Prutehi Litekyan: Save Ritidian is putting the Navy on notice for alleged violations of environmental law in the push to relocate Marines from Okinawa to Guam. The clock is ticking.

Monaeka Flores with Prutehi Litekyan-Save Ritidian explained, saying, "We've been in the movement here for five years now and we've been making connections with the need to protect our water, the need to protect our ancestors who have have been laid to rest in their final resting paces. an the need to protect several endangered and protected species from activities from construction of the live fire training range complex and the Marine base."

They sent a letter to DOD, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, and the U.S. Navy on May 27 warning that come July 16 -- they're pulling the trigger and suing for violations of the Endangered Species Act relating to the Department of the Navy’s relocation of Marines from Okinawa to Guam if there aren't any changes.

They're represented by Julian Aguon with Blue Ocean Law and Maxx Phillips with the Center for Biological Diversity, citing in their letter that U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service found "that marine relocation adversely affects several imperiled species."

They write in their 14-page letter: "In sum, the DoN’s(Navy's) delay in completing important conservation measures and complete failure to protect 5,234 acres or to suppress brown tree snakes as required by the Service’s biological opinions puts the sihek, ko’ko’, åga, fanihi, as well as Guam’s other threatened and endangered species in immediate jeopardy."

Fellow member of Prutehi Litekyan Joni Kerr added, "USFW designated the area as a refuge. It was supposed to be so that they could introduce the sihek, have a place for the fanihi and eight spot butterfly. This was supposed to be an area that was supposed to help these species flourish."

"We really thought that when the firing range was established that that might be the nail in the coffin," added Maria Hernandez, "and we might no see our ancestral home returned, but with this lawsuit it provides a renewed hope that we will eventually get our land returned."