Center files FOI request, Ninth Circuit rules on Guam case
BY MAUREEN N. MARATITA Journal Staff
What plays out on the national stage often has ramifications for the islands.
Information on current actions in Washington D.C. and how they affect the islands in Micronesia is beginning to solidify but still has much uncertainty.
Center for Biological Diversity seeks Guam information
Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands both host offices of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The Center for Biological Diversity filed Freedom of Information requests Feb. 25 “with every region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.” The filings aim to get a fuller picture of how mass firings, a hiring freeze and contract cancellations are damaging work to manage national wildlife refuges and save endangered species, according to a Feb. 26 release.
The center confirmed that a FOI request has been filed for Guam, but not for the NMI.
Ritidian Beach Guam. Courtesy of Guam National Wildlife Refuge.
The Guam office also manages the Guam National Wildlife Refuge at Ritidian, among other locations.
The National Fish and Wildlife Service in the NMI manages the Marianas Trench National Wildlife Monument’s three different programs which cover the Trench, the Ark of Fire volcanic unit of 21 volcanic sites, and the three northernmost islands of the NMI: Maug, Farallon de Pajaros and Asuncion islands. In addition, the service manages the Brown Tree Snake program and the Endangered Species Act (endangered plants and animals and their habitats) and community outreach. The service coordinates with the NMI government and the Department of Commerce’s NOAA Fisheries program, and the Guam and Honolulu offices.
Ninth Circuit clears way for Guam anti-Open Burn action
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit reversed a District Court of Guam decision, “which insulated the Air Force from accountability for violating its duty to consider environmental impacts, [and] alternatives to blowing up hazardous waste explosives on Tarague Beach,” according to a Feb. 18 release from EarthJustice.
A panel of judges ruled on Feb. 13 and reversed the District Court of Guam’s dismissal of an action brought by Prutehi Litekyan: Save Ritidian, described as “a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting natural and cultural resources in Guam,” challenging the U.S. Air Force’s decision to engage in hazardous waste disposal at Tarague Beach on Guam.
In related federal news, at the University of Guam about $11.4 million in grants managed by the Research Corp. of UOG have been affected, with 11 grants paused, one grant closed, 12 employees reassigned to other grants, and 40 student internships paused, according to a Feb. 25 release. No employees are currently furloughed, UOG said. “Despite these challenges, UOG remains committed to ensuring minimal disruption to research and academic initiatives. The University is actively reallocating resources, expediting the drawdown of available grant funds, engaging in ongoing discussions with federal agencies to seek long-term solutions, and ensuring specific project deliverables are met,” the release said. mbj
