The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) Division of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has received grant funding from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to assist in establishing and enhancing the CNMI's response program to address contaminated sites, including those sites contaminated with UXO. Included in this effort, will be the assessment, cleanup, and redevelopment of Brownfields sites which may be contaminated with UXO. A brownfield site is define as "real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant." A UXO brownfield site is known or suspected to contain military munitions and unexploded ordnance and therefore may present an explosive hazard. Such UXO brownfield sites are inhibited from development in the CNMI.
UXO may remain on large portions of the island from the United States (U.S.) and Japanese battle for the CNMI. After the capture of Saipan, the U.S. developed much of the island into a supply base for long-range bombing and aerial attacks against Japan, as well as a staging area for the invasion of Japan. Among these areas that are contaminated with ordinance include results of an "Act of War" with varying locations that may include underwater munitions. At the conclusion of World War II, much of the ordinance stored on Saipan and Tinian was left in place with subsequent but ineffective attempts at its removal from the CNMI hampering the development of the affected areas and posing as a safety concern to the residents of the CNMI. The purpose of this project is to compile existing and newly gathered information on submerged lands in the CNMI that are contaminated or potentially contaminated with UXO. Additionally, these sites may have potential to serve as tourist destinations and/or public access recreational sites. In a future project, this inventory may be used as the basis for UXO assessments to determine the extent of contamination and evaluation for remedial action if required. |