by Mindy Aguon

Guam - District Court Chief Judge Frances Tydingco Gatewood denied Layon landowners' motion to intervene in the Ordot Dump consent decree case finding their argument unpersuasive. The landowners wanted to intervene in the case as they attempt to get a multimillion dollar judgment in the land condemnation case.

The judge said the landowners are judgment creditors merely collecting a debt and she found that their economic interest in the Section 30 bonds is several degrees removed from overriding public health and environmental policies that she noted were the backbone of the litigation. Tydingco Gatewood said the landowners failed to meet their burden of establishing intervention and said the government is capable of representing the landowners interest.

In a separate order the judge approved the implementation of the curbside recycling program for the entire island.