by Krystal Paco

Guam - Santa Rita mayor Dale Alvarez already has his opinion about Guam Resource Recovery Partners' plans for a landfill in Atanano. "The only message I'm going to say is my residents don't want it and I don't want it in my backyard," he said.

The Guam EPA is preparing to issue a final permit to GRRP to build a landfill in Atanano, but must first accept public comments on their permit application. Mayor Alvarez says he was surprised to hear that the landfill was still being considered, noting, "I've heard nothing about the plan they all don't want a landfill and I'm expecting a lot of people to protest the application that GRRP is applying. Right now, I'm getting a lot of call from my constituents about GRRP - we thought it was dead. I guess not."

Public comments are being accepted from now until November 18. GRRP will be hosting a town hall meeting for Santa Rita residents on November 15 in that village's community center beginning at 6pm.

It's worth noting that Atantano is under the Chamorro Land Trust Commission's inventory.