Guam and CNMI Military Relocation (Guam Buildup)
The Guam and CNMI Military Relocation proposal was put forward by the Joint Guam Program Office and the U.S. Department of the Navy with the Final EIS in July 2010. The main focus of the proposal was to achieve a change in strategic posture of U.S. forces in the region through the relocation of the Marine Corps from Okinawa, Japan, to the island of Guam. In selecting Guam as the proposed site for relocation the DoD believed that the island met its three (3) primary requirements for such a large-scale repositioning, which were (i) the move was in alignment with treaty and alliance requirements; (ii) provided response times to potential areas of conflict; and (iii) freedom to use the base without restriction. The repositioning, cost-sharing agreements for the development of the island and the continual commitment of the repositioned forces to provide for the security interests of Japan was encapsulated in the “Agreement Between the Government of the U.S. and the Government of Japan Concerning the Implementation of the Relocation of the III Marine Expeditionary Force Personnel and Their Dependents from Okinawa to Guam” or the Guam International Agreement signed on February 17, 2009.
This relocation would see the movement of 8,552 Marines personnel, 630 Army personnel, 9,950 dependents, 9,222 transient military personnel, and 1,836 DoD civilian personnel to Guam, increasing the population of the island by a projected 30,190 individuals. This increase is compounded by the construction activities and expenditures that would be required to build the amenities and facilities required of the relocation, which further increased the total population increase 79,178 individuals at the peak population estimates of the proposal.
Incorporative within the relocation was the training requirements needed to ensure readiness among the personnel stationed in Guam. In addition to training facilities proposed to be built on Guam, the relocation plan noted that the island of Tinian “provides the best opportunities for training groups of 200 Marines or larger due to greater land availability.” The Military Leased Area that encompasses two-thirds of the northern portions of Tinian were seen to provide “reliable access and maximum opportunity to realistically train with [Marine] weapons and equipment while minimizing ‘down time’ lost when travelling to distant training locations.”
Training on Tinian was envisioned to support individual up to company level training for the relocated Marines. These trainings would include:
· Rifle Known Distance Range
· Automated Combat Pistol/Military Police Firearm Qualification Course
· Platoon Battle Course
· Field Firing Range
· Surface Danger Zone
The locations of these firing ranges differed through the initial proposed alternatives but were contained within the MLA. Included within the proposed action was the use and restriction of airspace associated with the firing ranges.