Fitial tells Bush of concerns over Pew’s proposal

Gov. Benigno R. Fitial has asked President Bush to reject a proposal to create a marine national monument in the northern islands.

Fitial in a letter to Bush said the designation “would, in my view, greatly reduce or eliminate the ability of the CNMI government to carefully balance cultural, environmental, and economic considerations in the region in an open and inclusive manner.”

The governor noted that his position is shared by most lawmakers, who recently adopted a resolution opposing the proposed marine sanctuary.

But Angelo Villagomez, a local coordinator of Pew Charitable Trusts, which has made the proposal, said much of the opposition to the marine monument is based on misinformation. He said that Pew will continue its efforts to educate the public on the proposal.

Fitial outlined his concerns about the plan to designate a Mariana Trench Marine National Monument around the islands of Uracas, Maug, and Asuncion.

He spoke of the longstanding dispute between the U.S. and CNMI governments over the ownership and management of submerged lands around the Northern Marianas. He said the CNMI remains firm that submerged lands belong the local people.

He is also concerned that the designation would restrict the indigenous people’s ability to fish and conduct related activities in the proposed site. “We rely on fishing as a source of food and jobs. Those who live in the CNMI have no interest in ceding their cultural heritage to the federal government under the auspices of environmental protectionism,” he said.

The governor argued that the Commonwealth is looking at fishery as an economic growth engine to replace the declining garment and tourism industries. He said the loss of about 115,000 square miles of ocean area due to inclusion in a national monument would significantly impact this economic effort.

Further, the governor said, Hawaii’s experience with its marine monument showed a lack of procedural safeguards to ensure public involvement and environmental review during the designation process.

Press secretary Charles P. Reyes Jr. said that federal enforcement funding may be a concern. He said the U.S. Coast Guard was not given any additional money or resources to extend patrols in Hawaii’s monument area, and a similar scenario is likely if a Northern Marianas monument is created.

Reyes also elaborated on the governor’s statement: “The people of the CNMI and their elected leaders do not want an outside group to permanently force a decision on them without their consent. This decision is too important to be left to Pew and their supporters. The people of the CNMI must decide if they want to give up a resource forever and forego all other opportunities or developments. This is democracy.”

But Villagomez assured the governor that local citizens would have opportunity to participate in the designation process.

“He [Fitial] would be happy to know that in Hawaii over 100,000 comments helped to shape the initial stages of the NWHI [Northwestern Hawaiian Islands] Monument and over 50,000 comments from locals on the draft management plan and there will be additional comment periods for further rule changes. President Bush has committed to an open process here, just like in Hawaii,” Villagomez said.

He also expressed hope that Fitial would change his mind once he had a chance to sit in one of Pew’s presentations himself.

According to Villagomez, more information on the Pew proposal will be made public soon. Economic and scientific studies are expected this month. Individuals involved in the Hawaii designation are coming on May 19 to meet with the local community.

The Saipan Chamber of Commerce, the largest business organization in the islands, threw its support behind the Pew proposal yesterday.

“We wholeheartedly support any proposal that allows the Commonwealth substantive participation in, and ultimate approval of, the design and execution of a concept that would preserve our environment, increase global awareness of the islands, respect local culture, and benefit our economy,” Chamber president James T. Arenovski said in a letter to Jay Nelson, director of Pew’s Ocean Legacy Project.

Pete A. Tenorio, the CNMI’s resident representative to Washington, D.C., on Friday backed continued dialogue with the federal government on Pew’s proposal.

Despite the “untimely” rejection by some sectors, Tenorio said, the proposal has benefited the CNMI by getting the community talking about the resources in the northern islands and how best to deal with them.

“As so eloquently expressed by many of our residents who supported the Pew’s proposal, I too believe that we should not lose the opportunity to resume a dialogue with the federal government on the proposed plan,” he said.