By Ulysses Torres Sabuco
Variety News Staff

THE leadership of the House of Representatives yesterday criticized the Marianas Public Lands Authority for its apparent rush in giving a pozzolan mining permit to Azmar International.
Over 600 Saipan and Northern Islands residents recently signed a petition calling for a comprehensive study of pozzolan mining and suspension of mining activities on Pagan.
Also, the entire 18-man House last week voted to pass legislation backing such move.
But the House leadership said yesterday, these factors were either not considered or overlooked by the government, when MPLA granted a conditional permit to the Arizona-based firm to mine pozzolan on the volcanic island.
“Something played a role. I am not sure what. We do not see why there was a rush to grant the permit. Unfortunately, it was not entirely in our hands,” said Charles Reyes Jr., spokesman for the House leadership. “The wishes of the majority might not have been adhered in this case.”
He added, “Speaker (Benigno Fitial) does not want Pagan Island to be hastily developed. He wants to be circumspect and cautious.”
MPLA granted Azmar a 60-day conditional permit on Tuesday and required the firm to produce all necessary documents in line with its application for a two-year mining permit on Pagan Island.
However, Senate President Joaquin G. Adriano, R-Tinian, vowed to stop the bill.
Meanwhile, Reyes said MPLA’s decision was “disappointing,” citing the intent of the House for a “competitive bidding, due diligence and thorough study” on the mining proposal.
“We would have preferred to see more caution (on the Pagan mining issue), he added.
Reyes said the leadership will maintain its position that a thorough study on Pagan – as indicated in House Bill 14-204 – should be made by the government.
He added that during an MPLA- called public hearing last week, it was pointed out that mining on Pagan would be presented at next month’s investment conference in Los Angeles, California, to entice more investors.
What the leadership will be pushing now is for MPLA to get an environmental impact study of the pozzolan mining proposal.
“I want to point out that the bill was passed unanimously by the House of Representatives and was supported by the petitioners. Unfortunately we cannot persuade the Senate,” he added. “We tried with MPLA, but we were not successful.”
Pagan erupted in the 1980’s and created the pozzolan. It is believed that there are about 200 million metric tons of pozzolan deposits on the island. Pozzolan is used to give cement its adhesive quality.