Latest news with #Tinian
RNZ News
30-06-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Marianas residents voice deep concerns over US military expansion
Tinian mayor Edwin Aldan warns that military activities could devastate ecosystems already threatened by climate change. Photo: Supplied Tinian residents of the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) have voiced urgent concerns over potential environmental and cultural damage from a major United States (US) military training plan during a series of tense public meetings last week. At a packed gathering inside the Tinian Junior/Senior High School cafeteria, Tinian mayor Edwin Aldan issued a stark message to visiting military officials: protect the islands' fragile environment, be transparent with the community, and ensure local people benefit economically from the US Indo-Pacific buildup. "Don't mess around with our environment," Aldan told attendees, warning that military activities could devastate ecosystems already threatened by climate change. He called for rigorous safeguards and community-driven monitoring. The mayor also demanded honesty, saying CNMI residents are frustrated with what they see as vague or contradictory statements from military planners. He pressed for concrete commitments to hire local workers and award contracts to local businesses so the islands' struggling economy-still recovering from the pandemic-can benefit. Noise pollution, potential destruction of cultural sites, and the threat to traditional livelihoods, like farming and ranching, emerged as top worries among community members at meetings held on Tinian, Saipan, and Rota. Environmental fears dominated the discussions, with many residents worried about irreversible harm to coral reefs, native wildlife, and ancestral lands. Multiple speakers pleaded for an extension to the current 75-day comment period on the Revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement (RDEIS), saying more time is needed for communities to digest the thousands of pages of technical documents. Community engagement itself was fraught, with protestors from Prutehi Guåhan and Marianas for Palestine highlighting the lack of a public forum-at least after Day 1 of the public meetings on Tinian. Some protestors connected the Marianas' planned use for military training with ongoing violence abroad. "This is a suicide drone that is being used in Gaza right now," said Abed Salam Castro Younis of Marianas for Palestine. "To support using these death tools here on our homeland, tainting our beautiful image-I'm here to fight against that." Marine Corps Forces Pacific executive director Mark Hashimoto closed the meeting by assuring residents that the new RDEIS reflects significantly more community input and stricter environmental safeguards than past proposals. The public comment period on the RDEIS runs through 20 August.
RNZ News
11-06-2025
- General
- RNZ News
Oil spill cleanup in Tinian Harbor completed
Cleanup efforts following a waste oil spill in Tinian Harbor concluded on June 8. Photo: Supplied/US Coast Guard Cleanup efforts following a waste oil spill in Tinian Harbor concluded last weekend (8 June) with no significant impacts to wildlife or the shoreline, according to the US Coast Guard and local environmental authorities. The spill, estimated at 113.5 litres of waste oil , came from the Mariana , a 145-foot US-flagged freight vessel, and was reported on 6 June. Responders - including crew members from the Mariana and support vessel Galide - deployed containment and sorbent booms to trap the spill. The wind aided in concentrating the remaining oil in the harbor's corner, where it either evaporated or was removed by the cleanup crew. Cabras Marine Corporation later resupplied response equipment on Tinian, and the Mariana continued on to Guam with the collected waste. The US Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Saipan oversaw the operation. Coast Guard officials confirmed that no recoverable product remained and that the response was completed ahead of schedule. "This is exactly the kind of swift, responsible action we expect from vessel operators," said Petty Officer 1st Class Jon Kramer of MSU Saipan. "Our mission is to safeguard public trust and Tinian's marine ecosystems." The CNMI Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality and the Division of Fish and Wildlife also confirmed that no shoreline or wildlife impacts were detected. Though an investigation into the cause of the spill was conducted due to the vessel's commercial status, the incident did not meet the threshold for classification as a serious marine incident warranting further federal inquiry.
RNZ News
11-06-2025
- General
- RNZ News
Environmental concerns take centre stage as US military releases revised CNMI plan
The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Photo: Google Maps The US military's updated proposal to expand troop training in the Northern Mariana Islands is again drawing close scrutiny from environmentalists, cultural advocates, and local residents concerned about its long-term impact on Tinian's ecosystem. But the Marine Corps said it will use public feedback to refine or adjust its plans. Among local concerns is the potential threat to endangered species and sensitive habitats, particularly the Tinian monarch, a small native bird that inhabits the same forested areas proposed for live-fire exercises. The Tinian monarch Photo: WikiCommons Conservation groups fear that expanded training activities - such as ground maneuvers, construction of targets, and aircraft landings - could degrade nesting grounds and lead to further population decline. There is also worry about bat species, migratory birds, and native vegetation that have already been stressed by development, invasive species, and climate change. While the revised plan excludes Pagan Island from the training footprint, concerns remain about Tinian's shoreline integrity, especially if support facilities near the coast are developed or expanded. Cultural preservationists are also sounding the alarm over potential damage to historic and ancestral sites, some of which have yet to be formally surveyed. These include burial grounds, latte stones, and WWII-era structures that carry spiritual and historical significance to the Chamorro and Carolinian peoples. The plan calls for site avoidance strategies, but critics argue that without full documentation and enforcement, irreversible damage remains a possibility. These concerns set the stage for the release of the 'revised draft environmental impact statement' for the US Marine Corps' CNMI joint military training proposal, which reworks earlier plans from 2015. The updated statement drops Pagan from consideration and narrows the scope of activities on Tinian to areas already leased to the Department of Defense. It introduces three new training alternatives that include live-fire ranges, convoy training areas, and rotary-wing landing zones. The document marks the beginning of a 75-day public review period from 6 June through 20 August, and the military is encouraging residents to weigh in through public meetings and formal comment submissions. The Marine Corps said it will use public feedback to refine or adjust its plans before issuing a final environmental impact statement.
RNZ News
10-06-2025
- General
- RNZ News
Investigation under way after Marianas waste oil spill
The US Coast Guard and local environmental officials have launched a coordinated response to a reported waste oil spill at Tinian Harbour. Photo: Supplied The US Coast Guard and local environmental officials have launched a coordinated response to a reported waste oil spill from the US-flagged freight vessel Mariana at Tinian Harbor last week. The Coast Guard said approximately 113.5 litres of waste oil was released into the harbor on 6 June. As of Saturday morning, 7 June, the US Coast Guard reported no visible impact to shoreline areas or local wildlife. The spill was immediately reported by the vessel's crew, who also secured the source to prevent further discharge. The spill was contained within a set of booms and being pushed to the corner of the harbor pier by prevailing winds. Clean-up crews deployed containment and sorbent booms in line with the Mariana's vessel response plan, and additional materials were shipped from Saipan to bolster protection efforts for Tinian's marine environment. A marine science technician from Marine Safety Unit Saipan was on site, supervising operations to ensure compliance and environmental safety. The US Coast Guard has initiated an investigation to determine the cause of the spill and is working closely with the CNMI Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality to monitor any ongoing effects.
RNZ News
29-05-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Tinian adopts cryptocurrency for internet gaming
Photo: Supplied The island of Tinian in the Northern Marianas is the first US jurisdiction to adopt a government-backed cryptocurrency for internet gaming. The CNMI's House of Representatives has voted to override Governor Arnold Palacios' veto of a senate bill. Senate Local Bill 24-01, Draft 1 essentially authorizes internet gaming using a regulated platform and creates the "Tinian Stable Token" or MUSD, backed by the US dollar and managed by the CNMI treasury on a secure blockchain. It also enables casinos to accept and process stablecoin payments for digital gaming and mandates full transparency and recordkeeping of all gaming transactions. Chief technology officer of Marianas Rai Corporation, and an advocate of the measure, Vin Armani, told lawmakers the actions they took on the matter of the override "will have an impact on the economic prosperity, or lack thereof, for generations of citizens of the CNMI". "You have a chance to attract billions of dollars of investment and tax revenue from the fastest growing segment of the financial technology industry." Senator Jude Hofschneider, who co-sponsored the bill, emphasized the need for diversification in the wake of repeated economic shocks from tourism decline and federal program wind-downs. He thanked the House for passing the override of Palacios' veto. "We believe that this initiative can help not only Tinian but the entire CNMI in our efforts to economic recovery," he said. "We often hear statements being made about diversifying our economy. This exercise is a great indication of what that means." He assured lawmakers that regulations and enforcement mechanisms already exist through the Tinian Casino Gaming Control Commission, which would oversee licensing and compliance. Palacios initially vetoed the measure, citing concerns raised by the Office of the Attorney General about oversight, financial transparency, and constitutional authority. The Attorney-General questioned whether such a currency framework could bypass federal and local financial regulations or create liabilities for the CNMI government. But lawmakers in both the Senate and House rejected the veto, arguing that the bill only enables a legal framework and does not appropriate any government funds or authorize uncontrolled crypto trading. Tinian's local leaders said the system will be tightly regulated, with every token transaction recorded on a tamper-proof blockchain for public auditing. Representative Patrick San Nicolas said a vote to override Palacios' veto on the bill is a vote for the future of not only Tinian but the entire CNMI. "Overriding this Senate local bill is a forward-looking measure that gives our island and our Commonwealth the legal infrastructure to enter a global digital economy, through standalone internet gaming licenses and the creation of the Tinian stablecoin. "This is not a rushed thing into unregulated digital wireless. This is a bill about transparency. This is a bill about accountability and modern financial infrastructure. It is about building an economy within the Commonwealth." Floor leader, representative Marissa Flores, who voted no to the override, asked her colleagues for patience and not to rush into passing an override without carefully thinking of its ramifications. "By taking the time to think carefully, to act thoughtfully, and to persevere patiently, we can make decisions that not only serve our immediate political needs, but also pave the way for the long-term security, prosperity, and the well-being of our Marianas." On 9 May the Senate voted 7-1 to override Palacios' veto, which then needed a two-thirds majority in the House to pass and was voted through 14-2 on 15 May.
