Concerns voiced over using grenades at Pagat

by Nick Delgado

Guam - While the controversy over the Marines' plans to have a firing range in the Pagat area continues, it seems another issue on the use of hand grenades in the area has sparked more concerns especially for Military Buildup Committee chairperson Senator Judi Guthertz. She says while further reviewing the Record of Decision she noticed that the military plans to use hand grenades as part of the firing range activities.

She says that the ROD shows that at least 7,000 hand grenades will be used every year if the military uses the Pagat area. Guthertz says the Joint Guam Program Office would not entertain her concerns, so she forwarded them to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy on Energy, Installations and Environment Jackalyne Pfannenstiel.  

"It will certainly impact the natural wildlife in the vicinity, it will certainly scare residents, it will impact farmers with farm animals as well so this requires major explanation on the part of the military," the Democrat senator told KUAM News.

Guthertz also discovered that there will be significant impacts to at least one residence and impacts to 45 others to a lesser degree.