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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Troop influx may overload Guam

By Dennis Camire
Advertiser Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON — Guam Gov. Felix Camacho has told a Senate panel that Guam needs help to deal with the impact on its civilian community from some 40,000 Marines and other military members plus their dependents moving to the island by 2014.

"Guam does not have the resources to meet the military's needs," Camacho told the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee last week. Camacho said Guam, which has 171,000 residents, only has enough resources to sustain its normal population growth rate of 6 percent over 10 years.

"Now we are being told to prepare for a 30 percent increase in four years, and it's up to us to find the funding," Camacho said. "This unprece dented growth is beyond our ability no matter how willing we might be to accept the responsibility." So far, the Guam government has seen little in the way of federal help, except for the ongoing planning, Camacho said.

"However, I do expect the Department of Defense and the federal government to underwrite the costs to Guam's local community that are directly and indirectly associated with" the buildup, he said.

Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., faulted both the Guam government and U.S. agencies, which have known about the move for more than two years, for not being further along in planning.

"It sounds to me as if the military is going to move people in there, ready or not — and right now, they're not ready," Bingaman said. "I hope some fast action by all of the responsible parties here in the next month or so can begin the process of correcting the deficiencies."

David Bice, a retired Marine Corps major general who heads the Joint Guam Program office, also testified about the impact of the military buildup on Guam.

"Comprehensive support by all federal agencies and Congress is needed to turn this massive effort into a mutual win for the military and the community," Bice testified.

Reach Dennis Camire at dcamire@gns.gannett.com.