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TINIAN—6/24/2025—Tinian Mayor Edwin Aldan is endorsing the Revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the CNMI Joint Military Training, but gave the U.S. Department of Defense four conditions to assure his support of the plan.
“Of course, I endorsed it, but with what I have say to them, four things—don't mess around with our environment, be truthful, hire our people, and give our people opportunity to do business with you folks. That's the four I asked of them, and they have to live up with that,” he said during an interview with Marianas Press last June 23 during the public meeting at the Tinian Junior/Senior High School Cafeteria.
Aldan, who was a House of representative when the first EIS was presented to the community in 2015, asked his constituents on Tinian to come out and attend the June 24 Revised Draft EIS public meeting at the same venue.
“The only way we can do that is to continue to dialogue, continue to talk about, and have the opportunity to [have] a say on what is the proposal. People have to come out and come to these opportunities, come to these sessions.”
Overall, he said the Revised Draft EIS took out 60% to 70% of what was on the original draft proposal and economically can provide a windfall of around $2 billion within the next 15-20 years for the people of Tinian.
Mark Hashimoto, executive director of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific, then thanked everyone who attended Day 1 of the public meetings on Tinian. The public meeting had placards that contained the salient points of Revised Draft EIS.
“Our gratitude is extended to all the folks in the Marianas for continuing to invest with us in keeping the peace. We've been using this kind of approach at least for the last five and a half years that I've been working on this, and that's one of mutual respect and collaboration."
Hashimoto said he believes the infographic on the placards—and the experts that man them—is a novel approach in delivering the Revised Draft EIS to the community. The placards explained issues like public access, noise, biosecurity, biological resources, water, first responders, law enforcement, security, fire, and medical.
He echoed what Aldan said about the DoD being forthcoming this time around compared to 2015.
“Starting 10 years ago, the community spoke and we listened. The principle that we have used is one of no surprises. I think the people that have been coming to these meetings for a while or that have been engaging with our team should recognize a lot of this, and there shouldn't really be anything new...It's one thing to say the words gratitude and respect. It's another thing to show it. I trust that our actions, at least over the last five years, have shown that that's what we're about.”
Florin Hofschneider, a former educator from San Jose Village, said first and foremost she’s concerned having adequate time to review the initial CJMT.
She also has some issues about the noise military planes generate when taking off and landing on Tinian’s runways that are near schools and suggested adopting the fix the DoD made at Yokota Air Base in Japan.
“Yokota holds a military base, and I visited their school outside the base. One of the things they did, that the school did, and I'm not sure who financed that, they put a double-pane window so that noise from the military base do not disrupt the instruction. Those are the things that we need to talk about in terms of education of the kids,” she said in an interview with Marianas Press.
Hofschneider also brought up concerns about firing range exercises that could hit boats crossing between Tinian and Saipan, referencing an accident that happened in Puerto Rico that led to the closing of the firing range there.
She also wants off-island workers to go through an orientation to learn about the local culture as well as the DoD addressing increase vehicular traffic, potential rise in road accidents, and shortage of money, gas, etc. brought about by the military buildup.
Kaeli Swift, a scientist who has lived on Tinian the past four years, thanked DoD and specifically Hashimoto for initiating public meetings like the one held last June 23. She, however, said there seems to be a disconnect between what the top brass communicates and those on the ground say.
“If you ask people at a fiesta that you meet casually about, say, biosecurity, they say, ‘oh, it's just a matter of time. You better enjoy the birds while you can because snakes are coming to Tinian.’ If you ask about the beaches, they say, ‘oh, enjoy. I'm so glad I'm here now because if I was here in four years, beaches are going to be terrible.’ So, it's a little bit hard to bridge the gap between what leadership is saying here in terms of the care and respect that they're going to give the island when the folks representing your organization are saying the opposite. I just think that that's something that you should know,” she said.
The Marine Corps published a Notice of Availability for the Revised Draft EIS in the Federal Register on June 6, 2025. The Revised Draft EIS evaluates the potential environmental effects associated with the Proposed Action. The public and interested parties are encouraged to review the information and documents provided on its website and participate in the EIS process.
Public comments on the Revised Draft EIS and potential effects to historic properties pursuant to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act will be accepted during the 75-day public review and comment period from June 6, 2025, to Aug. 20, 2025.
Aside from the June 23 and 24 public meeting on Tinian, three more public meeting are schedule on Saipan and Rota.
Wednesday, June 25, 2025 | Crowne Plaza Resort Saipan (Hibiscus Hall) at 5pm
Thursday, June 26, 2025 | Crowne Plaza Resort Saipan (Hibiscus Hall) at 5pm
Friday, June 27, 2025 | Rota Mayor’s Office, San Francisco de Borja Highway, Tatachok, Rota
Report by Mark Rabago and Thomas Manglona II
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