Leaders primed on buildup activities

by Ken Quintanilla

Guam - Following the joint statement regarding the revised roadmap to realignment made last week, the Guam Joint Program Office met with island leaders today to provide a progress report of what's next for the buildup on Guam.

The joint statement made by the Japan and U.S. governments last week no doubt had many people questioning what's next for the buildup, and today JGPO met with the Calvo Administration, the Guam Legislature and the Mayors Council to allay any further concerns and possible impacts the buildup may have on the community. JGPO program director Joe Ludovici confirms a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement will have to be conducted, saying, "So we talked about how we're going to expand the scope of the firing ranges SEIS to include the new force posture SEIS and the impacts on infrastructure, on the military facilities and on the public facilities."

The revised roadmap indicates 4,700 to 5,000 U.S. Marines will move from Okinawa to Guam from the initial 8,600. Ludovici says they will expand the scope that would refresh studies from environmental to cultural and socioimpacts. Buildup chair Senator Judi Guthertz says she not only appreciated JGPO's collaborative approach but having it televised for the public to see on the Legislature Channel.

"I think they're on track," Guthertz told KUAM News. "They're very sensitive, they've taken into consideration a lot of the recommendations that the governor has made and members of the Legislature have made and it seems like a whole different attitude and approach to the buildup."

Governor Eddie Calvo meanwhile says the statement provided clarity from shared funding to timetables involved with the lay-down of Marines. He was however concerned about funding for infrastructure and areas agreed upon in the original Programmatic Agreement. "And ensuring that again it's a 'One Guam' approach and that it's in the best interest of the United States and that it's in the best interest of the people of Guam and also the allies in the Pacific," he said.

JGPO noted that they are still committed to the 'One Guam' approach. Meanwhile, other highlights of the meeting included JGPO representatives indicating that about two-thirds of the Marines would be rotational, however the final decision hasn't yet been announced by Congress. And in October, JGPO will provide a notice of intent to expand the scope of the firing ranges SEIS to include the smaller force poster, which he encourages the public to once again participate in.

The deadline meanwhile has been set for 2014 for both a draft and final version of the Supplemental Impact Statement on the buildup with a final Record of Decision set for 2015.