Adriano backs volcano early warning system plan

Senate President Joaquin Adriano on Monday expressed the leadership’s support for an early warning system amid the existing threat of volcanoes in the CNMI, saying it would look into possibly tapping available funds to implement the plan.

Adriano said the Senate would meet with the House of Representatives to pool efforts in finding ways to help fund the plan. Before the session begins today, Adriano said U.S. Geological Survey’s James E. Quick would present to the senators the findings of a recent study on the CNMI’s volcanoes.

“We should support the administration in that early warning system plan,” Adriano said. “We have to sit down with the House and try to find ways to fund the program.”

In a recent presentation before representatives of mostly government agencies, Quick, a veteran igneous petrologist and program coordinator of the USGS’ Volcano Hazards Program, underscored the need for implementing the plan as soon as possible.

Quick said assessing the hazards and monitoring the nine active volcanoes in the Northern Marianas would cost about $1.9 million per year for the first three years, $1.2 million in the fourth year, and approximately $500,000 per year eventually.

He said the USGS’ Volcano Hazards Program currently has no funds for the plan. He said funding under the program requires an appropriation by Congress.

Quick said the CNMI’s volcanoes pose great risk to air traffic, with some 25,000 flights flying over CNMI airspace in a year. Volcanic ashes threaten jets and aircraft in the air, as they form deposits in engines, restrict airflow, and clog fuel nozzles. Minute particles of volcanic ash also contaminate aircraft’s ventilation, lubrication, hydraulic and electronic systems.

Quick added that the ashes cause erosion and pitting of leading edges of windshields and landing lights, as well as erosion of compressor blades.

From 1944 to 2003, Quick said there were at least 110 documented instances of airports closed or operations disrupted in 75 cities and military bases in 20 countries due to volcanic hazards.

Emergency Management Office director Rudolfo Pua requested the Senate to accommodate Quick’s presentation to obtain the support of local leaders and the community for the plan.

House lawmakers will listen to Quick’s presentation possibly on Thursday.