go easy on Endangered Species Act
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Posted on Apr 12 2001
The United States government has been asked to review the present applicability and the impact of the federal Endangered Species Act as it applies to the development of both private and public lands in the CNMI.
Former Covenant negotiator Pete A. Tenorio appealed to Department of the Interior Secretary Gale Norton to go easy on the implementation of the law in the Northern Marianas, considering the islands’ limited land resource.
“Because of the existence of an endangered bird species on Saipan, the CNMI government cannot even construct a solid waste landfill which will eventually phase out the existence of open garbage dumps that are presently scattered throughout out islands,” he said.
Mr. Tenorio added that some of the open garbage dumpsites in the CNMI are nestled in between communities and public parks, and even located as close as 200-400 feet from two major oil and fuel storage facilities.
“Please visit us soon to witness these deplorable situation created and perpetuated by our open dumping practices because of our inability to construct permanent landfill due to the presence of an endangered bird species on the proposed landfill site,” he told Ms. Norton in a letter.
According to Mr. Tenorio, the federal office in charge of the administration and enforcement of the birds are disinterested in helping the CNMI expedite solutions. “At times we are afraid to inquire, express our concerns or suggest.”
With limited land resources, Mr. Tenorio said the CNMI does not need other unnecessary restrictions that would further compound the Commonwealth’s problems in maximizing uses of public lands for economic and other social development.
