MILITARY officials yesterday gave an update on the planned Marine firing range on Guam and other matters pertaining to the evolving military buildup on Guam.
Bryan H. Wood, USMC Pacific division, plans, policies and operations director, told island media yesterday that President Barack Obama is still committed to a Marine presence on Guam.
“I think it’s pretty clear and we want to continue to restate that,” he said.
Wood, along with USMC Pacific Executive Director Craig Wheldon and Joint Guam Program Office Executive Director Joe Ludovici, met with Guam lawmakers and community stakeholders yesterday at the Ricardo J. Bordallo Complex conference room to discuss the status of the live firing ranges.
Wood made the comment during a question and answer period with the media. Wood said whatever the result of the discussions that are occurring between the U.S. and Japan, the commitment is still there to transfer Marines to Guam.
“We are not going to put such a small Marine force on Guam that we wouldn’t need live fire ranges. The number one asset of the Marine Corps is the individual Marine, and they have to be ready at all times. They have to be ready to fire their individual weapons. We’re not going to put 25 Marines here – that won’t do Guam any good, nor us any good. So it’s gotta be a large enough number,” Wood said.
The meeting, hosted by JGPO, proved to be an opportunity for the military to share its plans with the public and to be open as much as possible. This was different in earlier meetings when not much information was coming out of JGPO regarding the buildup.
“What we’re trying to do here is to make it as absolutely open as possible,” Wood said.
He added they would like “to give the public as many opportunities as they can to provide written comments, to hear what we have to say, and to ask questions so that we can educate them as to why we need these things, how they’ll be built, and why they’ll be built. I think it’s the openness and the manner in which we’re doing that is different.”
The meetings will start in March and end in April. The March meetings will be an open-house type of meeting, with booths set up, video presentations, and panels of experts to answer questions and provide information. “There will be more of a one-on-one exchange,” Wood said.
Pleased
Sen. Judi Guthertz, who chairs the Legislature’s military buildup committee, said she was pleased with the briefing which signified that the Navy is open to firing range sites other than Pågat.
Guam senators learned that in addition to carrying out a new environmental impact statement concerning the Route 15 Pågat site it had earlier identified for a firing range complex, other sites, including several at Naval Magazine, will be considered.
Ludovici spelled out plans for a lengthy “public scoping” period, during which Guam residents will give input on potential firing range sites and receive expert information on the proposed military plans.
It will take approximately a year to produce the draft environmental impact statement for public comment, according to Ludovici.
During the briefing, it was also revealed that three areas within the boundaries of Naval Magazine might be used for the firing range complex, possibly supplemented with adjacent private lands which the military would have to obtain from local landowners.
Ludovici suggested that care be taken to inform land owners in advance of military interest in the properties, a different approach from the past when little or no information was provided.
Guthertz said she was happy with the approach being taken the second time around on the issue of where to site the firing ranges in Guam, which the Marines consider an essential requirement for their relocation here.
“Clearly, lessons have been learned,” Guthertz said. “I am delighted that the sensitivity of land in Guam is reflected in this new approach and we will do everything within our power to promote the success of both the new environmental impact statement and to find an appropriate site for these essential Marine training areas.”
Sen. Rory Respicio, who also attended the briefing, said he believed JGPO was being “a little more sensitive and proactive in now involving our mayors and vice mayors, our community and even more importantly surrounding property owners regarding their plans for the proposed firing range, if and wherever it ends up being built on Guam.”
Respicio also reiterated that Guam could have avoided “all these fragmented voices if Gov. (Eddie) Calvo had convened the Guam First Commission like he promised while he was campaigning for governor.”
“The 2010 election, while still being challenged in court, has been over more than a year ago, and it's far time he start governing and involving all facets of our community to make sure Guam speaks with one voice,” Respicio said.
Calvo has said he will empanel the Guam First Commission soon.
