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Pollution at lagoon alarms hotel owners
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Posted on Dec 23 1998
The Task Force on Solid Waste will consult with various government agencies in trying to find an immediate solution to the worsening pollution problem brought about by the Puerto Rico dump.
According to Tim Villagomez, executive director of the task force, he will ask for a meeting with the government offices led by the Marianas Visitors Authority since the water pollution in Saipan lagoon has been criticized by hotel owners located in Garapan.
“It is a serious problem which we have to immediately address,” he said.
This developed as the selection committee is set to award the contract to a firm that will carry out the engineering design of Marpi landfill. Villagomez said the firm will make a decision whether an incinerator system will be accommodated in the Marpi landfill. The start of work on Marpi landfill will pave the way for the closure of Puerto Rico dump.
Among the issues to be included in the Marpi design are the establishment of an energy waste system and transfer station. Engineering design of the 25-acre landfill cells will have to be revised with each cell costing about $5 to $7 million. The entire landfill site could last anywhere from 80 to 100 years.
Some $26 million has been allotted for the Solid Waste Program which will now be used for the construction of Marpi landfill. The previous administration has begun work on the Marpi landfill and spent over $1 million but a new assessment revealed that the engineering design does not meet the specifications of the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency.
The Office of Insular Affairs has also provided a grant which allowed the task force to hire a Waste Program Manager.
