WASHINGTON, D.C. -

Governor EddieCalvo has beenappointed toPresident Oba-ma’s State, Lo-

cal and Tribal Leaders TaskForce on Climate Preparednessand Resilience to participate indiscussions about ways the fed-eral government responds to theneeds of communities dealingwith the impacts of climatechange. 

Meetings in D.C. and regu-lar conference calls took placethe past several months address-ing the challenges of depletingresources by states and territo-ries of constantly rebuilding in-

frastructures. However, dam-aged natural resources such ascoral reefs were more challeng-ing to restore as pointed out inthe discussions.

Governor Calvo joins thegovernors of Hawaii, California,Washington, Delaware, Mary-land, Illinois and Vermont inworking with the interagencyCouncil on Climate Prepared-ness and Resilience chaired bythe White House. Their missionis to identify and suggest re-moval of barriers between thefederal government and com-munities responding to emer-gency weather events needingfederal support to strengthentheir resiliency.

INSIDE

YONA-

Earlier this year, theBureau of Statisticsand Plans (BSP),Guam Coastal Man-agement Program

and various Government of Guamagencies and partners, hosted fourfree Wildland Fire Awareness &Prevention Clinics. The clinicsshowcased a variety of demonstra-tions promoting alternatives toburning trash, green waste, and re-cyclable items. The clinics wereoffered in the villages of Piti, Agat,Yona, and Umatac. The clinicswere intended to promote,“Munga masongge Guahan,Don’t burn Guam!” to encourageprotecting our community andnatural resources from the devas-tating impacts from wild landfires. “We want to encourageeveryone to use these alternativemethods instead of resorting to us-

ing fire,” said Christine Camachoof BSP.

“Families who use thesemore green approaches could see a

small savings in the bank alongwith benefits to our island.” Wild-land fires burn large amounts ofland, leaving behind exposed soil

which washes into our rivers andonto our coral reefs impacting ourwater quality, fisheries andtourism. The Coastal Manage-ment Program highlighted im-pacts to our coral resources fromsedimentation caused by wildland

arson. Guam Fire Department andDepartment of Agriculture em-phasized the importance of firesafety and awareness, while UOGCooperative Extension Servicesand I-Recycle engaged partici-pants with demonstrations on al-ternative uses for green waste andother items usually thrown in thetrash. The Coconut RhinocerosBeetle Eradication team was alsoavailable for questions regardingthe proper management of mulchand compost piles to control theoccurrence of rhino beetles. Kidsexplored the recyclable craft cor-ner with GCC ECO Warriors andGuam EPA, Smokey Bear andSparky the Fire Dog were not to beexcluded from this awesome com-munity event and presented peo-ple with free giveaways and rafflesthanks to generous donations fromStrike Zone, Coast 360 and Yogawith Olympia Terel.

nPort ModernizationPAGE 6

nMarine Conservation PlanPAGE 6

nSave the Date:Coastal CleanupPAGE 8

nGCMP hasmoved!777 Route 4, Suite 5A,Phase II ComplexSinajana, Guam 96910

August 2014 1

to Climate Change Task Force

FIRES ON GUAM: 2012Type of Fire TotalVegetation/Grass 448Trash/Debris 192Unauthorized Burning 1233Total Number of Fires 1873

FIRES ON GUAM: 2013Type of Fire TotalVegetation/Grass 587Trash/Debris 221Unauthorized Burning 1237Total Number of Fires 2045

Source: Guam Fire Department Compiled by E911/Communications Bu-reau

Fire clinics aim to PREVENT ARSON

Obama Appoints Governor Calvo

Bureau of Statistics & Plans

August 20142

Hafa Adai!

The preservation of Guam’s naturalresources is of great importance toall who call Guam home and to ourvisitors as well. The demands andstrain on our ecosystems such as pol-

lution and wildland fires continue to be a growing

concern for the Bureau of Statistics and Plans.From our island’s breathtaking mountain ridges tocoastlines and coral reefs, pollution continues toimpact our livelihood. In this issue, we feature theefforts of the Bureau of Statistics and Plans onmanaging impacts to coastal areas and ensuringthat projects are in compliance with federal andestablished laws. The newsletter also presentspublic outreach events as a means of engaging the

community to better understand Guam’s environ-ment and what they can do to protect natural re-sources.

Living in this tropical paradise has its responsi-bilities, and we encourage everyone to do theirpart in keeping Guam beautiful. We hope you willenjoy this issue of Man, Land, and Sea.

LORILEE T. CRISOSTOMO

Message from the Director

Bureau of Statistics & Plans

Asetback is therequired dis-tance that abuilding mustbe locatedaway from thestreets, ease-ments, proper-

ty lines, and other structures. The sizeof the setback is determined byGuam’s Zoning Laws and the size ofthe setback all depends on the zoningof the property.

For a single-family or multi-familystructure for instance, the minimal al-lowable setback for front yard is 15feet, the side yard is 8 feet and the rearyard is 10 feet. Setback requirementsfor commercial and industrial areasare slightly different. There are severalreasons why all residential structuresshould have adequate setbacks.

Setbacks also ensure that there isadequate room for emergency vehiclesto maneuver between and around theproperties and provides space formaintenance on the home. Setbacksprovide uniformity to a neighborhoodand establishes placement between thehomes or buildings. Setbacks allow

some privacy between neighbors andalso provide distance between neigh-bors to lessen noise and odors.

Setbacks also give residents spaceto properly place septic tanks andleaching fields in areas where publicsewer lines are not present. Anotherreason for setbacks is to give distanceto provide space for light and air circu-lation, and provide open space forlandscaping and recreational use.

Guam’s Zoning Law establishedregulations in order to : encourage themost appropriate uses of land: provide

adequate open spaces around build-ings; prevent undue concentration ofpopulation; assure adequate provi-sions of schools, parks, recreation andother infrastructure; and control thetypes of development which wouldcreate a nuisance and/or a health andsafety hazard.

In general, setbacks are requiredwhen building your home or anystructure for general welfare and safe-ty.

To propose a development thatdoes not comply with the zoning regu-

lations, you may apply for a zonechange through the Guam LandUse Commission, a decision-makingbody empowered to grant subdivisionsapprovals, zone changes,conditional uses and variance fromGuam land use laws and regulations.The Guam Coastal Management Pro-gram represents Bureau of Statisticsand Plans with seven other agenciesforming the Application Review Com-mittee providing technical review tothe commission. 

For more information on what per-mits are required for certain activitiesplease visit the One Stop Center at theDepartment of Public Works com-pound or visit our website:bsp.guam.gov, to view the Guidebookto Development Requirements onGuam.

This guide delineates each type ofrequirement for development by sum-marizing its purpose and nature, citingthe Government agency with authorityfor approval, describes the applicationreview process, and presents a sampleof appropriate applications and sug-gests additional references for moredetailed information.

Protecting Communitiesthrough setbacks and permits

ARC Applications 2013 As of August 2014

Zone Variance 8 15Zone Change 10 4Tentative Development Plan 3 1Summary Zone Change 5 9Minor Setback Variance 17 9Conditional Use 4 1Seashore Clearance 0 1TOTAL Reviewed 47 40

August 2014 3Bureau of Statistics & Plans

GCMP leadsfederal consistency reviews

HAGATNA-

In1972, the CoastalZone ManagementAct (CZMA) wasadopted to help statesand territories in man-

aging impacts to coastal areas. This cre-ated the concept of federal consistency,a powerful tool that state governmentscan use to protect natural resource areasand waterways. Simply put, any federal agency that is

planning an activity in a coastal areamust make sure they are consistent tothe maximum extent practicable poli-cies of the Guam Coastal ManagementProgram in accordance with the CZMA(U.S. PL. 92-583) as amended (U.S.

P.L. 94-370). Federal consistency is a program run

by the local state, and approved by thefederal government, that has the abilityto review actions by federal agenciesand make sure they are following theright laws and regulations locally.

Guam’s lead for federal consistencyreviews is housed at the Guam CoastalManagement Program (GCMP) of theBureau of Statistics and Plans. “It is very important to review pro-

jects and make sure they have madeplans to be consistent with Guam’s laws

and regulations,” said Mely De Leon,lead planner for Federal Consistency. “We can help protect natural re-

sources through careful planning andmaking sure all aspects are includedinto the initial phases of projects.” The review process usually includes

multiple agencies including Govern-ment of Guam organizations and federalagencies. “We typically work closely with the

Guam Department of Agriculture,Guam Environmental ProtectionAgency and the U.S. Army Corps of En-gineers to make sure we are not missingany aspects or potential impacts from aproposed project,” De Leon said.

Bureau of Statistics and Plans and its network partners recently toured Finegayen, the proposed site for the construction of a main cantonment to support the relocation ofU.S. Marines. The site visit was in accordance with the federal consistency review by Guam Coastal Management Program. Government representatives are from BSP: Direc-tor Lorilee Crisostomo, Esther Taitague, Lola Leon Guerrero, Monica Guerrero, Terry Perez, Brenda Atalig, Millie Erguiza, Mely De Leon, Christine Camacho, Tom Quinata andEstella Tapia. AG’s Office: Jessica Toft; GWA: Vangie Lujan; Guam EPA: Angel Marquez, Ray Calvo, Johnny Abedania; Governor’s Office: Mark Calvo; DPW director CarlDominguez; DOAG: Deputy Director Matthew Sablan, Tino Aguon, Jeff Quitugua; NOAA : Adrienne Loerzel and Val Brown Hosting the tour are NavFac DPRI officials AlbertBorja, Mark Cruz, Alex Oviedo, Rodney Palacios, Stephanie Aromin and Jennifer Farley.

Federal Consistency Projects2013 as of July 2014

Federal Activities 18 19Federal License/Permit 31 15Federal Assistance 11 46Total Reviewed 60 80

YONA -

Phoebe Wall with theUOG Cooperative Ex-tension Service demon-strated sheet mulchingand composting tech-

niques to community memberswho participated in the four freefire clinics offered earlier thisyear. Wall utilized a large aquariumtank to demonstrate the proper lay-ering of organic materials used forthe demonstrations.This approach made it easier for

participants to see and understandthe layering concept in sheetmulching. Sheet mulching also

known as “lasagna gardening” or“layered composting” is a no-tillgardening/farming method whichincorporates a four layered mulchsystem. It imitates what naturallyoccurs in an undisturbed forest andis a low maintenance practice thatpromotes healthy productive soil.Benefits of sheet mulching are:

water conservation, suppressesweeds, keeps soil cool in hotweather, encourages root develop-ment, increases plants health, andreleases nutrients slowly by under-standing the differences betweengreens (high in nitrogen) andbrowns (high in carbon). Greens are

made up of materials such as kitchenwastes, coffee grounds, grass clip-pings, chicken, pig and cow manure.Examples of browns arc twigs,branches, leaves, news papers, andcardboard, to name a few.Materials high in nitrogen decom-

pose much faster than materials withhigh carbon. Meats, bones, fattyfoods, pet litter, dead animals, andhuman/pct manure are not recom-mended for composting. For more information on com-

posting and mulching contact theUOG Cooperative Extension Ser-vice. Munga masongge Guahan,Don’t burn Guam!

August 20144 Bureau of Statistics & Plans

Using green waste for composting

Benefits of sheet mulching are:water conservation, suppress-es weeds, keeps soil cool inhot weather, encourages rootdevelopment, increases plantshealth, and releases nutrientsslowly by understanding thedifferences between greens(high in nitrogen) and browns(high in carbon).

With the techni-cal assistanceof NOAA’sWestern Pacif-ic Fishery

Management Council, the Mer-izo or Melesso residents andMerizo Mayor Ernest Char-gualaf spent many hours atmeetings and workshops ad-dressing the needs and chal-lenges for the village of Merizoto manage its coastal and marineresources. Section 63133 mandated by

Public Law 29-127 basicallystates that the Chamorro peoplehave specific rights to off-shorefishing and harvesting of re-sources in reference to indige-nous fishing rights. Since village resources are

best understood at the villagelevel, residents met at the Meri-

zo Community Center to dis-cuss local fishing access to sea-sonal runs of traditional har-vested fish, conduct regulatorymonitoring and advisory ofPCBs around Cocos Island andLagoon inclusive of oceano-graphic patterns, address la-goon conflicting water-use ac-tivities through zoning, estab-lish Committee of Elders atMayor’s Office, and muchmore. The Community-Based

Management Plan for MelessoCoastal & Marine Resourcesciting the discussions at theworkshops and recommenda-tions by the village residentswere forwarded to Depart-mentof Agricuture providing in-put to the development of therules and regulations regardingindigieous fishing rights.

Left: Merizo Mayor, Ernest Chargualaf (center), welcomes technicalassistance from Charles Kaaiai and Mark Mitsuyasu of NOAA’sWestern Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Council at com-munity-based workshops held at Merizo Community Center in Au-gust & November 2013.

Piti -

On December 23, 2013,the required public hear-ing for the Jose D. LeonGuerrero Master PlanUpdate 2013 Report was

held at the Port Authority ofGuam Training Room calledjointly by the Director of Bu-reau of Statistics and Plans(BSP) and the General Mangerof the Port Authority inviting the

public to attend and provide comments. In addition, the Master Plan Update

was made available at the Port’s websiteand hard copies were available at BSP’sGuam Coastal Management ProgramOffice.As mandated by Title 5 of the Guam

Code Annotated, Subsections 1205 &1206, for the adoption of plans, all“Comprehensive Development Plans’have to start the public review processthrough BSP.

In addition to BSP’s land use review,BSP coordinated technical reviews fromits networking Government of Guamagencies: the Department of Land Man-agement, Guam EPA, Department ofParks and Recreation, Department ofPublic Works, and the Department ofAgriculture.

Governor Eddie Calvo transmittedthe Port’s Master Plan Update to theGuam Legislature shortly after BSP

submitted its recommendation to theGovernor to approve the Port’s MasterPlan Update as an official element toGuam’s Comprehensive DevelopmentPlan for it addresses the Port’s modern-ization in the next five years, reduction ofthe military build-up, and securing finan-cial self-sufficiency and sustainability. Guam Public Law 32-155 was signed

into law on May 21, 2014 by LieutenantGovernor Ray Tenorio, Acting Governorat that time, adopting the Guam MasterPlan Update 2013 for the improvementprojects schedule and land use designa-tions of the Commercial Port.

Working on Merizo Marine Resources

Modernizing the Port

August 20146 Bureau of Statistics & Plans

With the techni-cal assistanceof NOAA’sWestern Pacif-ic Fishery

Management Council, the Mer-izo or Melesso residents andMerizo Mayor Ernest Char-gualaf spent many hours atmeetings and workshops ad-dressing the needs and chal-lenges for the village of Merizoto manage its coastal and marineresources. Section 63133 mandated by

Public Law 29-127 basicallystates that the Chamorro peoplehave specific rights to off-shorefishing and harvesting of re-sources in reference to indige-nous fishing rights. Since village resources are

best understood at the villagelevel, residents met at the Meri-

zo Community Center to dis-cuss local fishing access to sea-sonal runs of traditional har-vested fish, conduct regulatorymonitoring and advisory ofPCBs around Cocos Island andLagoon inclusive of oceano-graphic patterns, address la-goon conflicting water-use ac-tivities through zoning, estab-lish Committee of Elders atMayor’s Office, and muchmore. The Community-Based

Management Plan for MelessoCoastal & Marine Resourcesciting the discussions at theworkshops and recommenda-tions by the village residentswere forwarded to Depart-mentof Agricuture providing in-put to the development of therules and regulations regardingindigieous fishing rights.

Left: Merizo Mayor, Ernest Chargualaf (center), welcomes technicalassistance from Charles Kaaiai and Mark Mitsuyasu of NOAA’sWestern Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Council at com-munity-based workshops held at Merizo Community Center in Au-gust & November 2013.

Piti -

On December 23, 2013,the required public hear-ing for the Jose D. LeonGuerrero Master PlanUpdate 2013 Report was

held at the Port Authority ofGuam Training Room calledjointly by the Director of Bu-reau of Statistics and Plans(BSP) and the General Mangerof the Port Authority inviting the

public to attend and provide comments. In addition, the Master Plan Update

was made available at the Port’s websiteand hard copies were available at BSP’sGuam Coastal Management ProgramOffice.As mandated by Title 5 of the Guam

Code Annotated, Subsections 1205 &1206, for the adoption of plans, all“Comprehensive Development Plans’have to start the public review processthrough BSP.

In addition to BSP’s land use review,BSP coordinated technical reviews fromits networking Government of Guamagencies: the Department of Land Man-agement, Guam EPA, Department ofParks and Recreation, Department ofPublic Works, and the Department ofAgriculture.

Governor Eddie Calvo transmittedthe Port’s Master Plan Update to theGuam Legislature shortly after BSP

submitted its recommendation to theGovernor to approve the Port’s MasterPlan Update as an official element toGuam’s Comprehensive DevelopmentPlan for it addresses the Port’s modern-ization in the next five years, reduction ofthe military build-up, and securing finan-cial self-sufficiency and sustainability. Guam Public Law 32-155 was signed

into law on May 21, 2014 by LieutenantGovernor Ray Tenorio, Acting Governorat that time, adopting the Guam MasterPlan Update 2013 for the improvementprojects schedule and land use designa-tions of the Commercial Port.

Working on Merizo Marine Resources

Modernizing the Port

August 20146 Bureau of Statistics & Plans

Funded byNOAA grantsof U.S. Depart-ment of Com-merce, theGuardians of

the Reef outreach programcontinues for the 9th year to beimplemented by the Bureau ofStatistics and Plans. The intent of this program

teaches our youth the impor-tance of how Guam's coralreefs are to the fish popula-tions and marine tourism.

This outreach started offwith training Juniors and Se-niors from George WashingtonHigh School, Simon Sanchez,John F. Kennedy, and SouthernHigh School to be Guardiansof the Reef. On January 25, 2014, over

80 students attended the train-ing at the Holiday Inn Resortto develop lesson plans for 3rdgraders and 5th graders aboutbasic coral reef biology. In March and April, the

Guardians conducted presen-

tations to 3rd graders and pup-pet shows to 5th graders reach-ing over 3200 students in theGuam Department of Educa-tion elementary schools. Although the main focus of

the Guardians of the Reef out-reach was bringing awarenessof protecting coral reefs, pub-lic speaking, teamwork build-ing, and service learning werethe benefits too for the Juniorsand Seniors who participatedon this fun and exciting activi-ty.

August 2014 7Bureau of Statistics & Plans

Guardiansof the Reef Program

August 20148

Hawaii -

The Bureau of Sta-tistics and Plansin collaborationwith the Depart-ment of Agricul-ture is pleased to

announce that the 2014Guam Marine Conserva-tion Plan (MCP) was ap-proved by the NationalMarine Fisheries Service(NMFS) on August 04,2014. Pursuant to the Magnu-

son-Stevens Fishery Con-servation ManagementAct, the Western PacificRegional Fishery Man-agement Council initiallywould have to approve Guam’sMCP for adoption by the NMFS. The Council approved Guam’s

plan during its 160th Council Meet-ing in Hawaii this past July. Guamis required to submit a plan everythree years identifying how tospend the funds set aside from feescollected by the United States from

Pacific Insular Areas FisheryAgreements within Guam’s 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone in-cluding receiving Sustainable Fish-ery dollars.On-going projects benefitting

from a previous plan are the ADAAccessible Fishing Platform, theRehabilitation and Improvements

to the Agat Small Boat-Marina Dock A and theManahak Hatchery andRestocking project. The 2014 Guam Ma-

rine Conservation Planidentifies priority pro-jects that Guam desiresfunds for such as the Re-pairs to the RefuelingPiers, Feasibility ofBoat Ramp at East Sideof Guam, VolunteerFishery Data CollectionProject, and much more. The Bureau of Statis-

tics and Plans extendsits Dangkulo na Si Yu’osMa’ase to the Depart-ment of Agriculture, the

Port Authority of Guam, the Uni-versity of Guam’s Marine Labora-tory and Cooperative ExtensionService, the Guam Fisherman’s Co-operative Association and theGuam Association of Saltwater An-glers for their contribution to devel-oping the new approved plan.

Bureau of Statistics & Plans

Our office has movedl The Guam Coastal Management Pro-gram (GCMP) of the Bureau of Statisticsand Plans is now located in the SinajanaComplex.

l GCMP staff may be reached by call-ing 475-9666, 475-9647 or by emailing Esther.Taitague@BSP. guam.gov,Planner, Guam Coastal ManagementProgram, Bureau of Statistics and Plans.

l This Man, Land, and Sea newsletterwas prepared by the Bureau of Statisticsand Plans (BSP) using federal funds,under award NA13NOS4190132 fromthe Office of Ocean and Coastal Re-source Management (OCRM), NationalOceanic and Atmospheric Administration(NOAA), U.S Department of Commerce.The statement, findings, conclusions,and recommendations are those of theBSP and do not necessarily reflect theviews of the OCRM, NOAA, or the De-partment of Commerce.

Marine development continues

Photo by Mitch Warner

l For information on cleanup sites, email Terry.Perez@bsp.guam.govor Brenda.Atalig@bsp.guam.gov or call 475-9666