Transcript
Thirteen of Guam's 15 senators have tabled a resolution asking the governor to pause clearance, construction and other activities the military is pushing ahead with for its build-up.
A Chamorro studies specialist from the University of Guam, Michael Bevacqua, says in particular there's deep community concern over the military's plans at local historic and cultural sites.
While the governor says Guam has limited sovereignty to stop the build-up, Dr Bevacqua says the she has options, as she exerts control over regulatory agencies.
"So she can actually push, for example the Historic Preservation Office, Environmental Protection, to basically pause on signing on permits. So the governor can take this position if she wants to. But I think her first step will be that she's going to ask the military to pause."
The US military has shown little appetite for a pause to its plans, although it says it consults with the Guam community about its plans.
Rear Admiral Shoshana Chatfield, commander of the US Joint Region Marianas, also said the Navy took its role to protect and preserve our natural and cultural resources very seriously.
Although the military is pushing ahead with its plans for installations such as live fire testing ranges on culturally important sites, the future remains uncertain.
The marines transfer proposal has changed shape numerous times over the years, and undergone shifts in commitment from different US administrations,
Dr Bevacqua says part of the challenge for Guam is getting its head around shifts in policy in Washington where decisions about the build-up on Guam are mostly made, rather than on the island.
"And so our role is definitely to assert ourselves."
"But one reason that I think the military is trying to push full steam ahead with this and not slow down is because there may be a shift in Washington, in the Pentagon, as there was previously."
Governor Leon Guerrero, who supports the build-up in the interests of Guam's security and development, held recent meetings to hear community concerns about the plans.
She told one heated meeting last week that balancing Guam's commitment to the US and its military had to be balanced with its need to protect its own cultural heritage.
"My desire and my deep love for my ancestors and our culture... how is that going to balanced out? That has to be taken into consideration. I guess we have to think about: do we need the military or do we not need the military?"
But a Chamorro customary leader Debbie Quinata has warned that the large influx of marines and their dependents would place a huge strain on the island's infrastructure and indigenous culture.
"A lot of this has been done in such a manner that there is no consideration as to what the end results will be. Not only do we not have the ability to maintain that many people, you're going to destroy the Chamorro culture."
doesn't see why the military can;t wait a bit longer while Guam gets more information abou
Guam's governors have typically told the public that the US military presence on Guam protects them. But Ms Quinata says it is the US military presence on Guam which makes them unsafe.
"We are sitting here because we don't want to get ourselves blown up, except the very reason that we're even a thought is because this is where the US military is, which is who they have a problem with - the different problems that are having problems with the United States know that Guam is a possession.
Critics of the US military plans on Guam appear to have odds stacked against them.
Guam's long time State Historic Preservation Officer Lynda Aguon was recently fired after criticising the military's approach to archeological discoveries in the sites it wants to use.
But Dr Bevacqua says the Chamorro people have become more mature about confronting the benefits and the problems of increasing the US military presence, and will continue to push for their rights.
