Emotions were blowing up inside the Guam Congress Building today during a discussion on a recent law banning open detonation of unexploded ordnance. 

Freshman Sen. Tom Fisher was part of the heated talks. 

"We are in an emergency," he said. "If we do not have the ability to remove this unexploded ordnance, 11 days from now--I mean that is unacceptable," he said. 

The question at hand --  what should be done with the unexploded ordnances still being found in the community? 

The complex issue ultimately left more questions than answers as lawmakers, military officials, local activists and the Guam Environmental Protection Agency went back and forth for more than three hours during a round table discussion Thursday night. 

Joint Region Marianas commander, Rear Admiral Benjamin Nicholson shared his frustrations over the government of guam's recent ban on open detonation. 

"When it continued to go through without any consultation...No one called me and said hey admiral let’s discuss this," he said. "Let's have a round table before we move forward. I didn’t have a chance to talk through those other things. And so once I was able to have the time to go through my experts they said, 'oh yeah hey admiral by the way we found this other stuff, we found this other stuff.' So that’s my frustration is we didn’t have these conversations early enough to do this right the first time."

The admiral contends that even with the ban’s exemption of World War II-era munitions, the danger is now placed on the explosive ordnance disposal technicians who will have to take the extra steps to determine when and what war the found munitions may be from. 

"I’m concerned about the health of the people as well," he said. "And that first concern is the safety of not getting blown up."

His upset was heard loud and clear.

On the other side, local activist group Prutehi Litekyan member Monaeka Flores shared concerns over the environmental impacts of open detonation. 

She responded to Sen. Roy Quinata who said, "It's  paramount that we have individuals who have the training to respond."

"Sure I understand respectfully Senator but at the same time, this is fear-mongering that is happening with the military sitting here and we the people have to come here and speak to the military time and time again about the risks and the harms," she asserted. "What is being done to reduce the harm to our community?" 

It was at this point that the discussion began to heat up. 

Quinata: Rear admiral can you answer that?

Sen. Sabina Perez: Sorry little order. If you can finish...

Flores: No. To say that we are here because we’re passionate and emotional, it's an emotional issue undermines..

Quinata: I said passionate, not emotional.

Flores: No, I meant the admiral said it's an emotional issue.

Perez: Let's not .. I think we’re getting a little off-topic.

Floers: Sure, I agree.

The stakeholders ultimately came to a consensus on the issue of safety. 

With the open detonation ban coming into effect by Feb. 27, Fisher chimed in that it’s one that needs to be addressed soon.

"I don’t know that we are addressing those concerns, to be frank," he said. "What I hear from the admiral is that in 11 days they are going to stop picking up the bombs. That is a concern."

For now, a public hearing for Bill 35 to amend the ban is set for Feb. 20 at 9 a.m.