The Legislature is set to draft a letter calling for an extension on the review of the draft environmental impact statement on proposed military activities in the CNMI.<\/p>\n
Gov. Eloy S. Inos earlier sent a similar letter, requesting for a six-month extension of the EIS review.<\/p>\n
Rep. Angel Demapan (R-Saipan) and Sen. Arnold Palacios (R-Saipan) are currently working on the joint letter.<\/p>\n
Demapan and Palacios chair the House and the Senate committees on Federal and Foreign Affairs, respectively.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am in full support of the governor\u2019s request for a six-month extension of the 60-day comment period regarding the CJMT Draft EIS\/OEIS,\u201d Demapan said.<\/p>\n
\u201cGov. Inos\u2019 letter is timely as I, along with Senator Palacios, will be issuing a joint letter requesting that the Commonwealth be afforded a six-month extension as well,\u201d Demapan said.<\/p>\n
\u201cProposals contained in the report are poised to dramatically impact the Commonwealth in every way, shape or form,\u201d he said. \u201cIn consideration of the potential impact, I agree that the CNMI must be afforded ample time and opportunity to examine the draft that was recently released.\u201d<\/p>\n
Demapan added that he believes lawmakers \u201care not asking for much.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a request we are making in good faith as we carry out our sworn duty to protect the interests of our Commonwealth, our people and the generations to come. A matter of this magnitude cannot and shall not be allowed to be done in haste,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The call for the review extension gained momentum after military representatives conducted meetings in the CNMI, eventually leading to the release of the draft EIS.<\/p>\n
Demapan, who initiated the first meeting, said, \u201cthere is still a great deal to find out because this is an ongoing process.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lawmakers have described the draft EIS as too technical and that a battalion of experts might be needed for a comprehensive review of the document, which has more than 1,000 pages.<\/p>\n
Experts will also be needed to analyze and study the document, as well as funds.<\/p>\n
Senate President Victor B. Hocog (Ind-Rota) said, \u201ceven our scholars here [in the CNMI] need further clarifications\u201d on the draft EIS.<\/p>\n
He said he has instructed the Senate committee handling the EIS to seek ways to \u201cre-program\u201d some funding to be used for the EIS analysis.<\/p>\n
At a Senate session on Friday, Sen. Sixto Igisomar (R-Saipan) said lawmakers will work on assisting Northern Islands Mayor Jerome Aldan for a $75,000 funding to study the draft EIS, particularly on Pagan.<\/p>\n
Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP), meanwhile, said the Department of the Interior has announced a technical assistance grant of $250,000 to the Commonwealth\u2019s Office of the Governor to hire environmental experts to review the draft EIS.<\/p>\n
Sablan said the funds are appropriated by Congress and allows the department to respond to \u201ccritical needs in the insular areas for which local funds are not available.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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