Marine Resources Assessment for the Marianas Operating ... - SPREP

AUGUST 2005 FINAL REPORT
(out to 1 km from shore); 3) waters off Andersen Air Force Base east of Ritidian Point (out to 1 km from
shore); and 4) Warning Area W-517 (located 7.4 km due south of Cocos Island). Around Tinian, the
Marianas MRA study area includes nearshore waters (out to 0.4 km from shore) surrounding the northern
two-thirds of the island. At FDM, the study area includes all waters surrounding the island out to 10 km
from shore, including all waters within the 5 km radius Navy Target Range (Figure 1-1). In addition to the
current military training areas and ranges found within the Marianas MRA study area, there are nine
proposed military warning areas that surround the Guam and CNMI islands (Figure 1-1). These proposed
warning areas may become active in the future if activated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Guam is the westernmost U.S. territory and is the largest, most populated island in Micronesia, the group
of more than 2,000 islands scattered between Hawai’i and the Philippines. Guam is a strategic stopping
point for ships and aircraft. Apra Harbor is one of the largest protected deepwater harbors in the central
Pacific Ocean. Given its position with respect to the Far East and its recent development, the island has
become a political, economic, and military stronghold of national and international significance
(GlobalSecuirty.org 2004a).
Tinian is the second most populated island in the CNMI and is located 129 km north of Guam. The U.S.
military leases more than two-thirds of the island. Training on Tinian occurs within the Military Lease Area,
with limited activities in San Jose Harbor. The study area, which surrounds the northern two-thirds of
Tinian, runs from San Jose Harbor on the west side of the island to the southern boundary of the
Leaseback Area (LBA) on the east side of the island (GlobalSecurity.org 2004b).
Ninety percent of the CNMI population (62,392 inhabitants in 2000; CNMI Department of Commerce
2001) lives on Saipan, the administrative center of the CNMI. Saipan is the largest island of the CNMI (20
km long and 9 km wide). It has a rough topography and its highest point, Mount Tagpochau (474 meters
[m] high), is an extinct volcano. Saipan is located approximately 200 km north of Guam, 5,150 km west of
Hawai’i, and 2,012 km east of Japan. The Port of Saipan inaugurated in 1999 is a world-class commercial
port facility and primary seaport of the CNMI that can accommodate deep draft vessels (Romero 1999;
Commonwealth Ports Authority 2004). During 2004, 20 military vessels made a port call in Saipan
including the USS Frank Cable (196 m long submarine tender) and USS Blue Ridge (194 m long
Command Ship) (Commonwealth Ports Authority 2004; DoN 2003, 2005). Ships of the Military Sealift
Command and Maritime Prepositioning Ship Squadron Three anchor off Saipan (DoN 2004). These ships
are loaded with equipment, supplies, and ammunition to support a Marine Expeditionary Brigade of
17,000 during one month (DoN 2003).
FDM is an uninhabited, 81 hectare (ha) island that stands about 85 m above sea level. The island is
currently being leased to the U.S. military by the CNMI. The lease agreement allows U.S. military use of
the island as a target range until 2075. FDM plays a special and unique role in national defense and its
location provides a suitable environment that can support established training requirements. In addition,
the air and sea space at FDM provides sufficient room for the many different attack profiles necessary to
replicate training operations in the CNMI. FDM is the Pacific Fleet’s only U.S.-controlled range available
for live-fire training for forward-deployed naval forces. The Pacific Fleet has been conducting military
activities in this range since 1976 (GlobalSecurity.org 2004c).
1.3 APPLICABLE LEGISLATION
The primary environmental laws that govern Navy activities in the marine environment include NEPA,
MMPA, ESA, and the MSFCMA. In addition to these acts, there are several other federal mandates and
EOs that deal with resource conservation and management in ocean waters under U.S. jurisdiction.
Following are chronological lists of the many laws and regulations that the Navy must consider when
conducting maritime operations.
1.3.1 Federal Resource Laws
The Sikes Act of 1960 (16 U.S. Code [U.S.C.] §§ 670a et seq.) provides for cooperation by the
Departments of the Interior and Defense with State agencies in planning, development, and
1-3