CPA backs Air Force lease on Rota, commuter terminal opening delayed
BY MARK RABAGO
Saipan Correspondent
SAIPAN — The Commonwealth Ports Authority board has given its approval in principle to a U.S. Air Force proposal to lease nearly 80,000 square meters of land at the Benjamin Taisacan Manglona International Airport on Rota for the construction of six warehouses.
The five-year lease agreement, still subject to further negotiations and final approval, is part of the military’s expanding presence in the Northern Marianas. CPA officials said the lease will generate new revenue streams but acknowledged community concerns about potential wear and tear on airport facilities, particularly from the use of arresting gear by Air Force aircraft.
Rota International Airport. Courtesy of the Commonwealth Ports Authority
According to CPA executive director Estrellita “Esther” S. Ada, an “approval in principle” is not a binding agreement but rather an authorization for the Air Force to continue its internal studies and planning.
During the board meeting at the Francisco C. Ada-Saipan International Airport meeting room last Sept. 30, she explained that the Air Force first submitted its proposal last March and has since returned with a formal request to lease CPA-controlled land on both Saipan and Rota.
Ada emphasized that the vote simply allows the Air Force to move forward with preparations. A final lease will still require board approval and could include conditions such as advance payment, non-refundable deposits, and a right of first refusal for CPA on additional land parcels.
Board members noted that a key issue in negotiations will be the possible installation of Mobile Aircraft Arresting Systems—specialized equipment used to stop military aircraft during emergency landings. Director Thomas P. Villagomez cautioned that CPA must consider the wear and tear this would cause to airport runways, as well as the costs of repairs.
“Who’s going to be paying?” he said, “We got this tendency that, you know, ‘it's military, so we should have it free on that.’ I think they have to go through the whole process of, you know, of any other business that's coming in,” while stressing that any use of arresting gear would also need clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration.
The CPA board also agreed that more outreach is necessary to keep Rota residents informed. Several directors called for a public hearing on the proposal so that community members can hear directly from CPA rather than relying on other agencies for updates.
During the meeting’s public comment session, island residents and allies voiced deep concerns about the lease and the lack of meaningful consultation.
Mona Manglona, co-founder of the group From Luta for Luta, urged CPA to pause the process until the people of Rota are fully informed.
“The last time information was shared with our island community was on April 30th, 2025, at what was described as a courtesy meeting by the CNMI Bureau of Military Affairs. Since then, we have not received any updates, though we were told construction would possibly begin this fall. At that April meeting, we heard the project could include eight concrete pads and six warehouses built entirely by military personnel with no identified job opportunities for local workers.”
She also criticized the lack of environmental review, noting that the project is being pursued under a “categorical exclusion” that bypasses the federal National Environmental Policy Act.
“It's not just about military development for our community. It's about whether or not families can continue to live healthy, quality lives on Rota and protecting what matters the most, our land, our water, our future, our man'hoeben, our people, and our culture. So, this is not something that should happen behind closed doors.”
Maria Fernandez of Guam echoed those concerns, sharing her community’s experience of military land takings and contamination.
“Since the military buildup began in Guahan in 2008, our community has never been part of the discussions around what's happening on our island. Our governor here isn't even able to say no to a pause to assess environmental impacts. And so just speaking on experiences from here in Guahan, where 900 football fields of our land have been cleared, we're experiencing so much contamination of our lands and our waters.”
Despite board support for moving the proposal forward in principle, CPA officials reiterated that no binding lease has been signed. The agency said future steps would include negotiations with the Air Force, FAA coordination, and further opportunities for public input—particularly for residents of Rota, whose island would host the new facilities.
While the Air Force lease dominated the session, the board also discussed delays in the long-awaited opening of Saipan’s new commuter terminal. The terminal, initially scheduled to open Oct. 1, remains closed pending Transportation Security Administration approval.
TSA has required that the new facility be incorporated into the airport’s broader security plan, including fixes to terminal access doors that open onto the tarmac. CPA is seeking conditional approval to move the project forward, but no revised opening date has been announced.
Also highlighted during the meeting was the return of Hong Kong Airlines, which resumed twice-weekly flights to Saipan last month, and ongoing discussions with carriers at the recent Routes World 2025 conference in Hong Kong. Among the proposals raised was a suggestion to rebrand CPA as the Marianas Ports Authority to simplify international marketing and align with other regional port agencies.
In other action, the CPA board adopted the financial highlights for June and July 2025 covering both the airport and seaport divisions, and accepted the internal auditor’s report presented at the meeting. mbj
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