Final environmental impact statement for CNMI joint military training project

Record of decision slated to be issued in 30 days

By Pacific Island Times News Staff

Saipan– The U.S. Marine Corps has released the final environmental impact

statement for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Joint Military Training project involving the construction of new training infrastructure and the establishment of a Training Area and Range Operations Command on Tinian.

The record of decision will be issued in 30 days following the release of the final EIS.

The development and operation of a realistic and instrumented training environment on Tinian, sized to accommodate combined joint and allied forces training and readily available for scheduling, would enable forward-deployed U.S. Armed Forces to meet evolving operational training requirements and support U.S. training with allied nations, changes in U.S. force structure and geographic repositioning of forces, according to the document.

The final EIS evaluates the potential environmental impacts of the proposed military training activities, along with associated projects designed to "support current and evolving joint land-based expeditionary warfare tactics and enhance military readiness."

The final EIS also outlines management measures designed to avoid or reduce potential environmental impacts associated with training activities.

The proposed action would accommodate all forward-deployed components of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, including the USMC, Navy, Air Force, Army, Special Operations Command, and Space Command and U.S. allies and partners.

The proposed projects include two live-fire ranges, two surface radar towers, improvements to North Field, the development of landing zones, an expeditionary base camp at the former U.S. Agency for Global Media site and biosecurity facilities.

A communications system to support training would be established by reusing existing communications towers on Tinian and Saipan, with portable sensors and emitters deployed within the military lease area.

Tinian has played an important role in national security since World War II, when runways were constructed to enable 24-hour bomber operations in support of Pacific operations.

In recent decades, U.S. Armed Forces, partners, and allies have conducted ground, aviation, amphibious, and other non-live-fire training in the military lease area on the northern two-thirds of the island.

As part of the environmental review process, the Marine Corps conducted five public meetings on Tinian, Saipan, and Rota during the week of June 23, 2025. The final EIS includes responses to substantive comments received on the revised Draft EIS.

The Marine Corps will wait a minimum of 30 days following publication of the Final EIS before making a final decision regarding the proposed action.

The agency also acknowledged the impacts of Typhoon Sinlaku on the CNMI and expressed its commitment to working with the Commonwealth as recovery efforts continue and activities covered by the Final EIS move forward.

Click here to visit the final EIS.

The Marine Corps encourages residents and stakeholders to review the final EIS, which is available online and at designated locations throughout the CNMI: Tinian: Tinian Public Library and Tinian Mayor’s Office
Saipan: Joeten-Kiyu Public Library and the Commonwealth Bureau of Military Affairs, Isa Road, Capitol Hill
Rota: Rota Public Library