Guam has 75 days to send feedback on military's historic preservation plan

By Pacific Island Times News Staff

The Guam State Historic Preservation Officer has granted a 45-day extension to the public comment period for the draft Programmatic Agreement between the Commander of Joint Region Marianas and the Guam SHPO, which would guide the implementation of environmental and historic preservation requirements for military projects.

In response to Sen. Sabina Perez’s request for more time to ensure meaningful public engagement, Patrick Lujan, Guam's historic preservation officer, agreed to move the deadline from Jan. 4, 2026, to Feb. 18, 2026, giving residents 75 days, instead of 30, to review the document and submit feedback.

Sabina Perez

“This extension is a win for transparency and cultural integrity,” Perez said. “Community members, especially cultural practitioners and those with lived experience, deserve the time and space to weigh in on how our heritage is treated on lands under military control.”

Defense projects on Guam entail several activities such as dredging of its harbors; maintenance, rehabilitation, repair, construction, demolition of buildings, structures and roads; installing, repairing and updating utilities and infrastructure; and work regarding grounds and associated landscaping.

The draft agreement, released on Dec. 9, outlines the Department of War's compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act, which covers procedures for archaeological review, treatment of historic properties, inadvertent discoveries and human remains.

The agreement also addresses the use of archaeological sensitivity maps, public access planning for culturally significant sites, and ongoing consultation with SHPO.

“This is about honoring our past while protecting our future,” Perez said. “Our people deserve a real opportunity to shape the terms of how historic and sacred sites are treated on military lands.”

In an earlier statement, Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero called on Guam residents to review the draft, stressing that public participation in the commenting process "is intended to ensure that military readiness and national defense requirements are carried out in a manner that protects and respects Guam’s historic and cultural resources, traditional CHamoru lifeways and important cultural sites."

“This public comment process is a key opportunity for the community to help shape how these responsibilities are carried out in the years ahead,” the governor said.

“Guam’s story is carried in our land, our heritage, and the voices of our people. This draft Programmatic Agreement gives our community a real chance to guide how future military activities respect and protect what matters most to us," she added.

Subscribe to

our monthly

digital edition