Behind the gates of Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz in Dededo is nine years of construction that officials say will continue full steam ahead for at least seven more years.  "Fully opened, we’re looking at 2030s, so whenever we’ll have all the construction completed and every moved over," explained Bryan Christner.

Already completed are three barracks out of eight, with roughly 4,000 beds to house the thousands of incoming U.S. Marines from Okinawa who Christner, a public works officer, says will reach our shores as early as next year.  But this move causing tensions with the island community. 

Governor Lou Leon Guerrero spoke on those concerns during the Sabanan Fadang Memorial held earlier today inside the base.  "I know that the construction of this base has aroused some tensions," said the island's chief executive. "That native lands belong in native hands. That the CHamorus always have been nurtured by the land and sea. And that history has seen our ancestral lands taken from us."

The construction has unearthed ancient CHamoru remains. Camp Blaz cultural resources manager Ronnie Rodgers says the discovered burials have been preserved in place in consultation with Guam state historic preservation officer, Patrick Lujan. 

"The intent is to preserve all those in place without further disturbance," Rodgers stated. "Again, they will not be taken from the ground. They will be analyzed as much as possible where they lay."

"We’re very grateful we were able to keep the ancient remains as is in their final resting place and that’s what you have today in their remembrance of those people."

Another concern on the base is the live fire training range complex. But, officials say they have mitigation efforts ongoing for noise pollution. Christner added, "The mitigation is, as you can see, we are a little lower in certain areas. So the surrounding foliage will capture a lot of that noise. And we did do a lot of the studies to ensure that we are mitigating as much as possible."

And just behind the pistol range is the Mariana 8 Spot Butterfly Habitat - another mitigation effort after their original habitat was disturbed amid the buildup. Camp Blaz officials admit more research needs to be done whether the noise pollution will affect the endangered species.