Guam delegate proposes return of 'excess lands' to original owners

By Pacific Island Times News Staff

Del. James Moylan has introduced a bill to allow Guam's original landowners, or their heirs, to repossess the lands currently under the government of Guam's inventory after they were transferred by the federal government.

H.R. 7673 would amend the Organic Act of Guam to faciliate the lands' return.

James Moylan

 “This measure creates a viable pathway for land to be returned to our people, giving them the opportunity to use it to support their families and sustain future generations,” the Guam delegate said.

During the post-war military land acquisition, the Navy took control of more than 85,000 acres, accounting for 63 percent of all the land in Guam.

The Navy’s footprint shrank after turning over "excess lands" to the local government in the 1990s.

The land return was the result of the Base Realignment and Closure program that entailed the shutdown of more than 350 military installations across the nation and overseas between 1988 and 2005.

When the Navy returned the surplus land, it came with conditions set by U.S. Public Law 106-504, mandating that the transferred lands be used exclusively for public purposes.

As a result, original landowners and their heirs remain permanently barred from recovering ancestral lands.

Moylan said H.R 7673 directly addresses this barrier by amending the Organic Act of Guam to authorize GovGuam to return excess federal lands to verified original landowners or their heirs.

H.R 7673 would "provide an exception to the 'public purpose' requirement for certain land transfers."

The legislation also authorizes GovGuam to establish a formal process to review and approve land return claims.

"By removing federal restrictions that currently prohibit land restoration, the legislation strengthens land ownership opportunities, directly benefitting Guam’s families," states a press release from Moylan's office.

The Navy still retains control over about 49,000 acres of land, roughly a third of the island.

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