Requesting Clarification on UXO Cleanup in the CNMI

This week, I sent a letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineersrequesting clarification on how the Formerly Used Defense Sites (FUDS) program applies to unexploded ordnance (UXO) in the Marianas. Our islands still carry the legacy of WWII, and munitions are regularly found in public and residential areas at pretty astounding rates. Yet the current system only responds when these dangers are reported, and the costs of removal often fall to the CNMI government, even for ordnance left behind before we became a Commonwealth. That’s not sustainable, and it’s not right. My letter asks how FUDS and other federal programs can be used to take responsibility for this contamination. We need answers on eligibility, funding, and how the federal government distinguishes between emergency response and formal cleanup. This issue affects public safety and fairness, and I’m committed to pursuing the changes needed to address it.