$1.7M for CNMI historical projects on hold indefinitely

The U.S. Department of Defense’s longstanding commitment to fund $1.7 million in historical projects in the NMI has not been included in the president’s budget proposal for next fiscal year, such funding has never been requested, and the commitment will remain delayed until an environmental review process for the contested large-scale live fire ranges on Tinian and Pagan is completed, the office of U.S. Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) confirmed yesterday, citing information obtained from the Defense Department.

Saipan Tribune asked Sablan’s office last month if DoD has ever formally requested the funding and authorization for this $1.7 million to support cultural resource mitigation measures stipulated in the 2011 programmatic agreement between Defense, the CNMI, and Guam.

“No, they have not,” deputy communications director Tina Sablan yesterday. “And Congressman Sablan shares the same concerns that Commonwealth officials and historic preservation advocates have expressed, that the Department of Defense should be held accountable for commitments outlined in the Programmatic Agreement to support and fund cultural resource mitigation measures.”

“The congressional office will continue to monitor completion of the revised CJMT EIS, and DoD’s efforts to follow through on all their obligations, including the obligation to protect the cultural, historic, and environmental treasures of the Northern Marianas from harm,” Tina Sablan told Saipan Tribune.

‘Remain committed’

The Defense Department, though, informed Sablan’s office last month that they “remain committed” to funding cultural resources mitigations measures for Tinian, “if the portions of the action planned for Tinian…are carried out.

They were referring to the small arms firing ranges on Tinian approved in the 2010 project for the Guam/CNMI military buildup project.

Defense reiterated, in an “information paper” responding to Sablan’s questions, that these training ranges on Tinian “are on hold, pending completion of the ongoing” live fire project.

Defense also confirmed, when pressed, that the $1.7 million for duration efforts are not included in the president’s 2017 budget proposal.

The 2011 programmatic agreement between the CNMI and DoD stipulated, among others, that the military would seek to include as part of “upcoming president budget submission a request for Congressional authorization and appropriation to transfer a total of $1.7 million in DoD funds to another federal agency with authority to support new construction or renovation of existing buildings.”

This would cover $1.2 million for a curation facility on Saipan, and $500,000 for a cultural and interpretive center on Tinian.