June 26, 2019

Rear Admiral Shoshana Chat?eld
Department of the Navy

Joint Region Marianas

Building 200, Room 326

Halsey Drive, Nimitz Hill

Piti, Guam 96915

Dear Rear Admiral Chat?eld:

Facing us right now are decisions of utmost importance in strengthening our national
defense and preserving Guam?s culture and environment. The decisions we must make
on how to proceed, in the wake of recent discoveries of unknown sites, require more
time.

We note that per the Programmatic Agreement construction work on the
inadvertent discovery sites must stop and a buffer zone of 90 feet be erected around the
sites of historic interest. As stipulated in the PA, an archaeologist must determine the
historic signi?cance of the site. This is a process that we understand may take upwards of
4 months.

Another matter of concern is the health, well-being, and the future of Serianthes Nelsonii
tree. This tree is endemic to Guam and has been listed as an endangered species since
1987. During our recent trip to the tree we were informed that the boundaries of

the Multi-Purpose Machine Gun Range were moved back to accommodate a buffer zone
in excess of that recommended by the US. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Admiral, I appreciate the longevity project being developed by the military to sustain the
tree. However, the piece of information missing is a DNA report to determine if it shares
genetic commonality with similar trees found in Rota. While the DNA report is pending,
my request is that work on the Multi-Purpose Machine Gun Range, the range closest to
the Serianthes Nelsonii tree, although accommodated by a USFWS approved buffer zone,
be paused until all the facts are in concerning the health of Guam?s sole, mature,
endangered Serianthes Nelsonii tree.

 

Letter to Admiral Shoshana Chat?eld
June 26, 2019
Page 2

I ask that construction at the Multi-Purpose Machine Gun Range be paused until
December 2019 when the DNA report is expected to be ?nal. This action will signal to
our community that you are working to ensure that the necessary protection and
preservation processes are being utilized to safeguard our environment.

In the coming months, it is imperative that we work together to instill con?dence in our
community that both respect and care is being taken to preserve the vestiges of ancient
CHamoru life and our environment, I look forward to achieving this in a new
Programmatic Agreement that will provide further guidance and empower our
community over the next decade. I am hopeful that we share the same sentiment. It is
incumbent on us to be sure that all decisions to be made that provide for greater national
security has to be equal in the protection of the CHamoru culture.

Senseramente,

LOURDES A. LEON GUERRERO
Maga ?hdgan Guc?ihan
Governor of Guam