Terlaje: Work on unpermitted road cutting were for emergencies
Many of the Commonwealth Utilities Corp.’s unpermitted road cutting were done in response emergencies, according to Commonwealth Utilities Corp. acting executive director Betty G. Terlaje in response to the $6.9 million civil fees and civil penalties now being assessesd against CUC by the Department of Public Works.
“How do you wait for a [DPW] permit when you have a water line that’s busted underneath the road that might cause more issues?” asked Terlaje during a short break of the CUC board meeting last Thursday.
She said when water line on a road is busted and cars are passing, they need to conduct emergency repairs as it’s more detrimental to the safety of the community.
Terlaje said they are going to discuss the assessment with DPW Secretary Ray N. Yumul.
Last month, George C. Sablan, the acting director for DPW Technical Services Division, notified Terlaje that, as of June 30, 2023, CUC owes the CNMI government $6.9 million in outstanding civil fees and civil penalties assessed by DPW for about 110 alleged violations that are mainly related to unpermitted road cutting work.
Sablan said these road-cutting and trenching activities on CNMI roadways were performed by CUC’s Water Division to fix emergency water leak repairs and water connection underground. He said these road-cutting and trenching activities were performed without required permits and permit applications.
Terlaje said they can’t wait for Monday to get a DPW permit, especially when the water line is busted Friday night and the hole is getting larger.
She said CUC is forced to go to the road and cut off the water line.
Terlaje said the problem is when they restore the road, the contractors that make holes, they have to make larger patches on the road.
She said they have to execute contracts to repair the road.
Terlaje noted that some of the waterline breaks are caused by DPW’s work on the side of the road and other contractors that perform work for other agencies.
“So it’s a compilation of other agencies. Remember, our pipes have been in the ground for a while and DPW paved the road over our pipes,” she said.
Terlaje said they have no other means to access their pipe, but to break the road to get the repairs underneath the road.
Betty G. Terlaje
