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Prutehi Litekyan to Host Rally Against Contamination

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (August 20, 2018 – Hagåtña) On August 9, 2018, local news outlets reported that a military contractor waited nearly three months to notify the Guam Environmental Protection Agency about accidentally spilling 100 gallons of jet fuel and 10 gallons of fuel-contaminated water. The jet fuel spill occurred during an upgrade to a pipeline from Sasa Valley to Andersen Air Force Base one year ago in August 2017. While the project cost is $63 million dollars, the contractor was only required to pay fines of less than $100,000.

Prutehi Litekyan: Save Ritidian (PLSR) calls on the leaders of our island to demand justice for this latest incident of contamination and to stand up against continued destruction of our natural and cultural resources.

PLSR invites the public to gather on Wednesday, August 22 from 5:30 p.m. to sunset at Chief Kepuha loop in Hagatna to help send the message to the administration, the 34th Guam Legislature, Guam EPA, Department of Defense, and to the military contractors, Nova Group, Inc. and Underground Construction Company.

PLSR is also sent a letter to local leaders, Rear Admiral Shoshanna Chatfield, Guam EPA, and the contractors with the following objections and requests:

1. We disagree with the severe reduction of penalties and fines by more than two-thirds determined through negotiations between the DOD contractor NOVA-UCCo and Guam EPA. We further disagree that NOVA-UCCo be allowed to evade admission of guilt of environmental violations and we demand the Calvo-Tenorio administration pursue all legal violations by NOVA-UCCo and DOD. 


2. We further request that the Calvo-Tenorio administration take further actions against DOD 
as the contamination is a result of a long-term DOD project. 


3. We request the administration and the Guam EPA inform the public of

a.  All fuel and jet fuel leaks and contamination throughout the island resulting from 
both military and private/corporate projects; 


b.  The number of abandoned underground fuel storage tanks and the amount of jet 
fuel currently on Guam; 


c.  The exact details of the treatment and disposal of contaminated soil, vegetation, and 
water as a result of the 2017 NOVA-UCCo environmental violations and subsequent remediation; 


d. Information regarding the removal of threatened Guam tree snails and other sensitive species as a result of the 2017 NOVA-UCCo environmental violations and subsequent remediation; 


e. We want to know if any historic properties or cultural sites have been disturbed as a result of the 2017 NOVA-UCCo environmental violations and subsequent remediation. 


4. We demand that local government counterparts, local civilian observers, and local civilian safety officers are present on all project sites for military contracts. We further demand that these positions are hired locally and funded by the Department of Defense. 


5. We call on our Senators to hold a legislative oversight hearing with Guam EPA, DOD, and NOVA-UCCo. We demand legislative evaluations and reviews of all EPA violations, fines, and provisions to see where Guam laws are weak. 


6. We demand a second DOD funded investigation of the contamination sites by an independent third party investigator with further oversight from EPA Region 9 Pacific Southwest. 


7. We demand that communities surrounding the areas of contamination be informed and consulted on a continuing basis to determine the long-term impacts from exposure and the effects of living in close proximity to toxic sites. 


8. We demand a thorough water quality assessment of the contaminated areas and we require that all research of health and environmental impacts be made public as soon as possible. 


9. We want Guam EPA and the administration to acknowledge and disclose a complete list of contaminated sites and formerly used defense sites that currently require cleanup and recovery. This latest incident is just another to add on this growing list and the public should be made aware of all sites that are contaminated, sites that are pending clean up efforts, as well as illnesses and other health risks associated with contaminated sites. 


Prutehi Litekyan: Save Ritidian (PLSR) is a direct action group dedicated to the protection of natural and cultural resources in the areas identified for DOD live-fire training on Guam. For more information, please email Litekyan.opa@gmail.com.