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Northern Mariana Islands Seeks Regulatory Compliance in Face of Legacy Pollution

The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands is prioritizing regulatory compliance and legacy pollution remediation to chart a course for sustainable development.

Initiative Overview

In partnership with the Office of Planning and Development and the Inter-Island Solid Waste Management Taskforce (ISWMT), the Department of Public Lands (DPL) has launched an initiative to construct groundwater monitoring and sampling infrastructure, as well as a planning program. The project aims to:

  • Meet monitoring requirements
  • Produce reliable and cost-efficient data
  • Support ongoing solid waste management efforts throughout the CNMI

Project Components

The initiative includes several key components:

  • Groundwater Monitoring and Sampling Infrastructure: Construction of dedicated laboratory on public land to provide critical infrastructure support for solid waste management.
  • Legacy Pollution Remediation: Installation of four groundwater monitoring wells at Tinian and Rota solid waste management facilities to ensure compliance with RCRA and CERCLA regulations.
  • Brownfields Assessments and Remediation Planning: Ongoing assessments in Koblerville, Isley, and Pina, as well as enhancement of regulatory compliance through improved baseline data and collaboration with federal and regional partners.

Project Goals

The project is aligned with the goals of the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation’s (CUC) SWIMS program, which aims to achieve a palatable and potable water supply. The initiative will:

  • Develop standardized work plans, sampling protocols, and analysis for groundwater and soil analysis
  • Apply best available data to inform redevelopment goals through the DPL Public Land Use Plan process
  • Build on-island capacity to conduct regional water and soil samples, saving time and money
  • Support a “pipeline” of prioritized remediation and revitalization projects and clean-up plans

Contact Information

For more information, please visit: