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CUC yet to provide Fitial with plans to comply with EPA regs
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Posted on Nov 20 2008
Commonwealth Utilities Corp. executive director Antonio Muña said the utility company has not provided Gov. Benigno Fitial regulatory agency permits or compliance plans for the Aggreko generators, as the governor directed.
In the Oct. 5 CUC declaration of a state of emergency, Fitial said CUC desires to comply with environmental and land use regulations but feared the permitting process would delay or interrupt the Aggreko service. He suspended statutes and regulations relating to the generators, but directed CUC within 30 days to provide him a plan for compliance, a copy of each agency’s permits or a complete explanation why compliance was not achieved and how it will be achieved.
“We’re going to work with them. I understand the governor, as far as compliance plans,” Muña said. “We’ve advised the governor, that’s where we’re at at this point.”
Fitial’s September CUC state of emergency order suspended local regulations but did not suspend federal regulations. Muna earlier said the Division of Environmental Quality was handling the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations.
All parties involved are in constant communication, Muña said.
“The whole process right now is this dialogue that’s taking place…with DEQ, and DEQ with EPA, and when EPA comes over here, we’ll be a part of that,” he said.
EPA officials will be on island next month for work with DEQ, said Dean Higuchi, spokesman for EPA’s Region 9. Although the visit is not specifically to address the generator issue, it will probably be checked, Higuchi said.
Muña said CUC wants to comply with regulatory standards but the power situation is unique.
“We really have to come to terms with these exigent circumstances,” he said. “We’re not out of the woods yet.”
Earlier, Higuchi said EPA realized the magnitude of Saipan’s power crisis and was working with the CNMI government to offer help. On Tuesday, Higuchi said EPA was still gathering information and evaluating the situation.
