Speaking in separate interviews, Sen. Sixto K. Igisomar (R-Saipan) and Public Works Secretary James Ada said they are working on several projects that would ease the problems at the dumpsite and increase its lifespan.<\/p>\n
Igisomar said he would push for the recycling program and a proper solid waste management plan just like what the Republic of Palau is doing. \u201cRecycling, that\u2019s another subject matter that I\u2019ve been working with DPW and [director] Peter Camacho.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWith the solid waste, go explore what Palau is doing right with respect to recycling. How they are doing it? But I\u2019m not there yet and we have not finalized any form of commitment or plan of action,\u201d Igisomar added.<\/p>\n
Igisomar chairs the Senate Public Utilities, Transportation, and Communications Committee.<\/p>\n
He said that his committee and DPW have often discussed recycling and other solid waste management programs. \u201cWe\u2019re discussing how we can put up a recycling program that actually works\u2026so we could minimize anything that goes into our landfill. It is an option and also a priority of DPW. I know this is something that Secretary Ada and director Camacho have been exploring heavily.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ada echoed Igisomar, saying his department has been working with the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. on the waste-to-energy program. He is hoping the project would go through since it would help increase the Marpi landfill\u2019s lifespan.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re working with our team and meeting with CUC to negotiate with the project. The lifespan of the cells at the landfills would increase because of this waste-to-energy project. That is one that we need here,\u201d said Ada.<\/p>\n
He added Saipan and Tinian would need additional energy sources once all hotels and other establishment that are in development and construction stages begin their respective operations.<\/p>\n
\u201c [Imperial Pacific Resort] has not opened yet. We also have the Honest Profit and Ocean Vista projects. There\u2019s also impending trash from Tinian once Alter City and other projects begin there,\u201d Ada said.<\/p>\n
He said that oil and gas generated from the waste-to-energy project could be used for generators and other vehicles. \u201cWe\u2019re going to meet more with CUC. We\u2019re prepared already and we wanted to issue a contract.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe lifespan of the landfill needs to increase. That is one of the issues that we\u2019re confronting and it has given us headaches,\u201d added Ada.<\/p>\n
The waste-to-energy program involves high quality recycling and the use of residual waste for efficient and clean source of energy.
\n\u00a0
\nLandfill update<\/p>\n
Ada said they are also hoping the Legislature would heed their request for $5.5 million so they could begin lining Cell 3 of the Marpi landfill. \u201cCell 1 is at maximum capacity and we\u2019re already using its slope. We have already lined Cell 2.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s why we briefed the Legislature [last week] on why we need the $5.5 million and that is to line Cell 3. We need the funds since the project is not cheap.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added the trash and debris left after the onslaught of Typhoon Soudelor on Saipan on Aug. 2, 2015, coupled by the recent construction activities would fill up the space of cells 1 and 2.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat is why it is important for us to start lining Cell 3. Cell 1 is reaching its cap and we\u2019re utilizing Cell 2,\u201d said Ada.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe $5.5 million would help alleviate the landfill problem. I thank the Senate for hearing our concerns, and also Gov. [Ralph DLG] Torres and Lt. Gov. [Victor B.] Hocog. They [governor and lieutenant governor] are very much aware of the landfill issue.\u201d<\/p>\n
They also meet with the Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality and the operator of the landfill almost everyday. \u201cWe\u2019re working diligently to rectify all administrative orders that were issued to DPW and cited by BECQ on the landfill, and also foir the Tinian and Rota dumpsites.\u201d
\n\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Speaking in separate interviews, Sen. Sixto K. Igisomar (R-Saipan) and Public Works Secretary James Ada…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":48,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[16718,49,1114,319],"class_list":["post-252457","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-local-news","tag-communications-committee","tag-cuc","tag-dpw","tag-palau"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/252457","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/48"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=252457"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/252457\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=252457"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=252457"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=252457"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}