Farrell: HPO board committed to prepare Section 106 accord
A Historic Preservation Review board member says they will do the best they can to prepare a programmatic agreement as part of the Section 106 process of the National Historic Preservation Act to protect cultural and historic sites that will be impacted by the U.S. military’s live-fire training on Tinian and Pagan.
Board member Don Farrell told Saipan Tribune that the programmatic agreement will be prepared assuming a “worst-case scenario.” Or in other words, that every action detailed in the draft environmental impact statement on live-fire training for Tinian and Pagan “comes into fruition,” he said.
Board members met yesterday morning at the NMI Humanities Council for a “working session,” according to vice chair Dr. Hiro Kurashina. Farrell said they all committed to prepare this agreement.
In attendance were board members Francis Hexel, Kurashina, Farrell, chair Jun Duenas, and Dr. Colt Denfield, who was unable to attend their last official meeting. Both Hexel and Denfield attended via Skype.
Farrell said the board is “doing the best we can…to come up with a programmatic agreement that takes into account as many impacts on historic and cultural sites as possible to be able to protect them.”
He said regardless if the Legislature or the administration back off on live-fire or artillery training on the islands between now and the military’s Record of Decision, the board would proceed in preparation of the agreement.
The draft EIS eyes a date for military construction as early as summer 2016. A Record of Decision on the proposed training is expected before this time.
It appears now that the board would like a programmatic agreement in place to ensure the CNMI is ready should the military push for activities non-compatible with CNMI interests.
For one, the draft EIS notes a “high impact area” for live-fire near the Northfield Runway. It also proposes to dredge coral offshore a National Historic Landmark landing beach to construct an assault vehicle landing ramp.
On the Northfield runway, Farrell called this “a playground” for him. Farrell is a CNMI historian.
It is good to see that at least part of the CNMI Government is taking the CNMI DEIS seriously and preparing for the construction of the ranges. Make sure there are strict stipulations on what can be done near historic sites and make sure all the proper protections are put in place.
If the CNMI is anything like Guam, most of the pristine cultural sites are on military held lands. I’d like to think the military went out of their way to protect them but the truth is that only the isolation that comes from being within a military fence line is what is protecting the sites.
Mr. Farrell please find a way for these locals to understand that the military must train. Its hard for them to understand this because a majority of them have never served. I don’t want destruction for the CNMI and that’s why I keep pushing the co-exist card. No one will get rich off ponzollon except the ones with the permit to excavate.