Puerto Rico closure within the year pressed By ALDWIN R. FAJARDO

Agitated by the continued operation of the Puerto Rico landfill despite the health risks it poses to the community, a lawmaker yesterday challenged the Tenorio administration and the 12th Legislature to finally close down the dumpsite within the year.

“This must be the year that we take the initiative to close down the Puerto Rico dump once and for all,” said Senate Floor Leader Pete P. Reyes during the Organizational Session of the 12th Legislature.

Mr. Reyes underscored the need to protect the islands’ environment and natural resources, citing its importance to the revenue-generating capabilities of both the government and the private sector.

“On this tiny island, we are not immune to the challenges that the rest of the world faces in the conservation of natural resources, the fight to keep chemicals far from our homes and families, the need to provide safe and healthy communities for our parents, ourselves and our children,” he said.

The senator is also hoping that combined efforts of the Legislature and the Administration will pave the way for the fast-tracked opening of a new landfill.

Construction of the new sanitary landfill in Marpi is expected to be completed by middle of June 2001, with the Solid Waste Management Task Force expecting to secure necessary permits early this year.

Officials from the Harding Lawson Associates, which is doing the design for the new landfill, have said the process of securing all permits from both federal and commonwealth governments was expected to take at least six months.

In addition, bidding for the construction project will eat up two months at the minimum. Physical construction will take at least nine to ten months.

Government officials are looking at either September or October this year to be able to start opening portions of the new sanitary landfill and begin shutting down the old site in Puerto Rico.

The project does not only include the construction of the new landfill as it also encompasses an analysis of the waste currently being dumped in Puerto Rico.

The project is also focused at the development of an island-wide solid waste management plan, a year-long public education, a conceptual design for waste to energy incineration, and the design for transfer station from Puerto Rico to the new dump site.

The Task Force has recently completed the installation of ground water monitoring wells at the new site in Marpi, as it anticipates to begin assessment of various plans for its ultimate use.

The Task Force is exploring the possibility of developing a landscape park in replacement of the Puerto Rico landfill to complement the adjacent American Memorial Park.

The federal government and the CNMI Legislature had allocated $16 million for the total project which include the design and construction aspects, as well as for the procurement of equipment.

The government is looking at gradually closing the Puerto Rico dump, during which some improvements will be undertaken to stabilize the slopes as well as reduce the landfill’s environmental impacts.

At the same time, the CNMI’s solid waste program will also focus at reducing the amount of waste generated by both residents and commercial and industrial establishments in the Northern Marianas by advancing the merits of recycling.

Under the solid waste management program, public education will be initiated to encourage the public to recycle metal, plastic and paper wastes, while promoting the value of composting biodegradable wastes.

Works are already underway to identify off-island markets which may be interested to buy recyclable wastes which may be used in the manufacturing of new products.