Source: Pacific Daily News
A ‘rough road’ as military buildup projects are in ‘full force’
Anumita Kaur, Pacific Daily News Published 1:58 a.m. ChT May 24, 2019 | Updated 11:47 a.m. ChT May 24,
Members from the military, State Historic Preservation Office, Guam Preservation Trust, senate and governor’s office met Thursday at the Guam Museum for the seventh annual 2011 Programmatic Agreement workshop. (Photo: Anumita Kaur/PDN)
Four military projects that may impact the island’s historical sites are well underway, Marine Corps Activity Guam said Thursday, and Guam leaders are concerned about protecting the island’s history.
Construction has started on three of the projects, and will start on the fourth soon, military representatives told community leaders at a workshop Thursday. Artifacts have been uncovered during construction at all four sites.
The projects are part of the military buildup, in which as many as 5,000 Marines from Okinawa and elsewhere will be transferred to a new base — Camp Blaz — as part of a larger realignment of U.S. military forces in the Asia-Pacific region.
Changing or halting construction? Military calls it ‘unlikely.’
Lynda Aguon, division supervisor with State Historic Preservation Office, and Sens. Therese Terlaje and Kelly Marsh posed the possibility of changing construction plans or preserving historic discoveries on-site based on the inadvertent discoveries. Data recovery is not enough, they said.
“We don’t want just the data,” Terlaje said. “We want the historical sites.”
Aguon asked if there is criteria to halt construction altogether.
“We keep discovering things, we keep discovering things,” Aguon said. “Can’t we just stop?”
This is unlikely, the military said, due to the pressing needs of the buildup.
“Will we preserve in place for latte shards from a pot that was dropped? That’s not going to happen because I know the ranges have to be where they are, and that’s not going to force us to reconsider this,” said Al Borja, an environmental director with Marine Corps Activity Guam. “It’s not that preservation in place is impossible, but if it affects something as important as the firing lanes and the configuration of the range, I would say it’s very unlikely that we’ll preserve it in place.”
‘Coming full force’
“I have to say, 2018, 2019 has been a rough road,” Aguon said. “The projects have been slow in the beginning, but now they’re just coming full force.”
Members from the military, State Historic Preservation Office, Guam Preservation Trust, senate and governor’s office met Thursday at the Guam Museum for the seventh annual 2011 Programmatic Agreement workshop. The buildup agreement identifies historical properties, explores the military’s potential effects on them and lays guidelines to mitigate these effects. It will remain in effect for the duration of the build-up.
“We need to continue to preserve what we have left,” Aguon said. “Preserving every little ounce, every little bit of our indigenous people that provided to this land, gave to this island, must be preserved in any way, shape or form.”
Guam State Historic Preservation Officer and staff inspected the area where lusong and latte from ancient Chamoru village Magua’ were relocated, on Nov. 7, 2018. (Photo: Courtesy of State Historic Preservation Office)
The four major projects that may disrupt historic sites are:
- the construction of the central Marine Corps base in Dededo;
- construction of the live-fire training range complex at Northwest Field and Ritidian;
- water well development at Andersen Air Force Base near Potts Junction on Route 3; and
- construction of an urban combat training at Andersen South.
The four sites will be continuously monitored by two archaeologists on-staff with Marine Corps Activity Guam. As per the agreement, any discovery halts work and Historic Preservation is notified, the military said.
In total, 12 buildup projects are complete. Eight projects are currently under construction. Eleven projects are pending construction.
Vegetation cleared, most ground work complete
The construction of the base in Dededo, referred to as project J-001B, is the furthest moved along project among these. Most vegetation is cleared and the majority of the initial ground disturbance is complete, the military said.
Two sites, totaling about three acres, on this project were identified during military construction to contain historic artifacts. Archaeological data recovery, to preserve found artifacts, was performed at the first site in January this year. The second site remains fenced off from construction activity, pending further archaeological investigation.
In addition to the two sites identified, the ancient Magua’ village is on the project’s land. News of the military clearing the site of the ancient village Magua’ stirred controversy in October 2018; however, military work continued, with officials stating that found artifacts were secured, but preserving the site itself would impede Marine relocation.
Other projects’ progress
Crews are currently removing vegetation at the live-fire training range complex project at Northwest Field, referred to as P-715.
The vegetation removal did uncover Latte Period ceramic scatter, the military said. A contract to provide data recovery on the site was being finalized as of last month.
The water well development project, known as P-103, no longer conflicts with historic properties, the military said. The project, on Route 3 by Potts Junction, was adjusted due to the discovery of lusong, or ancient mortars. The project’s construction has continued, which entails 65.1 acres of property and the construction of six water wells.
The fourth project, referred to as J-755, discussed at Thursday’s meeting has not begun ground-disturbing activities. The project is for an urban combat training facility at Andersen South. Construction will begin soon, as a contract was awarded early this year, the military said. However, remnants of lånchos, or ancient ranches, are of concern on the project’s site, according to the State Historic Preservation Office.
More monitors
Throughout the meeting, senators and members of the State Historic Preservation Office and Preservation Trust reiterated a need for more archaeological monitors to be considered, to ensure ancient artifacts are properly identified and accounted for.
Attendees and military members went on site tours in the afternoon, to view South Finegyan, NCTAMS gate area and various locations at Andersen Air Force Base.