Welcome to the Office of the Governor of Guam

October 31, 2009
 
The Office of the Governor this week launched a series of public workshops designed to help educate the community on the National Environmental Policy Act process and to learn more about how their voices can be heard during a time of great change in Guam. Hundreds attended the three workshops held at the Tamuning and Dededo community centers and the Agat Senior Citizens Center.

“We really appreciate all those who came out to learn more about how we can work together as a community to address issues related to the Guam Buildup,” said Governor Felix P. Camacho. “I especially want to thank the mayors and members of their staff who graciously opened their facilities to our team and the community.”

The workshops were designed to identify concerns from the first in a series of events which seeks input from the public as Guam begins the process of reviewing and commenting on the findings of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). The U.S. Navy developed the DEIS to identify the possible environmental, social, and economic impacts associated with the relocation of military personnel to Guam.

“The workshops that were held were designed to explain how that process will work as well as to explain the sorts of impacts that the community needs to be aware of,” said Celeste Werner, leader of Matrix Design Group. “Although the DEIS will not be released for another three weeks, many local people came to the workshops and asked very good questions.  We were very pleased with the attention and interest the community has shown.”

Matrix Design Group is the prime contractor for the Advisory Consulting Team (ACT) advising Gov. Camacho on addressing concerns that may arise from the DEIS.

“We are working as one community to make our island a better place.  The scale of what we are embarking on is so large that it will affect the lives of everyone who calls Guam home,” said Gov. Camacho. “This administration remains dedicated to ensuring that we represent the interests of the people of Guam in this process so that the community is more aware of the effects of the buildup and how our government can best address those issues.”