Chamorro Nation sounds off at scoping meeting

by Clynt Ridgell, KUAM News
Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Last night the scoping meeting assessing the impacts of the relocation of 8,000 U.S. Marines and their families to Guam was held in the southern village of Yona at that village's community center. At least what one group had fairly strong opinions about military buildup as a whole and the scoping meetings in particular.

Last night's scoping meetings didn't go off without its share of protestors. Outside the center members of I Nasion Chamoru ("The Chamoru Nation") voiced their displeasure with the U.S. Government in what they referred to as "a continuation of the colonization of Guam". Spokesperson Debbie Quinata announced, "We're protesting a number of things - we're protesting this planned reoccupation of our homeland and we're also protesting the manner of the way these supposed scoping meetings are being conducted. We understand it's a dog and pony show and believe that the intent is to fulfill a federal mandate and not really to gauge or even consider the feelings of the community members of this island."

Inside the scoping meeting, however, it was a different scene

Residents browsed through the various posters, charts, and handouts all designed to educate people as to the what the military plans on studying in its environmental impact statement (EIS). Most of the participants appeared to be genuinely interested in what the military had to say about their planned studies. There was a host of military officials on hand to answer questions and clarify any of the information being presented. There was even a Chamoru translator on hand as well as informational handouts written in both English and Guam's indigenous tongue.

So last night's meeting has come and gone and tonight's is just underway. After these scoping meetings the military will begin its study in preparation for the draft EIS. Once that's published there will be about a 45-day public review period followed by public hearings, which will allow residents to actually verbally testify. Chief of the Joint Guam Program Office David Bice has reassured KUAM News that residents will not be held to a three-minute time limit and that they will try to accommodate those who want to testify as best they can.

After the public hearings the military will work on publishing its final draft EIS along with a record of decision by at least the year 2010. But before of all that can happen and after they finish tonight's scoping meeting they'll head to the Northern Marianas to hold two public scoping meetings there in Saipan and Tinian.