Governor Lou Leon Guerrero Has officially signed Bill 135 – a measure that would turn the Guam International Country Club golf course into a large-scale solar farm – into public law. And supporters tout clean energy and the project's financial benefits, while critics warn of unnecessary risks to the island’s drinking water.

In her approval letter of the bill to Speaker Frank Blas, Jr., the governor stated, “Bill No. 135 is a step in the right direction to make good on [GovGuam's ] aggressive renewable energy policy…as [the Guam International Country Club] plans to construct a 60-to-65 megawatt state of the art solar farm.”

While it takes a pivotal step toward Guam’s clean energy goals, the project also touts the ability to bring in millions of dollars in lease revenue for the Chamorro Land Trust Commission, and reduce chemical use related to the golf course.

However, Monaeka Flores of Prutehi Guahan has raised alarm regarding the site's location – sitting directly above the Northern Guam Lens Aquifer, the island’s main source of drinking water.

She warns that hazardous materials used in some solar panels, could pose contamination risks in the event of a leak, noting, "Guam has a long history of contamination. We have serious issues of water contamination and vulnerabilities to our aquifer. Those continue to grow every single day."

And radiation produced by the solar facility could threaten the community with negative health impacts. The bill includes several safeguards to reduce these risks: it requires solar panels to be free of pfas, reducing risk of harmful leakage.

And in her letter to the speaker, Governor Leon Guerrero noted studies from the World Health Organization and North Carolina State University’s Clean Energy Technology Center, which found no health risks from solar facilities’ radiation as they do not have enough energy to damage DNA.

Per the bill, all equipment must be removed and recycled at the end of the lease, with a performance bond or cash deposit ensuring the site can be fully restored.

The farms contractor must also follow all federal and local environmental laws, submit annual reports to the cltc, the speaker, and the governor.

Overall, supporters say the bill balances progress with protection, but critics maintain that only strict oversight and transparent reviews can ensure Guam’s push for renewable energy doesn’t come at the expense of clean water.