FOR IMMEDIATE NEWS RELEASE (September 6, 2017 – Hagåtña) – Vice Speaker Therese M. Terlaje (D-Yoña), Chairperson for the Committee on Culture and Justice, submitted a letter to Governor Eddie Baza Calvo yesterday, urging him to consider the irreversible impacts to historic sites, the environment, and ancestral lands with the clearing of limestone forests in Finegayan and Northwest Field for construction of the cantonment and Live-Fire Training Range Complex. Vice Speaker wrote with great concern about the preservation of primary limestone forest, ancient villages, cultural resources, and the continuing struggles for original landowners. In her letter, Vice Speaker Terlaje asked the Governor to consider the following:
– That promises in the Programmatic Agreement have not been kept by the military
– That the discovery of additional historic properties at Northwest Field may require reconsideration
– That the CNMI pending lawsuit may directly impact these firing ranges
– That the planned destruction of 187 acres of limestone forest at Northwest Field and the clearing of 683 acres of limestone forest in Finegayan are irreversible
– That Guam has a longstanding policy to defend Ritidian from federal control
– That the relocation will not begin until 2020

“Certainly the destruction of our limestone forest and wildlife refuge can be put on hold temporarily, while the leaders of Guam work cohesively with government agency leaders and the people of Guam to ensure the preservation of our ancient villages and pristine resource,” Vice Speaker Terlaje wrote.

Vice Speaker Terlaje also humbly requested that these issues regarding Ritidian be addressed in the Governor’s discussions in Washington D.C., together with the economic impacts of the denial of H-2B visas and the payment of War Claims out of Section 30 funds owed to Guam. Vice Speaker Terlaje further stated, “Settlement should include justice for the original landowners, preservation of historic sites, and protection of our limestone forests.”

The letter, which was also copied to Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo, included maps of the proposed Surface Danger Zone at Ritidian/Litekyan and potential impacts, a copy of a complaint filed by the Tinian Women’s Association against the U.S. Navy, and the public notice for the September 7, 2017 Informational Briefing with Original Landowners at the Guam Congressional Building’s Public Hearing Room.

For more information, please refer to the attached letter from Vice Speaker Terlaje to Governor Calvo, along with the included attachments.

For more information, please call the Office of Vice Speaker Therese M. Terlaje at (671) 472-3586.

Read Vice Speaker Terlaje’s Letter to the Governor here:
Ltr_Gov_Urgent Issues LFTRC_F

Review the CNMI Complaint here:
CNMI Complaint

Review the Public Notice here:
Public Notice Sept. 7th. 2017 Info Briefing with Original Landowners

The Committee on Culture and Justice will convene an informational briefing on Thursday, September 7, 2017 at 4 p.m. at the Guam Legislature Public Hearing Room, at the Guam Congress Building in Hagåtña.

The intent of the informational briefing is to receive reports of the status and the historical, cultural, and environmental impacts of the Live-Fire Training Range Complex, and the potential implications for the original landowners of Ritidian/Litekyan and the surrounding areas.

Agenda items include:
*Reports from government agencies: Guam State Historic Preservation Office, Guam Department of Agriculture, Guam Coastal Management Program, Governor’s Military Buildup Office
*Testimony from Guam Fishermen’s Coop Association
*Testimony from Original Ritidian/Litekyan Landowners

Background on Ritidian/Litekyan homelands:
– After World War II, the U.S. military condemned via eminent domain, privately held lands from families in Ritidian/Litekyan and the surrounding areas. Families were forced to relocate despite objections and without just compensation. Ritidian was established as a military area that restricted civilian access.

– After decades, the military deemed the Ritidian lands “excess”, however, the return of the excess lands to the government of Guam was thwarted by the U.S. Congress’ transfer of those lands to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2000. Ritidian lands have since been held in trust by the USFWS and used as a wildlife refuge and cultural center.

The 22nd, 23rd, and 30th Guam Legislatures enacted:
– PL 22-63, declaring that no wildlife refuge be established in Guam unless approved and enacted under Guam law

– PL 22-111 challenged the designation of the Ritidian lands as a Critical Habitat or Wildlife Refuge.

– PL 23-24 signed by acting Governor Madeleine Z. Bordallo, prohibited the Government of Guam from entering into any cooperative agreement with any U.S. federal government agency in regard to the Wildlife Refuge at Ritidian. The law stated, “it is the policy of the government of Guam to seek the termination of federal ownership of real property in Northern Guam commonly known as the “Wildlife Refuge” and to seek the transfer of those lands from the control of the U.S. Department of Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service to local authority for whatever purposes deemed appropriate by local authority, including the possible return to original land owners.”

– Resolution 258-30 opposing land condemnation by the federal government for the purposes of the training ranges, reminding Congress that “the final insult to the people of Guam came when the 385 acres of the former Naval Facility, Guam at Ritidian Point was declared excess in the 1990’s and was grabbed quietly, without fanfare or advance notice by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rather than being returned to the original land owners via the Government of Guam.”

Contrary to past Guam Legislative efforts to support the Ritidian homelands, in December 2014,Congress enacted H.R. 4402, allowing DoD use of Ritidian as a Surface Danger Zone for its Live-Fire Training Ranges.

The informational briefing will broadcast on local television, GTA Channel 21, Docomo Channel 117/60.4 and stream online via I Liheslaturan Guåhan’s live feed. If written testimonies are to be presented at the informational briefing, the Committee requests that copies be submitted prior to the informational briefing date and should be addressed to Vice Speaker Therese M. Terlaje. Testimonies may be submitted via hand delivery to the Office of Vice Speaker Therese M. Terlaje at the Guam Congress Building, 163 Chalan Santo Papa, Hagåtña, Guam; at the Protocol Office of the Guam Congress Building, 163 Chalan Santo Papa, Hagåtña, Guam 96910; or via email to senatorterlajeguam@gmail.com. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, individuals requiring special accommodations or services should contact the Office of Vice Speaker Therese M. Terlaje, 163 Chalan Santo Papa, at (671) 472-3586 or by sending an email to senatorterlajeguam@gmail.com.

We look forward to your attendance and participation.
Si Yu’os Ma’åse.