SABLAN&STAFFLER


FOR CNMI GOV. AND LT. GOV 2022



Safe, Resilient, and Sustainable Infrastructure



Safe, resilient, and sustainable infrastructure is essential for building a community in which everyone can thrive. We have an unprecedented opportunity to dramatically improve our public infrastructure, through hundreds of millions of federal dollars available to the Marianas for typhoon and covid-19 pandemic recovery. At the local level, the CNMI legislature has also made millions of dollars in appropriations for infrastructure improvements, many at the precinct and village level. We have an urgent responsibility to ensure that these precious public funds are spent wisely and for their intended purposes, and to provide transparency in the allocation of resources for infrastructure projects. We must also prepare for more extreme weather events and other impacts of the climate crisis, and will ensure that climate considerations are included in all infrastructure plans and development. In rebuilding our critical infrastructure, we will rebuild our economy and lay the foundation for a more prosperous and resilient future for all.



Clean, drinkable water, 24 hours a day



Clean water is a vital necessity for public health and economic development, and yet many CNMI residents still experience water shortages and cannot drink their water from the tap. For more than a decade, the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation has operated under federal stipulated orders for long-standing – and continuing - violations of the federal Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act. The goal of clean, drinkable, 24/7 water is at last within reach, thanks to recent dramatic increases in federal funding to improve community water systems like ours. We have the resources. We will deliver the political will and leadership to make clean, drinkable, 24-hour water a reality for Marianas residents.



Reliable and sustainable energy



Our energy infrastructure is outdated, inefficient, and almost completely dependent on imported fossil fuels that drain the CNMI of approximately $70 million or more every year. We need an overhaul, and a transition to an energy future that is cleaner, more efficient, and more affordable for CNMI residents. We will begin this undertaking with energy audits of the Commonwealth government, including fleet vehicles, and a directive to update the Commonwealth’s energy efficiency standards and track the government’s progress in meeting efficiency targets. We will also direct a review and update of the CNMI’s energy action plan and renewable energy portfolio, and work with CUC and regulatory authorities to set the Marianas on the path to a reliable and sustainable energy future. Climate resiliency and typhoon preparedness are critical to this future, and putting more lines underground must also be an integral part of our energy action plan.



Safe and well-planned streets





Too many of our roads are riddled with potholes, prone to flooding, poorly marked, and unsafe for pedestrians and cyclists. We envision a system of well-paved primary and secondary roads that are safe, friendly and accessible to multiple types of users: pedestrians, cyclists, people in wheelchairs, families with strollers, drivers. We will ensure that sidewalks, crosswalks, bike lanes, curb ramps, energy efficient streetlights, proper markings and signage, landscaping, and storm water management are regular features in master planning for both highways and village streets in the Marianas.



Modern Ports and Marinas





The commonwealth’s airports, seaports, and marinas are vital connection points for commerce and travel, and all of them need major upgrades. Some still await long-overdue repairs from typhoon damage that occurred years ago. We will prioritize rehabilitation and recovery projects for which funding has already been identified and approved, and ensure that climate resiliency and regular maintenance are included in all port and marina master plans.



A commonwealth-wide solid waste management system



On Saipan, Tinian, and Rota, our solid waste management infrastructure is currently failing to meet basic public health and environmental protection standards. We also know that illegal dumping and overflowing garbage in our villages are serious problems in the absence of a coordinated solid waste management system. Many families cannot afford to pay for private trash haulers, and lack a vehicle to transport their waste to the transfer station, landfill, or dump. Solid waste management is a basic function of government to protect public health and the environment, and we will collaborate with federal and private sector partners to establish a commonwealth-wide system of waste reduction, collection, recycling, and disposal that utilizes best practices and includes assistance for low-income households.



OUR PLATFORM