A visitors’ center worthy of the marine monument

As one of the framers of our Constitution, my father knew the value of our natural resources to our culture and argued for permanent protections for Mañagaha, and the three northernmost islands of Asuncion, Maug, and Uracas. He taught me that it is the responsibility of every indigenous person to ensure that these islands are passed down to the next generation in the same condition in which they were passed down to us.

That’s why I worked so hard alongside The Friends of the Monument and The Pew Charitable Trusts to help create the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument.

It is an indisputable fact that the people of the Northern Marianas support environmental protection and it is no wonder that there was such a tidal wave of support for the creation of the Marianas Trench Monument.

When the monument was declared on Jan. 6, 2009, then governor Benigno R. Fitial, then Senate president Pete P. Reyes, and then House speaker Arnold Palacios led in celebration 6,000 local residents, 500 students, and 206 businesses. As I recall, Governor Fitial was so elated he hugged President George W. Bush right after the signing.

In a letter to the editor, former representative Cinta M. Kaipat wrote that the goals of the monument were to “create federally funded local jobs, give a needed boost to our struggling tourism industry, bring positive worldwide attention to our shores, and most importantly, protect three of our islands and their surrounding waters for generations to come.” (Saipan Tribune, May 1, 2008)

Much has been accomplished toward achieving these goals. In the last five years there has been positive media attention for the islands, renewed interest in scientific exploration of the area, and a federally funded office of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration opened in Garapan. But work still needs to be done. Everyone must come together to move ahead with creating the visitor center and bringing to fruition the economic promise of this impressive marine reserve.

In 2009, the same year the monument was declared, Delegate Gregorio Sablan earmarked $220,000 in the fiscal year 2010 Consolidated Appropriation Act (HR 3288) for the design of our visitor center. It was a proud moment. Our first representative in the U.S. Congress passed one of his first bills.

The Friends and Pew worked with the delegate’s office and with NOAA, the recipient of the funding, to draft a grant to the CNMI Department of Lands and Natural Resources to “develop a process for engaging input from the public to create a visitor and education center that will incorporate our existing marine protected areas and the new Marianas Trench National Monument.” (Delegate Sablan, letter to DLNR Secretary Ignacio Dela Cruz, Dec. 30, 2009)

The plan was to develop an architectural blueprint so that Delegate Sablan, along with the Friends and Pew, could ask Congress to fund the construction. Although progress stalled at the local level, today we have a new governor, a new DLNR secretary, and from what I understand from media reports, soon we’ll have a new architectural plan for a monument visitor center. This is excellent news, and everyone who had a hand in its completion deserves congratulations.

Soon it will be time to take the plan to Washington, and I know the Friends, Pew and our elected officials will do all they can to help. But there is no guarantee that federal funding will be available. In the meantime, the Friends continue to work with the community on outreach and education. Pew has supported these efforts and continues to engage with CNMI leaders at the Association of Pacific Island Legislatures, Micronesian Chief Executive Summit, and the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission.

The people of the Northern Mariana Islands should be proud of what we have accomplished. From the Micronesia Challenge, to the Marianas Trench Monument, and most recently our leadership in global shark conservation, the world is taking notice. Let’s welcome them with a visitor center worthy of these efforts.

Angelo Villagomez is with The Pew Charitable Trusts in Washington, D.C.

House renews wildlife refuge volunteers program

Phil Taylor, E&E reporter
Published: Wednesday, July 31, 2013

The House by voice vote last night passed a bill to extend volunteer and community partnership programs at the nation's wildlife refuges through 2017.

H.R. 1300, by Rep. Jon Runyan (R-N.J.), would allow the National Wildlife Refuge System to expand its volunteer programs and encourage environmental education efforts, the Interior Department said.

Current authorization for the programs was set to expire in 2014

The bill, which is co-sponsored by Northern Mariana Islands Del. Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (D), passed under suspension of the rules.

Jim Kurth, chief of the National Wildlife Refuge System, backed the bill at a hearing in April before the House Natural Resources Committee.

In 2012, volunteer work at refuges "skyrocketed" to more than 56,000 individuals who donated more than 2 million hours of time, the equivalent of more than 1,000 full-time employees, he said. The work was worth nearly $47 million, he added.

"They help implement conservation measures, provide environmental education and recreational opportunities to the American people, organize and carry out special events, and perform many other valuable services for fish and wildlife conservation and for the refuge system and its visitors," Kurth told the Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs. "These volunteers donate millions of hours of their time each year, and those volunteer hours continue to increase."

The program, which is authorized at $2 million annually, allows the Fish and Wildlife Service to recruit and train volunteers and provide them with food, housing, transportation and uniforms.

It also allows the agency to enter into cooperative agreements with partner organizations, academic institutions or state or local governments to support operations, maintenance and educational projects and develop refuge education programs.

Update: NMFS posted approved management rule

Today, July 2, 2013, NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announced approval by the Office of Management and Budget of collection-of-information requirements contained in regulations implementing amendments to four western Pacific fishery ecosystem plans, relating to fishing in three marine national monuments. This rule is effective August 1, 2013.

View the rule and supporting documentation here:
http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2012-0070

or here:
http://www.fpir.noaa.gov/SFD/SFD_regs_1.html

This rule and management plan is one component by one of the responsible parties for the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument management plan. A total Monument management plan will be created by all of the members of the MTMNM Council, which is expected to be started during the remaining months of 2013. Estimates suggest that the process will take up to 2-years.

Global Ocean Legacy Hero—Ignacio V. "Ike" Cabrera

This month, The Global Ocean Legacy team unveiled plans to begin regularly honoring honor individuals who have made a significant contribution to marine conservation through his or her dedication to a Global Ocean Legacy marine reserve project proposals. The first recipient of their Hero recognition award is Saipan's very own Ignacio V. "Ike" Cabrera. Congratulations Mr. Cabrera and thank you for your continued dedication!!!

The following is the story they printed in their eNewsletter: The Global Ocean Legacy Navigator:

Ike was a passionate and dedicated advocate for the designation of the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument, and he continues to fight for better management and increased marine protection around the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Global Ocean Legacy managers Heather Bradner and Robert Mazurek presented Ike this honor on their recent trip to Saipan.

Like generations of marine conservationists before him, Ike Cabrera grew up in a fishing family. But unlike most, his character was shaped by being born and raised on the remarkable island of Saipan in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). Saipan is the largest of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean. Although “large” in this case means 115 square kilometers (about 44 square miles) of land sandwiched between sandy beaches on the western shore and rugged rocky cliffs jutting into the ocean on the east.

Ike grew up plying Saipan’s pristine waters with his grandfather either gillnetting for tuna, bottom fishing for grouper, or spearfishing for his dinner. The ocean not only provided food and income for his family, but in many ways the ocean was a part of him.

Ike’s love for the ocean and his environment led him to a job working for the CNMI’s Environment Agency. This allowed him to make frequent visits to the Bird Island Sanctuary and Guguan Island, two of his favorite places and two of the Commonwealth’s first nature reserves. There he saw first-hand the benefits of protecting the environment for future generations.

After rising through the ranks, Ike became the Environment Agency’s director. And after twenty-three years of working for the government, he retired – at least officially.

Around this time, Global Ocean Legacy began promoting the importance of establishing a large, fully protected marine reserve around the northernmost islands of the Marianas archipelago. While enjoying retirement, Ike decided to play a public role in advocating for the monument and contributed his many skills and leadership to the effort. And, what a difference this made.

Ike helped launch Friends of the Monument, a grassroots organization that educated islanders about the need for increased marine protection around the Marianas Trench. Through his group, he collected signatures in favor of a new National Marine Monument and went to Washington, D.C., to advocate for such protection with legislators and White House staff. He is reported to have even “crashed” a wedding to increase the number of signatures, which he brought to Washington with him.

“For me, the most important thing was educating our people–and especially our youth–on the importance of the ocean environment,” Ike said. “The obvious need for increased protection came out of those conversations.”

All this hard work culminated in Ike’s invitation to the White House in January 2009 to witness then-President George W. Bush signing the proclamation that created the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument.

“That was a proud moment,” Ike said, “but there is still much more opportunity and work to be done.” Ike refers to the fact that currently, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, is leading the effort to create the Monument’s first management plan. A draft plan is scheduled to be released and available for public comment sometime this year.


This article is reprinted at this blog from its original source: The Global Ocean Legacy Navigator: April 2013

Marianas Trench Marine National Monument update

Email announcement sent by Laura Beauregard US-FWS on April 11,2013:

A multi-year, multi-agency planning process continues to develop a Monument Management Plan (MMP) for the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument. As stated in Presidential Proclamation 8335, the Secretaries of the Interior and Commerce are required to complete a MMP to guide the management of the monument’s resources. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are working together in the development of the MMP, and in cooperation with the Secretary of Defense, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the Government of the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands. I am pleased to announce the availability of our latest planning update. Planning Update 3 provides a summary of the comments and questions we received during the public scoping meetings on Saipan, Rota, Tinian, and Guam last year, along with the initial agency responses.

To download, please visit:
http://www.fws.gov/marianastrenchmarinemonument/planning.html

Contact Info:
laura_beauregard@fws.gov
Hawaiian & Pacific Islands NWRC
300 Ala Moana Blvd, Rm 5-231
Honolulu, HI 96850
808-792-9558

Why Do We Explore?: An introduction to "Why Do We Explore the Mariana Trench?"

We thought you might like to know that NOAA is going to be here tomorrow providing education materials and training for classroom teachers related to the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument. We are confident that this is only the beginning.

Thanks to Heidi and Kara for making the time and taking the trip! We look forward to seeing you again for your next session in March as well!!!

Refuge System Sets Goals for Next Decade

Friends of the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument
to Join 1,200 at One of Nation’s
Largest Gatherings of Conservationists

Representing Friends of the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument (FOMTM) Ignacio V. “Ike” Cabrera, Chairman and Laurie Peterka, Secretary, will be among 1,200 professionals and citizen conservationists who will hear from Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, retired U.S. Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen, who headed the federal response to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and historian/author Douglas Brinkley at the National Wildlife Refuge System Conserving the Future conference in Madison, WI. The conference will be held July 11-14, when a new vision will be ratified to guide the Refuge System for the next decade.

The conference – one of the nation’s largest gatherings of conservationists — is the culmination of a months-long, highly transparent process to create a reinvigorated vision for the Refuge System. Over the past six months, Americans submitted more than 10,000 comments to the draft vision, posted online at http://americaswildlife.org, where more information about the vision and the conference is available.

Speakers will also include noted oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle; award-winning nature photographer Dewitt Jones who traveled the globe for National Geographic; MacArthur-winning environmental activist Majora Carter of the Bronx, New York; and Juan Martinez of Los Angeles, with the nonprofit Children & Nature Network and named by National Geographic as one of its Emerging Explorers.

FOMTM was among more than 100 nonprofit Refuge System Friends organizations at the conference. FOMTM formed in the Spring of 2008 to express the voice of the local community and consists of a cross-section of indigenous and resident people of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands who are dedicated to the conservation, preservation and protection of flora, fauna and geological features of the oceans; and the proper management of the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument. The organization was a recipient of a 2009 EPA Environmental Award for their community outreach work supporting marine protected areas. Currently, FOMTM follows and reports on progress of the steps outlined in the 2008 declaration.

The Refuge System, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is the nation’s largest network of federal lands and waters dedicated to the protection of wildlife and the habitat on which it depends. The Refuge System is composed of 553 national wildlife refuges spanning about 150 million acres. More than 44 million people visit wildlife refuges each year.

The new vision will help the Refuge System implement the best wildlife conservation practices guided by the latest science. The Refuge System’s new vision recognizes the rapid social and environmental changes that have taken place over the last decade or so.

One idea slated for discussion: to establish an interagency team to improve habitat conservation and the conservation literacy of America, especially among the young.

FOMTM is attending the NWR conference to network with like-minded professionals and volunteers in order to bring whatever resources it can back to the local community. Any particular programs that may be launched as a consequence of participation will be announced at http://marianamonument.blogspot.com/, where you can also follow all other activities that FOMTM is involved on behalf of the community.

The Conserving the Future conference will also showcase a modern face of the federal government: Many conference proceedings will be live-streamed. Texting, mobile communications and social networking will all play essential communications roles.

The Refuge System will offset carbon emissions tied to conference travel with contributions to The Conservation Fund’s Go Zero program.

Saipan: Opportunit​y to Visit NOAA Research Ship

An opportunity has arisen to visit the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) research ship (the Hi'ialakai) on Thursday of this week (the 28th).

The Hawaii based vessel has been conducting research around the Marianas (including the northern islands) over the last month with both off-island and local scientists. The ship will be returning to Saipan this Wednesday and is offering students and the general public an opportunity to tour the ship and talk with the scientists conducting the research.

If you are interested in coming out please either email Aric Bickel or Ranger Nancy Kelchner at American Memorial Park to reserve your spot, as there are only so many people the boat can handle. Visitation hours on Thursday for students are between 12 and 2:00pm and between 3 and 4:00pm for the general public. Those coming out (and others interested) are asked to visit the vessels website http://noaacred.blogspot.com/  to familiarize themselves with the work being done and get an idea of which scientists they would like the speak with/what questions they would like to ask.

This is a great opportunity to get a first hand look at some of the research that is being done at the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument. Feel free to contact Aric with your questions!

Planning Begins for Management of the Marianas Trench and Pacific Remote Islands

Federal officials from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the NOAA Fisheries Service are soliciting information, ideas, suggestions and concerns related to the development of management plans for the Marianas Trench and Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monuments. These management plans will guide management of these two unique marine national monuments for the next 15 years.

 

The Marianas Trench Marine National Monument in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and the Pacific Remote Islands National Monument were created in January 2009 by President George W. Bush under the authority of the Antiquities Act of 1906. Together, the two monuments include more than 182,000 square miles of ocean, coral reefs, submerged lands, islands and atolls and represent some of the most remote and pristine marine areas on Earth.

 

The Marianas Trench Marine National Monument consists of 95,216 square miles within three units: the Marianas Trench Unit, which is 1,100 miles long, 44 miles wide and includes only the submerged lands; the Volcanic Unit, which consists of circles (1 nautical mile radius) around 21 undersea mud volcanoes and thermal vents along the Mariana Arc and again, includes only the submerged lands; and the Islands Unit, which includes only the waters and submerged lands of the three northernmost Mariana Islands: Farallon de Pajaros or Uracas, Maug, and Asuncion. The Marianas Trench Unit and the Volcanic Unit are also managed as units of the National Wildlife Refuge System.

 

The Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument spans 86,888 square miles and also incorporates seven national wildlife refuges: Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Palmyra Atoll and Wake Atoll.

 

Public comments will be accepted until July 31, 2011. [Emphasis Added] Opportunities for additional public input will be announced throughout the planning process and public meetings may be scheduled [Emphasis Added] to help share information and obtain comments. Once draft plans are completed they will be released for additional public review and comment before being finalized. The plans will be revised every 15 years and will be reviewed annually.

 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration are cooperating in the development of the plans and will carry out their designated management roles under their respective authorities.

 

While other topics will likely be identified during public scoping, the following are among the preliminary issues that may be addressed during the development of draft management plans:

• Climate change impacts and adaptation
• Marine debris impacts and removal
• Invasive species prevention and control
• Other potential threats to the ecosystem (e.g. trespass; illegal fishing and shipwrecks, groundings and spills)
• Emergency response to natural and manmade disasters and natural resources damage assessments
• Habitat conservation and restoration
• Historic and cultural resources
• Public education and outreach
• Scientific exploration and research opportunities
• Developing an appropriate permitting program for activities within the monuments.

More information is included in two Notices of Intent to develop management plans published in the Federal Register on April 5, 2011.

 

For the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument, please send written comments or requests for more information by any of the following methods:

• Email: MTMNM@noaa.gov
• Fax: 808-973-2941
• Mail: Heidi Hirsh, NOAA Fisheries Service, 1601 Kapiolani Blvd., #1110, Honolulu, HI 96814

 

Additional information about the Monument and its two refuges is available at http://www.fws.gov/marianastrenchmarinemonument and http://www.fpir.noaa.gov/MNM/mnm_index.html

 

For the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument, please send your written comments or requests for more information by any of the following methods:

• Email: Pacific_Reefs@fws.gov
• Fax: 808-792-9586
• Mail: Susan White, Project Leader, Pacific Reefs National Wildlife Refuge Complex, 300 Ala Moana Blvd., Room 5-231, Honolulu, HI 96850

 Additional information about the Monument and its seven refuge units is available at http://www.fws.gov/pacificremoteislandsmarinemonument and http://www.fpir.noaa.gov/MNM/mnm_index.html  

 

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov

 

NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. Visit us at http://www.noaa.gov or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/usnoaagov.

(PR - April 6, 2011: NMFS, NOAA, DOI, FWS)

There is bipartisan support for a Monument visitor center in the NMI

Reprinted from Congressman Kilili's e-Newsletter, Friday, March 17, 2011:


There is bipartisan support for a Monument visitor center in the NMI — I want to thank the sixteen Members of Congress — from both sides of the aisle — who signed on to be original co-sponsors of H.R. 1207, authorizing construction of the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument visitor center in the Northern Marianas. My bill envisions a multi-purpose facility for the interpretation, public education and enjoyment of the marine environment within the Monument and fulfills the promise of President Bush’s Executive Order creating this vast protected area. Don Young (R-AK) and Dale Kildee (D-MI), both second in seniority in their respective parties on the Natural Resources Committee, agreed to be co-sponsors again. H.R. 1207 is a revision of a bill I introduced in the last Congress that responds to heightened concerns about federal spending. I believe we can decrease costs without comprising the design and functionality of the facility. Either federally-managed or donated land in the Northern Marianas will be used. The Secretary of Interior will decide on the appropriate location for the facility.

Dennis Chan thanks Kilili with a copy of Our Northern Islands

Dennis Chan and members of the Friends of the Mariana Trench Monument presented Delegate Gregorio Camacho "Kilili" Sablan with a copy of Our Northern Islands, the new book written by Chan. The book is about Chan's experience aboard the 105-foot Lady Carolina during the first expedition to the Mariana Trench Marine National Monument. Last year's expedition was organized by the Friends, who provided funding for a local young person to take part. Chan won a space on the expedition with an essay "Why I want to visit the Mariana Trench Marine National Monument." A portion of the proceeds of the book will go towards supporting the educational programs of the Friends. The book was presented to Kilili in gratitude for his continued support of coral reef conservation and for providing funding to design a visitors center in the CNMI. Our Northern Islands is available on Amazon.com and the CNMI Musuem.

The 10% Target: Where do we stand?

According to a recent report by IUCN (Toropova, et al 2010, Chapter Three):

• Current MPAs number 5878 and cover over 4.2 million km2 of ocean (1.17% of the global ocean surface).
• MPA coverage of continental shelf areas is now 4.32%, and 2.86% of waters within 200nm of coastlines.
• A few large MPAs have accounted for the greatest increase in coverage over the last 5 years.
• Only 12 out of 190 states and territories with marine jurisdictions have an MPA coverage of 10% or more of the areas under their jurisdiction.

Look at the list below (page 35 in the report). Notice that MARIANAS TRENCH MARINE NATIONAL MONUMENT is listed as the fourth largest MPA in the world. The world is showing that MPAs are important to all peoples around the world. So now, how can we get back to the top of this list? Would we want to?

First congressional earmark award – $220,000 - reaches DLNR

The $220,000 earmark for marine education and outreach in the Northern Mariana Islands, which Kilili had placed in the fiscal year 2010 Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriation (see House Committee Report 111-149, accompanying H.R. 2847), was awarded to the CNMI Department of Lands and Natural Resources this week. Fiscal budget 2011 will also provide $500,000 to be used for the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument Visitors Center in the Northern Marianas. Kilili directed these funds to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to be certain they are used in a manner that is consistent with national standards for visitors centers. (Kilili's Friday E-Newsletter, 08/20/10)

Here is the breakdown approved by NOAA for the first $220,000:

Statement of Work for CNMI Grant Request

Total Funds Requested: $219,780

Items 1-2 will be completed by the CNMI Coral Reef Initiative Program.

The Department of Lands and Natural Resources (DLNR), which is the sole recipient of this grant, will transfer the amount of $13,000 to complete these tasks.

1. Coral Bleaching and Resiliency Response: Global climate change and coral bleaching were nominated top issues of concern for the CNMI during the CRI scoping meetings lead by the Lighthouse Consulting group during the summer of 2009. Coral bleaching was also declared a priority issue by the Directors of DEQ, CRM and DFW in September of 2009 in response to the mild bleaching event that was observed along some reefs in Saipan. Despite being a priority, all three agencies admitted that capacity and funding issues currently made generating a formal and direct response to bleaching events impossible. Funding for this project will be used to:

Contract researchers to respond to bleaching events and/or set baselines in key habitats around Saipan, Tinian and Rota Develop outreach protocols and resources for release during bleaching events and to educate the public

Budget:
Contract for field/data/report support 10 days field/data
development 6 days analysis/report writing                       $5,500
Boat rental (10 days at $200/day)                                      2,500
Supplies: dive survey supplies, in-water GPS units
for broad-scale surveys, gas reimbursement for
personal vehicle use and other meeting supplies.                  750
Outreach supplies (airtime and
ad space)                                                                        1,250
                                                                      TOTAL $10,000

2. Printing for A-Z Coral Reef Activity Book : This booklet (for grades 2-6) is ongoing but needs additional funds (for an artist and for printing) to get finished up.

Budget:
Artist                                                                              $   600
Printing for Guide                                                              2,400
                                                                        TOTAL $ 3,000

DLNR PROJECTS: Items 3 and 4 will be completed by DLNR.

3. Marine Protected Area Workshops: The CNMI government has several local marine protected areas with varying levels of restricted activities: Managaha Marine Conservation Area Forbidden Island Marine Sanctuary Bird Island Marine Sanctuary Sasanhaya Fish Reserve Tinian Marine Reserve (from Southwest Carolinas Point to Puntan Diablo)

The workshops will include outreach and education presentations on the existing locally marine protected areas, as well as discussion of how the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries can work with the government and the people of the CNMI on a possible role/partnership to assist with the management (education, research, enforcement, etc.) with these areas. Workshops would be held on Rota, Tinian and Saipan. There will be a final summary report of meetings with conclusions and findings. Suggested timeframe: Fall 2010 or Winter 2011.

Budget:

Travel to Rota and Tinian from Saipan
for 3 DLNR staff
(airfare: 6 RT @ $213/RT, 6 days
@ per diem $120/day)                                                    $  2,000
Workshop Costs (facilitator, room rental,
set up, printing)                                                                 13,000
                                                                          TOTAL $15,000

4. Engineering Assessment of the CNMI Garapan (Navy Hill) Lighthouse facility: DLNR will conduct an engineering survey and cost analysis of the Garapan (Navy Hill) Lighthouse (Lighthouse), to determine its potential as a future Marianas Trench Marine National Monument Visitor Center, or a visitor/education center for another type of marine or environmental program. The work will include analysis of structural integrity, electrical, plumbing, safety, security of site etc, as well as cost estimates of how much is needed to enable lighthouse to functional to receive visitors. Outstanding issues such as property ownership, parking, neighborhood concerns should also be examined. A final report on the safety and viability of the Lighthouse, estimated renovation needs (including a detailed cost estimate, and an assessment of needed work) will be due to NOAA/ONMS by May 31, 2011.

History of site: Built in 1934. Inactive since 1941(?). The structure is an approximately 15 m (50 ft) concrete tower rising from a 1-story concrete keeper's quarters. The Lighthouse, now abandoned and open to the elements, is one of several built by Japan to guide its ships to its bases in the central Pacific prior to World War II. The building was renovated and expanded in the early 1990s as a restaurant, but it has been abandoned since 1995 and is in increasingly poor condition. Island residents have formed the Saipan Lighthouse Historical Society to work for its restoration. Nothing substantial has happened yet, but volunteers meet regularly to clean up the lighthouse and fix what they can. The Lighthouse was placed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1974. The Lighthouse is located on the highest point of Navy Hill behind the town of Garapan, the capital of the Northern Mariana Islands, on the western side of Saipan. Site and tower open.

Budget:
Contractual services to conduct engineering
assessment and product detailed report                                                    TOTAL $191,780

[Note: Original link and budget/scope of work document can be found by clicking here.]

$500,000 for Marianas Trench Marine National Monument Visitor’s Center

Taken from NMI Congressman Kilili's weekly newsletter:

Appropriators approve $500,000 for Marianas Trench Marine National Monument Visitor’s Center -The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment & Related Agencies unveiled its fiscal 2011 spending bill yesterday. Included in the markup bill was my request for funds toward the construction of a Marianas Trench Marine National Monument Visitor’s Center in the Northern Mariana Islands. The $500,000 earmark will be added to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service construction budget and may be used for site planning, architectural engineering, and the design of the Monument Visitor Center. I am very grateful to Chairman Jim Moran and the members of the Subcommittee for their help in fulfilling the commitment the White House made in establishing the Monument—that it would benefit the people of the Northern Mariana Islands. I also very much appreciate the support of Congresswoman Bordallo, who asked the Subcommittee for Monument funding for the Marianas. We can be sure that expanding public awareness and knowledge of the Monument's geologic and marine wonders will be beneficial to the entire Marianas region. As with the other $1.475 million in earmarks I requested, which have already been approved in committee, the latest $500,000 is just the beginning of the formal legislative process. Having these requests included in the bill is a major step, but not a guarantee of final approval. [emphasis added]

Mariana Trench in Outside Magazine

According to Outside Magazine, I am an "up-and-comer with a strong marketing instinct." Those eight words will be in every job application and every cover letter I write for the next 20 years. Thank you, Outside Magazine!

On Saturday I received my July 2010 issue of Outside Magazine. This is an issue I have been waiting for for almost a year. This is the issue that contains the story on last year's expedition to the Mariana Trench Marine National Monument.

Patrick Symmes, Outside Magazine contributing editor and the writer of this article, did a fantastic job. I thought the story was going to focus mostly on the trip we took to the monument, but he took it to the next level and interviewed Sylvia Earle and officials from the US Fish & Wildlife Service. What could have simply been a story about going to a far off place turned into a great retelling of some of the best conservation that has taken place during the last decade.

The story starts before the creation of the monument in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and carries us through the creation of Papahanaumokuakea and the creation of Mariana Trench Marine National Monument.

I have to say, it literally hurts when the story of the monument campaign, something that took so much effort and caused so much stress, is cut down to a few paragraphs, or as in the case of MSNBC, a single sentence. One day I'll be able to let go of that; perhaps after my book is published.

The Outside Magazine website says that the magazine will be available on newsstands June 29, but I was able to find it online. I'd love to hear your reactions to the story, so please feel free to leave comments.

Friends of the Mariana Trench Monument Seek Testimony for Congressional Hearing

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Angelo Villagomez, angelovillagomez@gmail.com

(Saipan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands) - A Congressional hearing is scheduled this Thursday in Washington, DC for the Mariana Trench Marine National Monument and the Friends of the Mariana Trench Monument, the key proponents of the monument leading up to its designation, are asking local residents to provide testimony in support of building a Mariana Trench Visitors Center in the CNMI, rather than Guam.

The hearing will take testimony concerning two bills, H.R. 3511, Representative Gregorio “Kilili” Sablan’s “Marianas Trench Marine National Monument Visitor Facility Authorization Act of 2009,” and H.R. 4493, Representative Madeleine Bordallo’s “Marianas Trench Marine National Monument Management Enhancement Act of 2010.”

Sablan’s H.R. 3511 seeks to “authorize the Secretary of the Interior to establish and operate a visitor facility to fulfill the purposes of the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument” while Bordallo’s H.R. 4493 seeks to “provide for the enhancement of visitor services, fish and wildlife research, and marine and coastal resource management on Guam related to the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument.”

The Friends are opposed to H.R. 4493 because they want to see a Mariana Trench Visitors Center built on Saipan. They argue that the area of the monument close to Guam does not restrict any fishing or protect any coral reefs or preserve any coastal resources and that only the “Islands Unit” of the monument, an area surrounding the Commonwealth islands of Uracas, Maug, and Asuncion, protects marine resources.

Friends’ Vice Chair Agnes McPhetres said of Bordallo’s bill, “H.R. 4493 seeks to provide research and enforcement dollars to the Government of Guam even though the monument does not protect any fish, wildlife, or any other living creature within 500 miles of Guam.”

“If you read the monument proclamation, the area of the monument that extends close to Guam only restricts future seabed mining of the substrate at the bottom of the Mariana Trench,” explained McPhetres. “It makes no sense to house the management of the biological resources of the monument on Guam when they are here (Northern Mariana Islands). It would appear that Guam is asking for federal dollars to manage resources under the jurisdiction and within the borders of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.”

The Friends are asking the community to provide testimony for Thursday’s hearing through letters and emails. They are asking for letters to be addressed to the Subcommittee’s Chairwoman, Representative Bordallo and request that copies of all letters be emailed to Representative Gregorio “Kilili” Sablan so that he can enter them into the official record.

According to the Friends, each letter should give a short introduction of the author, explain their interest in the monument, and specifically request that the Subcommittee support H.R. 3511. Letters should also ask for a Mariana Trench Visitors Center to be built in the CNMI.

According to Friends’ Director Angelo Villagomez, “Many people in the Northern Marianas fought for this and now we are in danger of losing the monument headquarters and facilities to Guam. The community needs to come together to show their support if we are ever to see the benefits promised to the CNMI by the Bush Administration.”

Letters for Representative Sablan’s office can be emailed to Paula Bermudes-Castro at paula.bermudes-castro@mail.house.gov and must be received by Wednesday, February 24, 2010.

For more information or if you need help drafting a letter, please email Angelo Villagomez at angelovillagomez@gmail.com.

The Friends of the Mariana Trench Monument formed in 2008 to express the voice of the local community and consists of a cross-section of indigenous and resident people of the CNMI who are dedicated to the conservation, preservation and protection of marine flora, fauna and geological features of the oceans; and the proper management of the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument. Visit them online at http://marianamonument.blogspot.com.

Sample Letters

The letter you write as testimony to support the construction of a Mariana Trench Visitors Center on Saipan does not need to be complicated. All it needs to do is explain who you are, give an anecdote about your support for the monument, and then request for the Subcommittee to support H.R. 3511, Representative Sablan's “Marianas Trench Marine National Monument Visitor Facility Authorization Act of 2009."

The letter should be addressed to:

Representative Madeleine Z Bordallo
Chairwoman
Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans
427 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515

Make sure you give a copy of the letter to Representative Sablan. You can drop it off at his district office or email it to his staff at Paula.Bermudes-Castro@mail.house.gov.

Under the Pala Pala X has a sample letter. Posted below are some more letters that have already been submitted as testimony.

This is a letter from retired educator Roger Ludwick (Mr. Ludwick was my Dad's science teacher in the 1960s):

21 February2010

Dear Representative Bordallo,

My name is Roger N. Ludwick. I have lived on Saipan for over 45 years. I taught biology, chemistry, and physics at Marianas High School when your father, Chris Zion, was teaching there. He was my colleague.

I supported the formation of the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument (MTMNM). I signed the petition. I urged others to do the same. The CNMI and Guam now have a world-wide recognized National Park equivalent in size and importance to the Grand Canyon. My support for the Monument presumed that such a park would attract visitors and improve the economy of this region.

Many world travelers are not scuba divers. World travelers like to see the place they are going to boast about later. The only visible parts of MTMNM are Uracas, Maug, and Asuncion islands. To promote visitation to these islands, because they are part of the CNMI, the main tourist center should be located on Saipan and the main economic benefit should come to the citizens of the CNMI. While our people, the newest US citizens rallied to get President Bush to create this park, what were the long time US citizens of Guam doing?

Therefore, at this time, I urge you to throw your support for the establishment of the National Monument Visitors Center to the bill (HR 3511), being proposed by my friend Kilili, Greg Sablan..

Passage of this bill will help fulfill the promises made by the Bush Administration and the federal government when MTMNM was designated 06 January 2009. These promises were made to the people of the CNMI.

I have sailed to these three islands and walked on them in years past. I am 70 years old and look forward to being one of the first visitors to the CNMI Marianas Trench Marine National Monument Tourist Information and Research Center here on Saipan.

Thank you for considering the position of your neighbors, the citizens of the Northern Marian Islands.

Respectfully,

Roger N. Ludwick
Sadog Tasi

And here is a letter from health professional Dianne Esplin:

Representative Madeleine Z Bordallo
Chairwoman
Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans
427 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515

February 21, 2010

Dear Representative Bordallo,

My name is Dianne Esplin and I live in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. I signed the petition to create the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument, and wrote a letter to President Bush in support of the creation of the monument. There is no place on earth like the Marianas Trench, and the more I learned about it, the more I wanted to learn more and share it with others.

I envision this Monument to be an exciting opportunity for public learning about this incredibly unique location. A visitor’s center could be the starting point for researchers, and then a place to collect the information, research and discoveries of those researchers. I envision this Monument to be a means by which local children can develop a pride and a sense of environmental responsibility to protect this exclusive ocean treasure.

I am writing to you today to ask you to support H.R. 3511, which would help fulfill the promises made by the Bush Administration and the federal government when the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument was designated on January, 6, 2009.

It is my strong hope that the Marianas Trench National Monument will be built in the CNMI, as so many CNMI private citizens have fought and petitioned for this Monument to exist in the first place. We would be so proud to host such a place.

Thank you for taking the time to read my letter,

Sincerely,

Dianne C. Esplin

If you have written a letter I would appreciate if you would send me a copy so that I can post it on this blog. It might help others write their letters.

Bonitan Tasi, Mariana Trench discussed in Under the Pala Pala

The delegate to the United States Congress from Guam, Madeleine Bordallo, has introduced legislation that would affect the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument.

Angelo Villagomez discusses it in his regular online commentary, Under the Pala Pala:

Under the Pala Pala VIII - Adjusting to Life in America

Island Decisions and Island Opinions are made Under the Pala Pala

My arrival in America was very similar to my departure from America. I sold or gave away almost everything I owned, mailed a few boxes, and boarded a plane with only a vague idea of what I was going to do when I got off.

Who would have thought when I got off that plane in Japan in 2005 that I was starting down a path that would lead me to run for Mayor of Saipan? Certainly not me.

I guess that’s how life works: Plan to teach English to Japanese school children and end up planting trees, picking cigarette butts off of beaches, and fighting to protect the natural heritage of the Chamorro people.

So even though I find myself with no car, no phone, and no job, I have faith in what the future holds. And the future is brighter on this side of the pond.

One of my reasons for leaving Saipan was so that I could continue my education. I’m taking the first step towards reaching that goal by taking the GRE on Tuesday. Even if I don’t manage to get a grad school application out this spring, I’ll know I’ve at least got that test out of the way for when I apply to schools in the fall.

Wish me luck.

And on the employment front I have a few pokers in the fire. I will let you know as soon as I know where I end up.

Again, wish me luck.

Yet even as relearn how to participate in conversations focused on the stuff I own, I find myself telescoping back to Saipan.

Like you, I have been following every twist and turn in the saga of Governor Fitial’s late night massage. I’ve read the newspapers and the blogs and I’ve watched the local news and I have just one question. Can someone explain to me why he hasn’t resigned yet?

I have also been tracking the international newspapers as they commemorate the 50th anniversary of the only manned expedition to the bottom of the Marianas Trench. I was pleased to see Representative Greg Sablan’s plans for commemorating this feat in Washington, DC and Saipan, but was extremely disappointed to see news of Representative Madeleine Bordallo’s plan to change the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument’s management framework to include the Government of Guam, including benefits for the University of Guam and other institutions on Guam.

While I have no problem with Guam asking the federal government to help them manage their natural resources, I see this as a ploy to have all benefits of the marine monument be received by Guam, to the detriment of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Bordallo’s Bonitan Tasi bill fails to recognize that Guam’s waters are not included in the monument. The only marine environment protected by the monument lies hundreds of miles to the north of Guam in the Marianas and the portion of the monument that extends into the federal submerged lands around Guam does not protect a single drop of water. The monument does not affect Guam’s natural resources and Guam should have no say in how the monument in the Marianas is managed, nor should educational and management dollars be transferred away from the Marianas to Guam.

I am further disappointed that Bordallo would not have the Marianas co-sponsor this bill, seeing as our people are the ones to be negatively affected by it should it pass.

She managed to find other co-sponsors, so why not us? The bill is co-sponsored by Representative Sam Farr of California, Representative Lois Capps of California, Representative Mike Honda of California, Representative Neil Abercrombie of Hawaii, Representative Eni Faleomavaega of American Samoa and Representative Donna Christensen of the U.S. Virgin Islands.

So much for having a seat at the table.

I hope that Representative Sablan can educate the rest of the Congress on the history of the monument and how it came to be. This monument is something that the people of the Commonwealth asked President George W. Bush to create. We had hopes for educational opportunities, increased scientific research, and benefits to our local tourism economy. It would be a travesty to transfer all those benefits from the people of the Marianas to the people of Guam without even giving us the courtesy of asking first.


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Under the Pala Pala is the regular commentary of environmentalist and erstwhile politician Angelo O’Connor Villagomez. Pala pala is the Chamorro word for an outdoor shelter traditionally made of wood and thatch used for staying out of the sun, cooking, eating, drinking, singing, and talking. Sign up to subscribe via email at www.AngeloVillagomez.com.

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Win a Trip to the Northern Islands

A member of the Friends of the Monument has agreed to pay for a local young person to visit the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument and several of the Northern Islands later this month. The donor, who wishes to remain anonymous, wants a local person to experience visiting the uninhabited islands to the north. The donor hopes that the winner will share their experience with their families, friends, and classmates through photos and a daily journal.

The Friends of the Monument are holding an essay contest to select which young person gets to go on the trip scheduled for July 20 - 30.

The topic for the essay contest is “Why I want to visit the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument.” The deadline for submissions is Monday, July 13, at 5pm. Essays must be in Microsoft Word format and e-mailed to marianamonument@gmail.com. There is a 1,000 word limit for the essay. Applicants must be between 18-25 years old.

The winning essay writer will earn a seat on a boat leaving for Maug on July 20, 2009. All transportation and food costs will be paid for by the donor. If for any reason the boat trip is canceled, the winner will have a seat on the next planned expedition.

The winner will be expected to keep a daily journal that will be published on the Friends of the Monument blog found at http://marianamonument.blogspot.com.

A Bit about the USF&WS

Reposted from my blog (per Angelo's invitation):

Angelo has an interesting post on a plan to deposit "euro trash" in the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument.

We haven't been hearing enough lately about what's happening with the Monument. And this was not really good news. I suggested reporting on it to those in charge.

Remember who's in charge of the MTMNM? It's U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. And we've not been hearing anything about them lately.

So here's a tiny bit of news that I didn't see reported in our local newspapers (well, yes, it did make the Saipan Tribune, but I was gone from Saipan and didn't catch this...) President Obama has named a new director for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, subject to Senate confirmation. Sam D. Hamilton.

Ken Salazar, Interior Secretary, approves of the appointment. Mr. Hamilton also gets a thumbs up from two diametrically opposed groups: the National Wildlife Refuge Association (a conservation group) and "Ducks Unlimited" (a hunting group).

He's praised for his ability to balance competing interests--wildlife on the one hand and people on the other.

His record is not without problems. He has the weakest known record on enforcement of the Endangered Species Act, among all comparable officials, according to Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility. No wonder the hunters, anglers, and trappers like him!

Even more worrisome, in a 2005 survey of 1400 F&WS biologists, results from those working under Mr. Hamilton included the following:

"Nearly half (49%) of FWS respondents cited cases where "commercial interests have inappropriately induced the reversal or withdrawal of scientific conclusions or decisions through political intervention."

If this is not bad enough, it appears Mr. Hamilton also lacks experience with deep ocean environments. He helped with a (now defunct) congressional committee on merchant marines and fisheries. He's got some experience with fisheries and even with the Florida Everglades restoration. But even with this, his lack of ardor in protecting marine life, and concommitant lack of understanding of marine environments, seems evident.

For example, there was some criticism of the USFWS apparent failure to include relevant information about marine mammals--manatees--in an assessment approving of a new marina along the Orange River in Florida. And tourists were harrassing the manatees, which led to another complaint about USFWS's lack of enforcement of protections.

Perhaps this is the balance of interests he's known for?

Whether you agree with his philosophy on "balancing" competing "needs", there's no doubt Mr. Hamilton has a lot of experience, with many years at USF&WS. Yet none of his varied experience seems to be directly related to what will be at the heart of managing the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument--deep ocean ecology.

Which gets us back to that nitty gritty question: why USF&WS and not NOAA marine sanctuaries? aargh.