VIEQUES LANDS TRANSFER ACT OF 1994 

HEARING 

BEFORE THE 

SUBCOMMITTEE ON 

INSULAR AND INTERNATIONAL .AFFAIRS 

OF THE 

COMMITTEE ON 

NATURAL RESOURCES 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

ONE HUNDRED THIRD CONGRESS 

SECOND SESSION 

ON 

H.R. 3831 

TO AUTHORIZE AND DIRECT THE TRANSFER OF CERTAIN LANDS ON 

THE ISLAND OF VIEQUES, PUERTO RICO, TO THE MUNICIPALITY OF 

VIEQUES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 

85--315 

HEARING HELD IN WASHINGTON, DC 

OCTOBER 4, 1994 

Serial No. 103-114 

Printed for the use of the Committee on Natural Resources 

U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

WASHINGTON : 1995 

For sale by the U.S. Government Printing Office 

Superintendent of Documents, Congressional Sales Office, Washington, DC 20402 

ISBN 0-16-046608-3 
COMMI'ITEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES 

GEORGE MILLER, California, Chairman 

PHILIP R. SHARP, Indiana DON YOUNG, Alaska, Ranking Republican 

EDWARD J. MARKEY, Massachusetts Member 

AUSTIN J. MURPHY, Pennsylvania JAMES V. HANSEN, Utah 

NICK JOE RAHALL II, West Virginia BARBARA F. VUCANOVICH, Nevada 

BRUCE F. VENTO, Minnesota ELTON GALLEGLY, California 

PAT WILLIAMS, Montana ROBERT F. (BOB) SMITH, Oregon 

RON DE LUGO, Virgin Islands CRAIG THOMAS, Wyoming 

SAM GEJDENSON, Connecticut JOHN J. DUNCAN, JR., Tennessee 

RICHARD H. LEHMAN, California JOEL HEFLEY, Colorado 

BILL RICHARDSON, New Mexico JOHN T. DOOLITTLE, California 

PETER A. DEFAZIO, Oregon WAYNE ALLARD, Colorado 

ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA, American RICHARD H. BAKER, Louisiana 

Samoa KEN CALVERT, California 

TIM JOHNSON, South Dakota SCOTT MciNNIS, Colorado 

LARRY LAROCCO, Idaho RICHARD W. POMBO, California 

NEIL ABERCROMBIE, Hawaii JAY DICKEY, Arkansas 

CALVIN M. DOOLEY, Calif01;nia 

CARLOS ROMERO-BARCELO, Puerto Rico 

KARAN ENGLISH, Arizona 

KAREN SHEPHERD, Utah 

NATHAN DEAL, Georgia 

MAURICE D. HINCHEY, New York 

ROBERT A. UNDERWOOD, Guam 

SAM FARR, California 

LANE EVANS, Illinois 

PATSY T. MINK, Hawaii 

THOMAS J. BARLOW III, Kentucky 

THOMAS M. BARRETT, Wisconsin 

JOHN LAWRENCE, Staff Director 

STANLEY SCOVILLE, General Counsel 

DANIEL VAL KlSH, Republican Staff Director 

SUBCOMMITIEE ON INSULAR AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS 

RON DE LUGO, Virgin Islands, Chairman 

ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA, American ELTON GALLEGLY, California, Ranking 

Samoa • Republican Member 

CARLOS ROMERO-BARCELO, Puerto Rico 

ROBERT A. UNDERWOOD, Guam 

AUSTIN J. MURPHY, Pennsylvania 

GEORGE MILLER, California 

BARBARA F. VUCANOVICH, Nevada 

DON YOUNG, Alaska, ex offico 

Vacancy 

SHEILA Ross, Staff Director 

BRIAN MODESTE, Legislative Staff 

CYNTHIA RIVERA, Legislative Staff 

DAVID STILLWELL, Administrative Staff 

DAISY M. MINTER, Clerk 

MANASE MANSUR, Republican Consultant on Insular and International Affairs 

CHERI GIRARD, Republican Administrative Staff 

(II) 
CONTENTS 

Page 

Hearing held: October 4, 1994 ................................................................................ 1 

Text of the bill, H.R. 3831 ....................................................................................... 2 

Member statements: 

Hon. Ron de Lugo ............................................................................................. 6 

Hon. Carlos Romero-Barcelo ............................................... ...................... ...... . 7 

Hon. Robert A. Underwood .............................................................................. 15 

Hon. Austin J. Murphy .................................................................................... 16 

Witness statements: 

Rear Admiral Ernest E. Christensen, Jr., Commander, Fleet Air Caribbean................................................................................................................ 17 

Prepared statement of Admiral Christensen .......................................... 23 

Hon. Baltasar Corrada Del Rio, Secretary of State, Puerto Rico ................. 48 

Prepared statement of Mr. Corrada del Rio ............................................ 54 

Hon. Manuela Santiago-Collazo, Mayor, Vieques, Puerto Rico .................... 63 

Prepared statement of Ms. Santiago-Collazo .......................................... 67 

Prepared statement of Luis R. Carrillo, Rio Piedras ............................. 91 

Prepared statement of Victor M. Emeric, President, Committee to 

Improve Maritime Transportation Between Vieques and Puerto 

Rico ......................................................................................................... 99 

Letter to Chairman de Lugo from Valentin (Chiro) Hernandez, Presi- dent, Puerto Rico Federation of Labor AFL-CIO, dated July 14, 

1994 ········································································································· 101 Hon. Kenneth McClintock-Hernandez, Senator, Senate of Puerto Rico ...... 104 

Prepared statement of Mr. McClintock-Hernandez ................................ 107 

Panel consisting of: 

Dr. Rafael A. Rivera-Castano, President, Committee for the Rescue 

and Development ofVieques ................................................................. 115 

Prepared statement of Dr. Rivera-Castano ...................................... 118 

Carlos Ventura Melendez, Committee for the Pro Rights of Vieques 

Fishennen ......................................................................................... 115, 121 

Prepared statement of Mr. Ventura Melendez and attachments ... 122 

APPENDIX 

Additional material for the hearing record from: 

Hon. Celeste Benitez, Member, Partido Popular Democratic, San Juan, 

Puerto Rico: Prepared statement .......... ... ........................................... ......... 157 

Rear Admiral Christensen, Jr., Commander, Fleet Air Caribbean: Response to post-hearing questions ................................................................. 162 

Carlos Ventura, Committee Pro Rights of Vieques Fishermen: Letter 

to Mr. Ventura from Mr. de Lugo with post-hearing questions and 

Mr. Ventura's response ................................................................................. 181 

Jose Julio Diaz, Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico: Prepared statement ................... 225 

Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques: Signatures from 

residents ofVieques endorsing approval ofH.R. 3831 .............................. 231 

Hon. Ron de Lugo, chairman, Subcommittee on Insular and International 

Affairs: 

1. 1990 Census of Population, Social and Economic Characteristics, 

Puerto Rico (Vieques unemployment) ............................................... 265 

2. Excerpt from Senate Appropriations Committee Report 1974 to 

direct the Navy to move to Desecheo/Monito ................................... 267 

(III) 

TO TRANSFER CERTAIN FEDERAL LANDS ON 

THE ISLAND OF VIEQUES, PUERTO RICO, 

TO THE MUNICIPALITY OF VIEQUES 

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1994 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 

COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES, 

SUBCOMMITTEE ON INSULAR AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, 

Washington, DC. 

The subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 2:20 p.m. in room 

1324, Longworth House Office Building, Hon. Ron de Lugo (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding. 

STATEMENT OF HON. RON de LUGO 

Mr. DE LUGO. We will now commence the hearing on H.R. 3831, 

legislation that has been introduced by my good friend from Puerto 

Rico, former governor of Puerto Rico, at the present time the resident commissioner of Puerto Rico, Congressman Carlos RomeroBarcelo. 

[Text of the bill follows:] 

(1) 
2 

103D CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H.R.3831 

To authorize and direct the transfer of certain lands on the Island of Vieques, 

Puerto Rico, to the Municipality of Vieques, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 9, 1994 

Mr. RoMERO-BARCELO (for himself, Mr. DE LUGO, :Mr. GALLEGLY, :Mr. MURPHY, Mr. Ur.."DERWOOD, and 1\lr. FALEOMAVAEGA) introduced the following bill; which was referred jointly to the Committees on Armed Services 

and Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To authorize and direct the transfer of certain lands on 

the Island of Vieques, Puerto Rico, to the Municipality 

of Vieques, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the "Vieques Lands Trans5 fer Act of 1994". 

6 SEC. 2. TRANSFER. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.-Subject to subsections (b) and (c), 

8 the Secretary of Defense (hereinafter referred to as the 

9 "Secretary") shall transfer by quitclaim deed and without 
3 

2 

1 monetary consideration, all right, title, and interest of the 

2 United States in and to certain lands located in the west3 ern region of the Municipality of Vieques, Puerto Rico, 

4 as described in section 3, to the Municipality of Vieques 

5 to be used for public purposes. 

6 (b) REVERSION TO THE UNITED STATES.-lf the 

7 lands conveyed by the United States pursuant to this Act 

8 cease to be operated by the Municipality of Vieques for 

9 public purposes, such lands shall revert to the United 

10 States. 

11 (c) LAND USE PLAN.-The lands to be transferred 

12 under this Act shall be eligible for transfer after the Mu13 nicipality of Vieques establishes a detailed plan for the 

14 public purposes for which the lands may be used (includ15 ing, but not limited to, housing, schools, hospitals, librar16 ies, child care centers, parks and recreation, economic de17 velopment, public health, and public safety) and submits 

18 such plan to the Committee on Armed Services and the 

19 Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Rep20 resentatives and the Committee on Armed Services and 

21 the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the 

22 Senate. 

23 SEC. 3. LAND DESCRIPTION. 

24 The lands referred to in section . comprise approxi25 mately 8,000 acres of Federal lands located within the 
4 

3 

1 western part of the l\lunicipality of Vieques, Puerto Rico, 

2 as generally depicted on the map entitled "!;and Use Map, 

3 Vieques Island (Restrictive Use Areas)" and dated Feb4 ruary 1, 1994. 

0 
5 

Mr. DE Luao. Today this subcommittee will receive testimony on 

this legislation to authorize and direct the transfer of certain lands 

on the Island of Vieques, Puerto Rico, to the municipality of 

Vieques and for other purposes. This bill was introduced by the 

resident commissioner of Puerto Rico February 9th of this year and 

I am very pleased to say that I am a cosponsor of this legislation. 

Over the years, Congressman Romero and I have worked together on many issues affecting Puerto Rico, most notably the political status hearings which I chaired during the course of two 

years here in Washington and in Puerto Rico. I have always followed his career with great interest and now we are not only colleagues in the House, we serve on two committees together-on 

Natural Resources, which I always think of as the Interior Committee, and the Education and Labor Committee. 

Let me tell you that whatever else Carlos' nickname may stand 

for, he is a workhorse for the people of Puerto Rico, and unrelenting in his pursuits of the goals that he so strongly believes in for 

the people of Puerto Rico. 

I think that that description of Carlos Romero is a description 

that would be agreed to even by his opponents. They have to give 

him his due. 

I have chaired this subcommittee for the past eight years. It has 

been a great honor for me and for my constituents, the people of 

the Virgin Islands. This could be the last time that I will be 

chairing this subcommittee. If it is, I just want to thank everyone 

that has been connected with the work of this subcommittee. 

Today this subcommittee will receive testimony on Congressman 

Romero's proposal to transfer 8,000 acres of land on Vieques now 

being used as a naval ammunition facility. Now, in the 1940s, the 

Navy acquired by condemnation some 26,000 acres of land, or 

roughly three-quarters of the Island of Vieques. 

Now, to put this in perspective, Vieques is an island just east of 

Puerto Rico which is 20 miles long by 4 miles wide at its widest 

point. It has a total land mass of 51 square miles. This makes 

Vieques nearly double the size of Saint Thomas, in my territory, 

which is just a little further , east, with a total land mass of 28 

square miles. 

My constituents in the Virgin Islands take careful note of events 

in Culebra and Vieques, and over the years, I have written many 

times to the Navy about the impact of bombing practice on 

Vieques's in the Virgin Islands. I guess they are tired of hearing 

from me. Of course, that has stopped in Culebra now. 

In 197 4, when the Secretary of Defense ordered an end to operations on Culebra, the Senate Appropriations Committee included 

$12 million in the Department of Defense budget for the Navy to 

relocate to an uninhabited island. There were two islands that 

were identified, they were the islands of Desecheo and Monito, off 

the western coast of Puerto Rico. This move, however, was never 

made. A joint Department of Defense and Commonwealth Commission charged with finding alternative sites apparently never did. 

Somehow, and it is very unclear under what authority, if any, 

the Navy shifted operations to Vieques. In 1978, Governor Romero 

filed suit, charging the Navy had violated several acts of Congress. 

When the District Court judge ruled that continued use of Vieques 
6 

was in the national interest, Governor Romero appealed to the 

First Circuit. In 1979 and in 1980, a special Anned Services Committee panel 

investigated and held hearings in Washington as well as on the Island of Vieques. Their findings flatly stated that the Navy should 

locate an alternative site. The report issued on February 3, and 

here we have a misprint, it is not 1994 but rather 1981, the report 

issued in 1981 by Congressman Ron Dellums, who is now the 

chairman of the Anned Services Committee stated, and I quote: 

I cannot emphasize too strongly the need for the Navy and the Defense Department to proceed now, without delay, to locate alternatives to Vieques and in the interim, study and develop methods of alleviating as many of the more immediate con- cerns as possible. 

The upshot was that the Navy signed a Memorandum of Under- standing with the government of Puerto Rico in 1983. In that 

Memorandum of Understanding, the Navy made specific commitments on community assistance, these were commitments that 

were made, also on land uses, environmental protections and historic preservation. Since Vieques has an unemployment rate of 50 

percent, we are informed, and a poverty rate of 70 percent, many 

questions will be asked on the record today about why these commitments have not been met. I thank our witnesses, some of whom have traveled quite far, for 

appearing before this panel today. There are additional statements 

from other individuals and groups that will be made a part of the 

record at the appropriate time. But at this time, I would like to recognize the gentleman from Puerto Rico, the sponsor of this legislation, for any opening statement he would care to make. 

[Prepared statement of Mr. de Lugo follows:] 

STATEMENT OF HON. RON DE LUGO 

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS 

Today this subcommittee will receive testimony on H.R. 3831, to authorize and 

direct the transfer of certain lands on the island of Vieques, Puerto Rico, to the Municipality of Vieques, and for other purposes. This bill was introduced on February 

9, 1994 by my colleague and friend, the Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico, Carlos Romero-Barcelo, and I am a co-sponsor of this legislation. Over the years, Congressman Romero and I have worked together on many issues 

affecting Puerto Rico, most notably the political status hearings which I chaired during the course of two years here in Washington and in Puerto Rico. I have always 

followed his career with great interest and now we are not only colleagues in the 

House, we serve on two committees together-Natural Resources and Education and 

Labor. Let me tell you, whatever else his nickname may stand for, he is a workhorse 

for the people of Puerto Rico, and unrelenting in his pursuit of the goals he so strongly believes in for Puerto Rico. I have chaired this subcommittee for the past eight years. It has been a great 

honor for me and for my constituents, the people of the U.S. Virgin Islands. 

Today this subcommittee will receive testimony on Congressman Romero's proposal to transfer 8000 acres of land on Vieques now being used as a naval ammunition facility. In the 1940's the Navy acquired by condemnation 26,000 acres of land ... or roughly three quarters of the island. To put this in perspective, Vieques, an island just east of Puerto Rico, is 20 miles long by 4 miles at its widest point, with a total land mass of 51 square miles. This makes Vieques nearly double the size 

of St. Thomas, just a little further east, with a total land mass of 28 square miles. My constituents in the Virgin Islands take careful note of events in Culebra and 

Vieques, and over the years I have written many times to the Navy about the im- pact of bombing practice on cisterns in the Virgin Islands. 

In 1974 when the Secretary of Defense ordered an end to operations on Culebra, 

the Senate Appropriations Committee included $12 million in the Department of 
7 

Defense budget for the Navy to relocate to the uninhabited islands of Desecheo and 

Monito off the western coast of Puerto Rico. This move was never made. A joint DOD and Commonwealth Commission charged with finding alternative sites appar- ently never did. Somehow . . . and it is very unclear under what authority if any . . . the Navy shifted operations to Vieques. In 1978 Governor Romero filed suit, charging the 

Navy had violated several acts of Congress. When the District Court judge ruled 

that continued use of Vieques was in the national interest, Governor Romero ap- pealed to the First Circuit. 

In 1979 and 80, a special Armed Services Committee panel investigated and held 

hearings in Washington as well as Vieq_ues. Their findings flatly stated that the 

Navy should locate an alternative site. The report issued on February 3, 1981 by Congressman Ron Dellums, now chairman of the Armed Services Committee stated, and I quote: 

"I cannot emphasize too strongly the need for the Navy and the Defense Depart- ment to proceed now, without delay, to locate alternatives to Vieques and in the interim, study and develop methods of alleviating as many of the more immediate concerns as possible." The upshot was that the Navy signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the 

Government of Puerto Rico in 1983. 

In that M.O.U. the Navy made specific commitments on community assistance, land uses, environmental protections and historic preservation. Since Vieques has 

an unemployment rate of 50% and a poverty rate of 70% many questions will be 

asked on record today about why these commitments have not been met. I thank our witnesses, some of whom have travelled quite far, for appearing before this panel today. There are additional statements from other individuals and 

groups that will be made a part of the record at the appropriate time. 

STATEMENT OF BON. CARLOS ROMERO-BARCELO 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Thank you, Mr. Chainnan, and fellow 

subcommittee members and distinguished guests. First of all, let 

me start by thanking you, Mr. Chainnan, for holding the hearing 

today and for the support and interest that you have always shown 

in matters related to Puerto Rico. I know that throughout your many years of service in this chamber and as chainnan of this subcommittee you have always held 

Puerto Rico very close to your heart, and for that I thank you. 

Today we have here also the Secretary of State from Puerto Rico, 

Baltasar Corrada who is also a member of the Congress for eight 

years and representing Puerto Rico as the Resident Commissioner. 

I want to welcome him officially to these hearings. And also the 

Mayor of Vieques, Santiago, who is also here with us to testify, and 

we also want to welcome her; and the Senator McClintock from the 

Senate of Puerto Rico is also here to testify on behalf of the Senate. 

And of course we have Admiral Christensen who is also here to testify on behalf of the Navy and we want to welcome you all. 

I also want to thank my colleagues and good friends, Austin 

Murphy and Bob Underwood for being here today and for their 

support and all the fellow Representatives from both sides of the 

aisle who have cosponsored this legislation. 

Further, I want to extend a recognition to all those thereafter 

worked together to bring this issue before us today. We have gathered here to discuss H.R. 3831, which is the Vieques Lands Transfer Act of 1994, a bill that I introduced in February of this year. 

This legislation would direct the Secretary of Defense to transfer 

approximately 8,000 acres of land on the western part of Vieques 

to the municipality to be used for public purposes. 

My bill would make the lands eligible for transfer after the municipality submits to specified congressional committees a plan de-
8 

tailing the public purposes for which the lands may be used. For 

all Viequenses, no single issue is more critical and emotional than 

the resolution of the issues concerning the land. I believe that most 

of the testimony that we will hear today will be evidence of that 

fact. 

Further, I strongly believe that the subject of today's hearing is 

not merely to discuss the return of some parcels of land and mangrove. It is the people of Vieques and their future that we will be 

discussing here today, and I would hope that this discussion can 

be guided by a very simple principle: The people of Vieques want 

to control their future and that future cannot be separated from 

their land. 

As a matter of fact, Vieques is a Taino word which means "small 

land." "Isla Nena," as Vieques is also known, is indeed a small but 

yet a very, very beautiful island comprising only 33,000 acres. 

There are more beautiful beaches and more beautiful spots in 

Vieques per square mile than on most islands throughout the Caribbean, and yet most of those beaches are, for all practical purposes, inaccessible to most people in Vieques and in Puerto Rico. 

Sixty years ago, it was an idyllic spot, abundant in natural beauty, with thousands of acres of rolling grasslands for cattle gazing 

and agricultural products such as sugar cane. It was a peaceful 

community of farmers and fishermen. The sea and the land yielded 

more than enough to provide for an adequate living. Social structures were traditional and family ties were strong. Problems such 

as drug addiction, divorce, juvenile delinquency were not heard of. 

During the Second World War, however, Puerto Rico was militarily important because a "wolf pack" of German submarines established base in the Caribbean region. During the early 1940s, the 

U.S. Navy arrived in Vieques and acquired title to most of its 

present holdings, 26,000 of the island's 33,000 acres. As a result of 

these possessions, civilians now occupy only about 8,000 acres 

bounded on both the east and the west by Navy property. 

Despite the appeal of its gorgeous palm-lined beaches, being 

home to one of the world's few remaining and most extraordinary 

bioluminescent bays, the Mosquito Bay, and its vicinity to San 

Juan, Vieques remains off the beaten track. As a matter of fact, a 

little while ago, the chairman was referring to Saint Thomas, 

which is about half the size of Vieques. Well, Saint Thomas, there 

must be about 100,000 people in Saint Thomas, there are about 

8,000 people in Vieques. 

Vieques has nothing to-the beauty of Saint Thomas is comparable to the beauty of Vieques. Vieques has nothing to envy 

Saint Thomas so far as beauty is concerned, but it is much less developed and yet much closer to the larger island. 

Seventy-eight percent of the territory of the island has suffered 

a prolonged and ever-increasing economic crisis, massive out-migration and an unemployment rate of close to 50 percent. It is 47.4 

percent according to the 1990 U.S. Census. Lack of housing, medical and educational facilities, together with a fast growing crime 

rate are among the clearest manifestations of the critical economic 

and social situation on Vieques. 

According to the 1990 Census, the per capita income on the island was $2,997, and a Viequense family with an income below the 
9 

established poverty level reached 70 percent in 1989. The per capita income in the nation is above $20,000. 

Even though it would be unfair to lay all the blame on the Navy, 

and that is certainly not my intention today, it is fair to say that 

the current situation is due largely to the U.S. military whose occupation of two-thirds of the territory necessarily strangles the island's economic development.· 

In 1980, Congressman Ronald Dellums, now chairman of the 

House Armed Services Committee, directed a congressional review 

of the naval training activities on the Island of Vieques. And this 

panel concluded in its final report that the Navy, and I quote, 

'should locate an alternate site" and that "in the interim, the Navy 

should make every effort to work closely with the Commonwealth 

of Puerto Rico in implementing programs to alleviate the impact of 

its activities and in particular explore turning over additional land 

to the island for civilian use." 

Three years later, in 1983, while Governor of Puerto Rico, I 

signed an agreement, a so-called Memorandum of Understanding, 

with the Department of the Navy, whereby the government of 

Puerto Rico agreed to drop all pending litigation in court against 

the military for ecological and economic damage on Vieques without prejudice in exchange for a Navy commitment to mitigate the 

ecological and economic impact of their activities and help with economic development. As part of this agreement, the Navy recognized 

its obligations to be a good neighbor to the people of Vieques and 

pledged to continue to strive to improve the welfare of the island's 

people. Mr. Chairman, all the economic projects set up in Vieques with 

the assistance of the Navy closed down within one or two years 

after initiating operations. Lack of control of over two-thirds of the 

island by the local authorities is widely recognized as the principal 

cause of Vieques' economic and social woes. 

Trying to find a solution to the current problems, the local planning board and municipal government have engaged in commencing implementation of a tourism strategy. The truth of the fact, 

however, is that the gloomy economic picture can only be improved 

if and when the municipal government acquires sufficient lands to 

develop the required infrastructure for the implementation of this 

strategy. 

I want to make one thing clear. This legislation is not intended 

to represent in any way an anti-Navy stance. Puerto Rico has a 

long and proud role in supporting national defense. Thousands of 

Puerto Ricans have participated in every single armed conflict in 

which our Nation has been involved since the First World War, and 

have done so proudly with great dignity and valor. 

Further, and as everybody in this room knows, I have supported 

statehood for Puerto Rico all my life. For this reason, many Puerto 

Ricans ask themselves, ''Why have I become involved in this issue?" 

First of all, I am involved because I strongly believe this is the 

right thing to do. An island as beautiful and with so much potential as Vieques was not meant to be used as an ammunition depot 

and as a target for bombing. 

Secondly, I am convinced that if Puerto Rico were a State of the 

Union, with a congressional delegation of six to seven Congressmen 
10 

and two Senators and the right to vote in presidential elections, 

there is no way on earth that this would be happening in an island 

of the beauty of Vieques. 

Just recently, May of 1994, Hawaiians celebrated the end of a 

long struggle to reclaim the island of Kahoolawe, a dusty, arid, 

uninhabited island which had been used for target practice, 

bombed and strafed for more than a generation by the U.S. military. This 45-square-mile island, the smallest and driest of the 

eight main Hawaiian islands, became a powerful symbol for the 

Hawaiian people. 

Mr. Chairman, the people of Vieques want to have a say in their 

future, and I, as Puerto Rico's sole representative in Congress, fully 

support them in their efforts. By giving them at least some of the 

land back, we will be doing just that. 

In closing, I strongly believe that while not perfect, this bill provides a solution that will be mutually beneficial to both the people 

ofVieques and the Navy in the long run. 

Thank you. 

[The prepared statement of Mr. Romero-Barcelo follows:] 
CARL'lS A. ROMERO-BARCELO 

PUERTO RICO 

1517 LONGWORTH HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING 

WASHINGTON, DC 20515-5401 

(202) 225-2515 

OISTIIIICTOffiCI 

P.O. BOX 4751 

OLD SAN JUAN, PA 00902--<1 751 

(IW9)723-6333 

11 

Congress of the United States 

House of Representatives 

Washington, DC 20515-5401 

Hon. Carlos Romero-BarcelO 

Opening Remarks 

Hearing on H.R. 3831, "The Vieques Lands Transfer Act" 

Subcommittee on Insular and International Affairs 

October 4, 1994 

EDUCATION AND tABOR 

HlM~NTAIIY, StCONOAIIYAND 

VOCATIO!Uol-~DUCATION 

LAI OMIIANA.GtMfHTIIIHATIONS 

NATURAL RESOURCES 

NATIOI<IAL III ItS. fOIIfSTS 

~O~UBLII::L.UIOS 

INSU~AND 

I~RNATlONALAFFAIRS• 

MR. CHAIRMAN, FELLOW SUBCOMMITIEE MEMBERS, DISTINGillSHED GUESTS: 

LET ME START BY THANKING YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, FOR HOLDING THIS 

HEARING TODAY AND FOR THE SUPPORT AND INTEREST THAT YOU HAVE 

ALWAYS SHOWN IN MATTERS RELATED TO PUERTO RICO. 

I KNOW THAT THROUGHOUT YotiR MANY YEARS OF SERVICE IN THIS 

CHAMBER AND AS CHAIRMAN OF THIS SUBCOMMITTEE YOU HAVE ALWAYS 

HELD PUERTO RICO VERY CLOSE TO YOUR HEART. FOR THAT I THANK YOU. 

I ALSO WANT TO THANK MY SUBCOMMITTEE COLLEAGUES FOR BEING HERE 

TODAY AND FOR THEIR SUPPORT, AND ALL THE FELLOW REPRESENTATIVES, 

FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE, WHO HAVE COSPONSORED THIS 

LEGISLATION. 

FURTHER, I WANT TO EXTEND A VERY WARM WELCOME TO ALL THE 

WITNESSES THAT HAVE TRAVELED BOTH FROM THE "MAIN ISLAND", PUERTO 

RICO, AND FROM THE "ISLA NENA", VIEQUES, TO SHARE WITH US THEIR 

VIEWS ON THIS ISSUE. 

WE HAVE GATHERED HERE TO DISCUSS H.R. 3831, THE VIEQUES LANDS 

TRANSFER ACT OF 1994, A BILL THAT I INTRODUCED IN FEBRUARY OF THIS 

YEAR. THIS LEGISLATION WOULD DIRECT THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE TO 

TRANSFER APPROXIMATELY 8,000 ACRES OF LAND IN THE WESTERN PART OF 

VIEQUES TO THE MUNICIPALITY TO BE USED FOR PUBLIC PURPOSES. 

MY BILL WOULD MAKE THE LANDS ELIGIBLE FOR TRANSFER AFTER THE 

MUNICIPALITY SUBMITS TO SPECIFIED CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES A PLAN 

DETAILING THE PUBLIC PURPOSES FOR WHICH THE LANDS MAY BE USED. 

FOR ALL VIEQUENSES, NO SINGLE ISSUE IS MORE CRITICAL AND EMOTIONAL 

THAN THE RESOLUTION OF THE ISSUES CONCERNING THE LAND. I BELIEVE 

THAT MOST OF THE TESTIMONY THAT WE WILL HEAR TODAY WILL BE 

EVIDENCE OF THAT FACT. 
12 

FURTHER, I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT THE SUBJECT OF TODA Y'S HEARING IS 

NOT MERELY TO DISCUSS THE RETURN OF SOME PARCELS OF LAND AND 

MANGROVE. IT IS THE PEOPLE OF VIEQUES AND THEIR FUTURE THAT WE 

WILL BE DISCUSSING HERE TODAY, AND I WOULD HOPE THAT THIS 

DISCUSSION CAN BE GUIDED BY A VERY SIMPLE PRINCIPLE: THE PEOPLE OF 

VIEQUES WANT TO CONTROL THEIR FUTURE, AND THAT FUTURE CANNOT BE 

SEPARATED FROM THE LAND. 

AS A MATTER OF FACT, VIEQUES IS A TAINO WORD WHICH MEANS "SMALL 

LAND". "ISLA NENA", AS VIEQUES IS ALSO KNOWN, IS INDEED A SMALL, YET 

VERY BEAUTIFUL ISLAND, COMPRISING ONLY 33,000 ACRES. 

SIXTY YEARS AGO, IT WAS AN IDYLLIC SPOT, ABUNDANT IN NATURAL 

BEAUTY, WITH THOUSANDS OF ACRES OF ROLLING GRASSLAND FOR CATTLE 

GRAZING AND FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS SUCH AS SUGAR CANE. 

VIEQUES WAS A PEACEFUL COMMUNITY OF FARMERS AND FISHERMEN. THE 

SEA AND THE LAND YIELDED MORE THAN ENOUGH TO PROVIDE FOR AN 

ADEQUATE LIVING. SOCIAL STRUCTURES WERE TRADITIONAL AND FAMILY 

TIES STRONG. PROBLEMS SUCH AS DRUG ADDICTION, DIVORCE AND 

JUVENILE DELINQUENCY WERE UNHEARD OF. 

DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR, HOWEVER, PUERTO RICO WAS 

MILITARILY IMPORTANT BECAUSE A "WOLF PACK" OF GERMAN SUBMARINES 

ESTABLISHED BASE IN THE CARIBBEAN REGION. DURING THE EARLY 1940'S 

THE U.S. NAVY ARRIVED IN VIEQUES AND ACQUIRED TITLE TO MOST OF ITS 

PRESENT HOLDINGS-- 26,000 OF THE ISLAND'S 33,000 ACRES. AS A RESULT OF 

THESE ACQUISITIONS, CIVILIANS NOW OCCUPY ONLY ABOUT 8,000 ACRES, 

BOUNDED ON BOTH THE EAST AND WEST BY NAVY PROPERTY. 

DESPITE THE APPEAL OF ITS GORGEOUS PALM-LINED BEACHES, BEING HOME 

TO ONE OF THE WORLD'S FEW REMAINING AND MOST EXTRAORDINARY 

BIOLUMINESCENT BAYS (MOSQUITO BAY), AND ITS PROXIMITY TO SAN JUAN, 

VIEQUES REMAINS OFF THE BEATEN TRACK. 

SINCE THE NAVY'S OCCUPATION OF 78 PERCENT OF THE TERRITORY, THE 

ISLAND HAS SUFFERED A PROLONGED AND EVER INCREASING ECONOMIC 

CRISIS AND A MASSIVE OUT-MIGRATION. AN UNEMPLOYMENT RATE OF 

CLOSE TO 50 PERCENT (47.4 PERCENT ACCORDING THE 1990 CENSUS), LACK OF 

HOUSING, MEDICAL AND EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES TOGETHER WITH A FASTGROWING CRIME RATE ARE AMONG THE CLEAREST MANIFESTATIONS OF THE 

CRITICAL ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL SITUATION ON VIEQUES. ACCORDING TO 

THE 1990 CENSUS, THE PER CAPITA INCOME IN THE ISLAND WAS $2,997, AND 

THE VIEQUENSE FAMILIES WITH AN INCOME BELOW THE ESTABLISHED 

POVERTY LEVEL REACHED 70 PERCENT IN 1989. 
13 

EVEN THOUGH IT WOULD BE UNFAIR TO LAY ALL THE BLAME ON THE NAVY, 

AND THAT IS CERTAINLY NOT MY INTENTION TODAY, IT IS FAIR TO SAY THAT 

THE CURRENT SITUATION IS DUE LARGELY TO THE U.S. MILITARY, WHOSE 

OCCUPATION OF TWO-THIRDS OF THE TERRITORY NECESSARILY STRANGLES 

THE ISLAND'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. 

IN 1980, CONGRESSMAN RONALD DELLUMS, NOW CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE 

ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE, DIRECTED A CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW OF THE 

NAVAL TRAINING ACTIVITIES ON THE ISLAND OF VIEQUES. THIS PANEL 

CONCLUDED IN ITS FINAL REPORT THAT THE NAVY, AND I QUOTE, "SHOULD 

LOCATE AN ALTERNATE SITE" AND THAT "IN THE INTERIM, THE NAVY 

SHOULD MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE 

COMMONWEALTH OF PUERTO RICO IN IMPLEMENTING PROGRAMS TO 

ALLEVIATE THE IMPACT OF ITS ACTIVITIES AND IN PARTICULAR EXPLORE 

TURNING OVER ADDITIONAL LAND TO THE ISLAND FOR CIVILIAN USE." 

THREE YEARS LATER, IN 1983, WHILE GOVERNOR OF PUERTO RICO, I SIGNED 

AN AGREEMENT-- THE SO CALLED MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING--

WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY, WHEREBY THE GOVERNMENT OF 

PUERTO RICO AGREED TO DROP ALL PENDING LITIGATION IN COURT 

AGAINST THE MILITARY FOR ECOLOGICAL AND ECONOMIC DAMAGE ON 

VIEQUES WITHOUT PRE.ruDICE, IN EXCHANGE FOR ANA VY COMMITMENT TO 

MITIGATE THE ECOLOGICAL IMPACT OF THEIR ACTIVITIES AND HELP WITH 

LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. AS PART OF THIS AGREEMENT, THE NAVY 

RECOGNIZED "ITS OBLIGATION TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR TO THE PEOPLE OF 

VIEQUES" AND PLEDGED TO "CONTINUE TO STRIVE TO IMPROVE THE 

WELFARE OF THE ISLAND'S PEOPLE." 

MR. CHAIRMAN, ALL OF THE ECONOMIC PROJECTS SET UP IN VIEQUES WITH 

THE ASSISTANCE OF THE NAVY CLOSED DOWN WITHIN ONE OR TWO YEARS 

AFTER INITIATING OPERATIONS. 

LACK OF CONTROL OF OVER TWO-THIRDS OF THE ISLAND BY THE LOCAL 

AUTHORITIES IS WIDELY RECOGNIZED AS THE PRINCIPAL CAUSE OF VIEQUES' 

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL WOES. TRYING TO FIND A SOLUTION TO THE 

CURRENT PROBLEMS, THE LOCAL PLANNING BOARD AND THE MUNICIPAL 

GOVERNMENT HAVE ENGAGED AND COMMENCED THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 

A TOURISM INDUSTRY STRATEGY. THE TRUTH OF THE FACT, HOWEVER, IS 

THAT THIS GLOOMY ECONOMIC PICTURE CAN ONLY BE IMPROVED IF AND 

WHEN THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT ACQUIRES SUFFICIENT LANDS TO 

DEVELOP THE REQUIRED INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 

THIS STRATEGY. 

I WANT TO MAKE ONE POINT VERY CLEAR. THIS LEGISLATION IS NOT 

INTENDED TO REPRESENT, IN ANYWAY, AN ANTI-NAVY STANCE. PUERTO RICO 

HAS A LONG AND PROUD TRADIUON.OF SUPP,ORTING NATIONAL DEFENSE. 

1:;:,-Jl,'J ,jQ 

-3-
14 

THOUSANDS OF PUERTO RICANS HAVE PARTICIPATED IN EVERY SINGLE 

ARMED CONFLICT IN WHICH OUR NATION HAS BEEN INVOLVED SINCE THE 

FIRST WORLD WAR. AND THEY HAVE DONE SO PROUDLY, WITH GREAT 

DIGNITY AND VALOR. 

FURTHER, AND AS EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM KNOWS, I HAVE SUPPORTED 

STATEHOOD FOR PUERTO RICO ALL MY LIFE. FOR miS REASON, MANY 

PUERTO RICANS ARE ASKING THEMSELVES WHY I HAVE BECOME INVOLVED 

IN THIS ISSUE. 

FIRST OF ALL, I AM INVOLVED BECAUSE I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT THIS IS 

THE RIGHT THING TO DO. AN ISLAND AS BEAUTIFUL AND WITH SO MUCH 

POTENTIAL AS VIEQUES WAS NOT MEANT TO BE USED AS AN AMMUNITION 

DEPOT. 

SECONDLY, I AM CONVINCED THAT IF PUERTO RICO WERE A STATE OF THE 

UNION, WITH A CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION OF 6 TO 7 CONGRESSMEN AND 

2 SENATORS, AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS, THERE 

IS NO WAY ON EARTH THAT THIS WOULD BE HAPPENING. 

JUST RECENTLY (MAY OF I994) HAWAIIANS CELEBRATED mE END OF A LONG 

STRUGGLE TO RECLAIM THE ISLAND OF KAHOOLAWE - A DUSTY, ARID 

UNINHABITED ISLAND WHICH HAD BEEN USED FOR TARGET PRACTICE, 

BOMBED AND STRAFED FOR MORE THAN A GENERATION -- FROM THE U.S. 

MILITARY. THIS 45-SQUARE-MILE ISLAND, THE SMALLEST AND DRIEST OF 

THE EIGHT MAIN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS, BECAME A POWERFUL SYMBOL FOR 

THE HAWAIIAN PEOPLE. 

MR. CHAIRMAN, mE PEOPLE OF VJEQUES WANT TO HAVE A SAY IN THEIR 

FUTURE, AND I, AS PUERTO RICO'S SOLE REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS, 

FULLY SUPPORT THEM IN THAT EFFORT. BY GIVING THEM AT LEAST SOME 

OF THE LAND BACK, WE WILL BE DOING JUST THAT. 

IN CLOSING, I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT-- WHILE NOT PERFECT-- THIS BILL 

PROVIDES A SOLUTION THAT WILL BE MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL TO BOTH THE 

PEOPLE OF VIEQUES AND THE NAVY IN THE LONG RUN. 

THANK YOU. 
15 

Mr. DE LUGO. I thank the gentleman from Puerto Rico for that 

opening statement. 

Are there additional statements? 

The gentleman from Guam. 

STATEMENT OF HON. ROBERT A. UNDERWOOD 

Mr. UNDERWOOD. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

I am pleased to offer my support of H.R. 3831, a bill that authorizes and directs the transfer of lands on the Island of Vieques, 

Puerto Rico, to the municipality of Vieques, introduced by my good 

friend and very supportive colleague, the Resident Commissioner of 

Puerto Rico, Mr. Carlos Romero-Barcelo. 

We all recognize the value of national defense and the burdens 

that defense needs have placed on some communities. The people 

of Puerto Rico, and in particular the residents of Vieques Island, 

have paid a social cost for the defense presence on their island. The 

inhabitants of Vieques have been suffering due to the demands 

brought on by the use of their island since the 1940s when the U.S. 

Navy acquired 78 percent of the island's total lands area for training purposes. 

Since then, the island has suffered tremendous losses, with the 

near total loss of its land area, the inhabitants have no other choice 

but to abandon their island. Economic crisis have resulted in massive out-migration from a population of approximately 15,000 back 

in the 1940s, the islands's inhabitants have dwindled to a mere 

8,602 according to the 1990 Census. 

Those who have persevered have suffered great economic hardship. The people who stayed behind have continually suffered from 

widespread unemployment, a growing crime rate and lack of adequate housing, educational and health care facilities. Emergency 

air evacuations have to be utilized to fly expectant mothers out of 

the island due to the lack of proper hospital facilities. Unemployment is estimated at over 50 percent. Consequently, the island suffers from the highest rate of broken families and the highest illiteracy rate within the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Returning the lands in H.R. 3831 no longer needed by the Navy 

would begin the path to economic recovery for Vieques. Returning 

these lands would rejuvenate the agricultural base, fishing and 

possibly tourism. 

By way of comparison, Guam shares a long association with the 

military, and certainly we know firsthand that the relationship can 

be strained when land resources are in short supply. The return of 

these excess military lands makes good sense and is good public 

policy. It might be the most basic form of defense conversion, converting land back to those who would harness its economic potential for the good of the community. However well-intentioned, it is 

time for the military to stop being a landlord and to start being a 

good neighbor. 

I might add that my own lands bill, H.R. 2144, which had its 

first hearing here in this subcommittee has recently been successfully passed by both the House and the Senate, and that, by a kind 

of a quirk, although it was a different Christensen to lead the Navy 

witness in that hearing, it was another Admiral Kristensen, began 
16 

with a K, and maybe that is a good omen for this bill, I don't know. 

I hope so. 

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

Mr. DE LUGO. I thank the gentleman from Guam. 

Any additional statements from the committee members? 

The gentleman from Pennsylvania. 

STATEMENT OF HON. AUSTIN J. MURPHY 

Mr. MURPHY. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Very briefly. 

Of course my first experience with Vieques came in the early 

1960s when I was a resident on Saint Croix and my nearest neighbor was a gentleman by the name of Pedro who had been dislocated from his home in Vieques. He was a farmer. He used to tell 

me of the days he farmed in Vieques. I got to know his children, 

and his children and my children went to school together. 

It was always of interest to me how we Americans made no provisions to return the citizens of Vieques who had been displaced 

over the years. I suppose now they have become Crutians and they 

may not want to go back, but, by the same token, I do think we 

should take some positive steps. 

I recently toured Vieques with Delegate Romero-Barcelo and saw 

that there are vast lands there that I think we could surely give 

back to the community of Vieques and still preserve some naval 

presence. I think that there is no question the Caribbean Islands, 

Roosevelt Roads and the other Caribbean Islands that are a vital 

interest to our military needs, and that presence will be continually 

needed to some extent, and of course in Puerto Rico as well as 

Vieques, but I think we should have a balance and allow the citizens of Vieques to have a little more say and a little more room. 

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

Mr. DE LUGO. I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania. 

And now, our lead witness for the administration, the Department of Defense, is Rear Admiral Ernest E. Christensen, Jr. 

Admiral Christensen, let me welcome you here to the committee. 

If you will join us at the witness table and if you have anyone that 

you would like to have with you, please do. He is Commander, 

Fleet Air Caribbean, and I want to tell you that I am very impressed, having read the biography of Admiral Christensen. 

Admiral Christensen graduated from Annapolis in 1964 and he 

became the first third generation naval aviator. His grandfather 

took part in the first transatlantic flight back in 1919, just two 

years after the Virgin Islands became a territory of the United 

States. And during his career, Admiral Christensen flew over 360 

combat missions in Vietnam. He was a member of the Blue Angels, 

he commanded top gun of the Navy Fighter Weapons School. The 

Admiral commanded the U.S.S. Ranger during Desert Storm. He 

was selected for flag rank in 1991 and assumed his position as 

Commander, Fleet Air Caribbean, in September of 1993. 

I want to tell you, Admiral, that I admire you tremendously. You 

are the best of the best, and one of those that makes our country 

great and makes us very proud to be Americans. 

I would like to state for the record and to you, Admiral 

Christensen personally, that you and our military leaders deserve 

tremendous credit and gratitude from this Nation. You have ere-
17 

ated a new military force unlike any in history, men and women 

as highly trained in the use of judicious restraint as they are in 

the use of power and the incredible technical arsenal at their disposal, a balance of restraint and force reflected in our President's 

superb handling of the very difficult situation in Haiti. 

Any thinking American watching what is happening in Haiti has 

to be tremendously proud of our President and has to be tremendously proud of our men and women of the Armed Services and the 

way the operation is being conducted. I commend you for it and I 

commend you for your career. 

Having said that, Admiral, this hearing may be rather rocky, but 

any of the tough questions we put to you are put to you without 

any animosity. They are put to you with respect, but rather we are 

putting these questions to you to try to find answers to a very difficult situation and a situation that we simply have to begin resolving. 

As was pointed out, when you look at the difference between 

Vieques, which is twice the size of Saint Thomas, and what the impact of the long military presence in Vieques has been and the 

growth of Saint Thomas next door, well, something has to be adjusted. 

I, myself, just a little while ago, before we began this hearing, 

was asking-you know, today, in most areas, we are asking the 

military to stay, because in many areas the presence of a military 

facility is a tremendous asset to the local community. But in the 

case of Vieques, it would seem that the presence of this large military complex, all this land and everything, is not an asset for this 

community and has regarding the growth of this community been 

a negative impact. 

So I am amazed that despite the fact there is no question the 

land is owned-it was bought through eminent domain under a 

legal process back in the early 1940s for the then-fair market value 

price, but I am amazed that nothing has been done to really offset 

the negative impact of this long term. But I can find no program 

of impact aid, for instance, direct impact aid. 

I am not here talking about the type of impact aid that comes 

through the good will of the military being in the community, but 

those are just my thoughts in welcoming you, and I look forward 

to hearing and receiving your statement, Admiral. 

Welcome. Please, you may summarize or you may present your 

entire statement, whichever you feel best. 

STATEMENT OF REAR ADMIRAL ERNEST E. CHRISTENSEN, JR., 

COMMANDER, FLEET AIR CARIBBEAN 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. Thank you very much, sir. I have written 

and submitted for the record a statement. I would, however, like, 

if it is proper to do so, to make some additional remarks to that 

statement. 

Mr. DE LUGO. Fine. Without objection, the Admiral's statement 

will be placed in the record in its entirety. And let me say, Admiral, we have been joined to my right by the Ranking Republican, 

my good friend from California, Congressman Gallegly. 

Mr. GALLEGLY. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and I 

would like to echo your remarks and welcome the Admiral, and I 
18 

did have some questions, but there are some votes and I guess 

there is a vote on now, so I look forward to hearing your testimony, 

Admiral. 

Thank you very much. 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. Good afternoon, I am Admiral Ernest 

Christensen. 

Mr. DE LUGO. Admiral, would you suspend for just a minute. I 

understand that Congressman Serrano is-oh, Congressman, will 

you please come up and join us here as a guest of the committee? 

Congressman Serrano is a native of Puerto Rico, having been 

born in Puerto Rico. He now serves and represents the people of 

New York and he is the chairman of the Hispanic Caucus and has 

been tremendously helpful to this member. 

Good to see you, Joe. 

Thank you. And now, Admiral. 

Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Chairman, pardon me. I have a vote on, so 

you are going to have to excuse me for a second. I guess we are 

not recessing the committee, but we have a vote on, about eight 

minutes. 

Mr. DE LUGO. All right. Well, we will be able to proceed. Thank 

you. 

Admiral, please. 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. Good afternoon. I am Rear Admiral Ernest Christensen, Commander, Fleet Air Caribbean. I am the senior active duty flag officer permanently assigned in the Caribbean, 

and having been directed by the Secretary of the Navy to testify 

before you today at this subcommittee, I am honored to be here. As 

this is the first time I have ever given testimony, I do beg your indulgence with any errors of procedure or any lack of sensitivity regarding those procedures. 

Second, I am privileged to be here. I would like to tell you up 

front that I am very honored to represent the Navy in Puerto Rico. 

Our association and friendship with Puerto Rico and with the administrations of the Commonwealth has been a long and enduring 

one. 

As a sidelight to that, and in consideration of why we are here 

today, I would like also to mention the 1983 Memorandum of Understanding up front. That memorandum between the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the United States Navy is something 

which you will hear much about today. 

It was through the significant effort of Mr. Romero-Barcelo, as 

Governor of Puerto Rico that, quote, and I mean this, manners 

were put on the United States Navy in her stewardship of the Island of Vieques. It was an historic document in that regard, in that 

it took the Navy, gave them the responsibility for not only conserving the precious lands of the Islands of Vieques, it additionally 

gave the Navy responsibility for participating in, and I repeat 

again, participating in, with the government of Puerto Rico, the 

economic development of Vieques. You should each have before you the written statement. I certainly will not read that statement. Suffice it to say that the Navy 

is opposed to the House of Representatives bill number 3831, the 

Vieques Land Transfer Act of 1994. Why? Because the lands on 

Vieques are of inestimable value to the United States Government, 
19 

to the Department of Defense, to all the services, and, of course, 

to the United States Navy. 

I believe that the issue which is before you today is not the absolute value of the land of Vieques to the United States Navy, nor 

to the Nation, nor is it the issue of the eastern side of Vieques, 

where significant training occurs. I believe that the issue here 

today is rather the western side of the island, which comprises 

somewhere between 7,600 and 8,000 acres, and whether the ammunition which is stored on the western side is worth more than the 

municipality of Vieques to this Nation than to the Nation in its national defense. It is my firm conviction it is worth more to the United States Nation and the national defense. 

In reading the bill introduced by Mr. Romero-Barcelo, much of 

the justification for the bill, and some of these statements made before my statement, state that unemployment exceeds 50 percent 

and that the Navy has not yet lived up to its responsibilities in executing its side of the memorandum. It is stated also that the transfer of land presently used for storage of ammunition to the municipality of Vieques will alleviate economic issues present in Vieques. 

All of the people who will be here today I believe to be honorable 

people. I know some of them. Not only do I know them but I like 

them and I count them as friends. I know that what you will 

present or what they will present to you is most probable what 

many of them truly believe. I also believe that some will present 

to you what their constituents ask them to present, and their constituents are Viequenses. 

What I present to you today is what I also believe to be the good 

story of the Navy's stewardship on Vieques. I cannot honestly say 

that the Navy's stewardship has always been perfect. I would not 

be honest with you and I would not be true to my uniform. 

It is our position that when Federal lands are no longer required 

for the accomplishment of our mission, they are excessed through 

the procedure and the process established by GSA. To date, the 

Navy has excessed approximately 4,000 acres of Vieques. We are 

presently in process of excessing over 500 more acres of Federal 

lands no longer required for military training or for safety purposes. The remaining 21,000 acres are either essential to national 

defense posture or are conservationist zones established by the 

1983 agreement with the Puerto Rico government. 

Why do we need the land? This past year on Vieques, U.S. and 

other forces trained on Vieques. The same men who trained there 

are on the streets of Cap Haitien and in the streets of Port-auPrince today. Last year's pilots who trained over Vieques today patrol the skies over Bosnia. They struck Serb targets in Bosnia last 

week. 

Last year and the year before, U.S. forces trained on Vieques. 

Those same men walked the streets of Mogadishu, fought and died, 

and fought and lived as a direct result of the training they received 

on Vieques. The same was true of Desert Storm, the same was true 

of Panama, of Grenada, of Libya, Lebanon, and Vietnam. In this world of violent peace, the training received in Vieques 

saves lives. The ordnance which is used to train the men who train 

on Vieques comes from the ammunition depot, the ammunition 

storage on the western side of the island. 
20 

Today, what I anticipate that you will hear about is not whether 

or not we need to train military forces, it is not the need to store 

ammunition, nor is it our national defense-but I think it is important to keep that at the forefront in the balancing of issues-! 

think today you will hear about economic development, I think you 

will hear about the ecological concerns. 

As a guess, I would state that the people who come before you 

today will reach to the issue of the 1983 MOU and whether or not 

the Navy has lived up to their end of the bargain. The economy will 

be cited over and over again. They will state more land is needed 

and the economy will get better, and they will state an unofficial 

unemployment rate of 50 percent. I would like to clear the air a 

little bit on that. 

According to Puerto Rico Labor Department statistics for June of 

1994, for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the latest month for 

the officially tabulated unemployment figures, the overall unemployment rate on the island of Puerto Rico was 14.9 percent. On 

Vieques, the unemployment rate was 13.1, or 1.8 percent better 

than the island as a whole. 

What do I think of the figures? I think numbers depend on a 

whole lot of things. Sometimes you get them based on the answers 

you ask. Sometimes you look good and sometimes you do not. 

Sometimes figures give you the answers that you want. I can argue 

all day as to whether the criteria which created the numbers are 

right or wrong, but I cannot argue with the fact that the same criteria that were used for Vieques were used for Arecibo, for Mayaguez, for Ponce, for San Juan, for Caguas or Humacao, for Fajardo 

or Pastillo. They are the same criteria. 

So if you argue the figures for Vieques, and if you say the statistics are wrong and that unemployment is unacceptably high for 

Vieques, then you say that for the entire Commonwealth of Puerto 

Rico, and perhaps you are right. But the issue is not Puerto Rico, 

the issue is Vieques here. 

You will hear the argument that if the Navy had done its job 

right, 100 percent, in living up to the Memorandum of Understanding, there would be no economic issue. I do argue that. 

How would I grade the Navy's performance in living up to the 

terms of the MOU? To be honest, probably 75 to 80 percent. We 

are imperfect in the way we administer, but we have good intentions and we work hard at it. I have a full-time officer whose responsibility is the Memorandum of Understanding and the execution of economic development on Vieques. Can we do better? You 

bet we can. We can do better. 

We must be conscious of a couple of facts. Dynamics. We must 

be conscious of the fact that corporations, large corporations and 

light industry, are a very hard fit on Vieques. Few if any large corporations will come to Vieques and remain. It is the cost of building, it is the cost of infrastructure, and the cost of the transportation of raw materials which is prohibitive and it raises the overhead to an unacceptable level. 

Let me state an issue which I truly believe must be solved before 

we can scrape away to the issue of the economic survivability or 

the economic viability of Vieques. h costs more to transport goods 

from San Juan to Vieques than to any other place on the island 
21 

of Puerto Rico. It costs more to buy consumer goods on the Island 

of Vieques than in Fajardo seven miles away. It costs more to travel to and from Vieques than anywhere else on the island. It flat 

costs more to live there. Why? First, Vieques is an island off an island off a continent. That can never be changed. Second, the Port Authority, under the requirements of legislation 

enacted by the Puerto Rico legislature, are required to levy revenue 

on the users of the Vieques ferry in an effort to make up for the 

approximately $8 million a year operating costs. And who pays for 

that? The Viequenses pay for it, as consumers, as residents, for 

business, tourists and taxpayers. Milk costs more, bread costs 

more, staple foods cost more, clothes cost more, and business 

overheads are higher. Much higher. 

Let me give you an example. We recently leased a thousand 

acres of Navy land to a rancher for the raising of cattle and growing of hay. We leased the properties to him for 10 years at no cost. 

We agreed to reimburse him for his capital investments, like his 

exterior fences, irrigation systems, and help write his business 

plan. With all of that, he cannot get started. He cannot operate at 

a profit. And you know why? The ferry rates to get his hay to the 

main island put the per bail of hay price out of the market. 

The same argument affects each and every person living on 

Vieques. They pay more as a person than their counterparts who 

live seven miles away. Putting Vieques on a level playing field with 

any other municipality in Puerto Rico would put a large boost in 

our business development program as well as the efforts of our 

partners in the Puerto Rican Economic Development Administration. 

What else is the right answer for Vieques? I, like others, believe 

that tourism is the right answer. It is the primary industry in the 

Caribbean. It is the right answer for Vieques. Ecotourism is the 

economic opportunity for Vieques. I would be happy to see the island populated with hotels. There are two which are planned at 

present. We were an enabling force on one of those, a European 

venture, and it is ecotourism oriented. 

The second hotel, North Shore, has asked us to help analyze soil 

for erosion and soils problems which could affect the venture. The 

importance of the tourism industry is what we, the Navy, the municipality, and the Commonwealth must continue to work on. There 

is no question about that. New hotels, as well as the hotels and guest houses which exist 

on Vieques, feel they have a commodity which people wish to see, 

an island with natural beauty, with warmth and with wonderful 

people and a pace of life which takes them all away from the cities 

that they come from. That is ecotourism and that is the future for 

Vieques. 

Countless magazine articles, newspaper reports, and television 

documentaries have documented the beauty of Vieques and any 

overflight of the island will instantly show you that beauty. We 

think if it were not for Navy efforts and the farsightedness of Governor Romero-Barcelo to charge us with the responsibility of maintaining that environment and those conservation zones, the land 

would not be so pristine as it is today. 
22 

Anyone who tells you that the Navy is destroying reefs, turtle 

habitats, and mangrove forests has either not been to Vieques or 

has another agenda. I invite any of you at any time, day or night, 

under any condition, while we are operating forces there or not operating forces, to come visit. We will walk you through every piece 

of Vieques that we own. 

We recognize that this is an imperfect world. We recognize we 

can do better in maintaining economic development of Vieques. We 

know that the answer is not solely the Navy's efforts, it is the effort of all of us, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the municipalities of Vieques and the Navy all three working together. And I 

think we all recognize that tourism, ecotourism, is one great and 

right answer to all of that. 

Perhaps in the future, when this world becomes more perfect and 

there is no need for the military, or when we can train without ammunition, perhaps we can look forward to seeing tourist meccas 

thrive on the island in areas now reserved for the necessity of the 

military purposes which we have. But since I do not think we live 

in a perfect world, our reality is as it is for the time being and we 

will continue to do the best with what we have and what we have 

we badly need. 

Vieques is important to the Navy, as I have said, as is Ceiba, or 

Fajardo, and any other communities which surround Navy bases 

within the United States and around the world. We have rules and 

regulations which govern our actions and we hope that we have an 

open channel to the communities to make things better. 

Our men and women in the Navy and Marine Corps, many of 

them native Puerto Ricans, live side by side in our surrounding 

communities. We are as much a part of the community as they are 

a part of us. We believe deeply in our responsibilities to those communities to be good neighbors. We will continue to work hard and, 

hopefully, remain good neighbors. 

Mr. Chairman, thank you very much for the opportunity to make 

opening remarks. 

[Prepared statement of Admiral Christensen follows:] 
23 

Statement of 

Rear Admiral Ernest E. Christensen, Jr 

before the 

Insular and International Affairs Subcommittee 

of the 

House Committee on Natural Resources 

on 

H.R. 3831 

October 4, 1994 
24 

Good morning/afternoon. I am Rear Admiral Ernest Christensen, the 

Commander, Fleet Air Caribbean, located at Naval Station Roosevelt Roads. Puerto 

Rico. As the senior Department of Defense officer permanently based in the 

Caribbean, I am here at the direction of the Secretary of the Navy to speak to you on 

the Department's position regarding H. R. 3831, a bill brought forth to the 1 03rd 

Congress, "To authorize and direct the transfer of certain lands on the Island of 

Vieques, Puerto Rico, to the Municipality of Vieques, and for other purposes." 

Ladies and gentlemen of the Committee. before I speak of the contents of the bill 

itself, I think it important for you first to know a little about Vieques. The federally 

owned portions of Vieques are among the most important training ground~ for members 

of the U.S. Department of Defense on the Atlantic coast. As I am sure you are aware, 

the Navy owns two-thirds of the island at present, roughly 22,000 of the island's 33,000 

acres, although this number continues to decrease as excess lands become available 

for other-than-military uses. It was bought at fair market value in the 1940's for a total 

of $1.4 million dollars. 

Located on the eastern third of the island, the Atlantic Fleet Weapons Training 

Facility contains the heart and soul of the mission of Naval Station Roosevelt Roads: 

The training of U.S., NATO, South American , and CARICOM allied forces. This facility 

is perhaps the best training facility of its kind in the world. It allows the conduct of 

amphibious landing exercises, special forces parachute drops, close air support, 

artillery and small arms firings , naval gunfire support. missile shoots. air-to-surface, airto-air, and surface-to-air ordnance deliveries. naval "war at sea" exercises, and both 

surface, air, and submarine maneuvering and drills. 

The Weapons Training Facility covers not only the eastern third of Vieques . but 
25 

also approximately 195,000 square miles of open ocean and airspace adjacent to the 

island for its training exercises. It is used not only by the Navy, but Marines, Army, and 

Air Force components as well. Also, units from The Netherlands, Canada, Germany, 

France, Italy, Great Britain, Spain, Argentina, and Brazil used the training and operating 

areas of Vieques last year. 

The most important aspect of the Vieques facility is its ability to provide realistic, 

integrated training scenarios in a multi-terrain, open-ocean deep water environment, 

with a fully operational support base, port facility, airfield, and ammunition storage 

depot just miles away. The Weapons Training Facility was used extensively by our 

forces during the buildup for Operation Desert Storm prior to troop deployments to the 

Persian Gulf area. U.S. Marines and Naval Forces practiced amphibious landings and 

assaults in an environment closely simulating the anticipated combat environment. 

Since that time, the multi-national exercise "Ocean Venture 93" was conducted on 

Vieques, involving over 21,000 forces from the United States, Great Britain, and The 

Netherlands. 

The range has recently been used to train U.S. ships now deployed to Bosnian 

waters and just weeks ago by U.S. Marines, special forces and Navy ships deployed in 

preparation for Operation Uphold Democracy, our Haitian operation. 

The western third of the island , which is the property under discussion in H.R. 

3831, is used for ammunition storage, and is commonly known to us as the Naval 

Ammunition Storage Depot (NASD). For DOD purposes, this property is actually 

considered part of Naval Station Roosevelt Roads and is not a separate facility . The 

Ammunition Storage Depot is an integral component of the training conducted on 

Vieques. replenishing units and ships with both live and inert ordnance while they 

conduct refresher or combat training exercises. 

Let me sight some figures for you as to attest to the usage of this facility. In 

Fiscal Year 1993, the NASD moved over 13,716,000 pounds of munitions to 21 
26 

squadrons, 3 Carrier Battle Groups, 1 Marine Air Group, 26 surlace ships of the U.S. 

Atlantic Fleet, and 21 miscellaneous units, including special forces such as Navy 

SEALS and Army Rangers, foreign naval forces through the FMS program, and other 

groups of this kind. 

In Fiscal Year 1994, these numbers were up to 14,379,926 pounds of munitions 

moved to 15 aircraft squadrons, 2 Carrier Battle Groups, 1 Marine Amphibious Group, 

11 surlace warships, and 30 miscellaneous groups. These movements saved 

operational hours and money by negating the need for an ammunition replenishment 

ship to accompany them to the range. 

These munitions are stored in 102 active use magazines within the Depot, 

surrounded by what is called "Explosive Quantity Safety Distances" (or EOSD arcs). 

Calculated according to Department of Defense regulations, these arcs are designed 

for the safety of all persons surrounding the magazines. Of the properties currently 

owned by the Navy on the western end of Vieques, nearly all of the non-conservation 

zone property is covered by these EOSD arcs. 

Although munitions storage requirements have decreased slightly during the last 

several years, we are currently anticipating an increase in these requirements as 

overseas bases are closed and as U.S. Caribbean involvement increases. Considering 

the eventual closings of the U.S. bases in Panama, this facility would be the closest 

munitions replenishment facility for Caribbean and South American operations should 

that contingency ever arise. At present, however, it is emphasized that the munitions in 

storage are primarily used for the training conducted on the eastern end of the island at 

the Atlantic Fleet Weapons Training Facility. 

Training conducted on or near Vieques in the Atlantic Fleet Weapons Training 

Facility provided timely, sometimes days prior, training to our servicemen and women in 

order to ensure their full preparedness for the real combat environment. It is one of my 

primary responsibilities as a senior member of the Defense Department to ensure that 
27 

our sons and daughters are prepared as best as possible for the worst possible combat 

scenarios. The facilities on Vieques Island, both the range facility and ammunition 

depot, provide me that opportunity in a safe environment, on U.S. soil, all year long. 

In addition to the use of Vieques for training, Vieques is home to seven major 

conservation zones, all located on Navy property on both the eastern and western ends 

of the island. Three of the largest conservation zones are located on the western third 

of the island on the NASD. Named "Laguna Kiani, Monte Pirata, and Playa Grande," 

these three zones comprise nearly 3,700 acres of the 7,405 acres which the Navy owns 

on that side of the island. These zones are mandated solely by the 1983 Memorandum 

of Understanding (MOU) which was negotiated between the then Governor of Puerto 

Rico , The Honorable Carlos Romero Barcelo, (a member of the Subcommittee) and the 

Acting Secretary of the Navy, The Honorable James F. Goodrich. According to the 

terms of this MOU, in regard to environmental matters, the Navy is obligated to 

maintain these seven conservation zones, in addition to participating in the sea turtle, 

sea mammal, and brown pelican management programs; preserving historic sites 

located on its property; and ensuring an active noise abatement program is enforced. 

A Management Advisory Committee was also established to assist the Navy in 

managing these resources. Made up of members of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 

U.S. Forest Service, two representatives of the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and 

Environmental Resources, and a representative of the Navy, this Advisory Committee is 

empowered to enforce the provisions of the MOU and ensure full compliance with its 

terms. Thus far, the MOU has been executed to the fullest extent possible by the Navy, 

and upon our implementation of our 1986 Land Use Management Plan for Navy lands 

on Vieques , there have been no implementation or compliance issues raised through 

the Management Advisory Committee nor the Office of the Governor of Puerto Rico. 

The efforts of the Naval Station who manage these areas were recently 

recognized by the Secretary of the Navy when they received the bi-annual Natural 
28 

Resources Conservation Special Recognition Award for 1992-93. Additionally, we have 

recently published a full color brochure entitled, "Welcome to Naval Station Roosevelt 

Roads, Vieques, Puerto Rico," which highlights our Vieques conservation efforts. 

In order to allow everyone the enjoyment of the beauty of our conservation areas 

on the NASD, we routinely allow free and open access to both local Viequenses and 

tourists, as well as boaters from the main island, to the area called "Green Beach." On 

the northern road leading from "Green Beach" toward the encampment of the NASD, 

we also have allotted the Puerto Rican Department of Natural and Environmental 

Resources $48,000 of Fiscal Year 93 money for· the construction of a mangrove 

viewing boardwalk through the mangrove forests of Laguna Kiani. Made of wood and 

to be constructed with minimal impact on the mangroves, this boardwalk will allow tree 

access and a self-guided tour through the mangrove forest to the people of Vieques 

and tourists coming to the island. An extremely successful boardwalk similar to this has 

already been constructed by the Conservation Trust of Puerto Rico in the northeastern 

town of Fajardo, even with the small entry tee charged tor the tour. Of note is that the 

materials for this boardwalk, on order for some time now, were delivered last Tuesday, 

the 26th of September, so construction should begin very soon. We hope that our 

boardwalk will likewise be a big ecotourism draw tor the island of Vieques. 

Lastly with regard to the mangrove forests and our environmental protection 

program, a booklet entitled, "Vieques Mangrove Forest Manual," written by a Mr. 

George Proctor, was published in June of this year by the Puerto Rican Department of 

Natural and Environmental Resources with the study and print funding being provided 

by the Department of the Navy. Written in both English and Spanish, this booklet is the 

most comprehensive cataloging of mangrove and plant species on the island of 

Vieques known to date. The Navy was proud to be able to fund this study and provide 

such a high quality product to the Natural and Environmental Resources Department of 

Puerto Rico and the people of Vieques. 
29 

The Naval Ammunition Storage Depot is also bustling with activity in the area of 

economic development lor Vieques Island as well. Such projects as a 500 acre cattle 

farm , an aloe vera farm, a "canepa" (known in U.S. as a "honeyberry") orchard, and an 

expansion of the Vieques Bee Farm are in the works. All of these projects are strongly 

supported and encouraged by the Navy, which continues to lease its buller areas to 

applicants as these projects arise. 

' Ladies and gentlemen of the Committee, the Department of the Navy is an active. 

participant in the development of the economy of the island of Vieques. We are b9th 

involved in supporting such projects as I have just mentioned, besides actively pursu.ing 

new ventures from outside Vieques and from the States. We respond as soon as a 

hand is waived in our direction and with terms and conditions most favorable to the 

developer. 

In terms of returning excess lands to the Commonwealth government, we have 

returned nearly 4,000 acres thus far since our original purchases in the 1940's. And we 

continue to excess property no longer required for military or safety of personnel 

purposes. Using a few of the colloquial names for the tracts of land, the "Destino 

Tract", composing some 311 acres of property, was just a few months ago deeded to 

the government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Currently in the mill for 

excessing also are two tracts on the eastern end of the island kn own as "Parcels A and 

C." Totaling 166 acres, these properties are currently licensed to the Municipality of 

Vieques by the Navy, but in the excessing process now titled to the General Services 

Administration. The Mayor of Vieques , with strong support by the Navy, is in the 

process of finalizing plans to build a world-class sports complex on "Parcel A" 

beginning this month, with federal funding which were secured through the great efforts 

of th e Puerto Rican Resident Commissioner, Mr. Romero Barcelo. 

"Parcel C", which is adjacent to the Municipal landfill, is also being used by the 

Municipality. The General Service Adr:ninistratiOIJ. \S working with the Department of 

85-315 95-2 
30 

Health and Human Services, as well as the National Park Service, since the Mayoress 

of Vieques has expressed an interest in the property for health, conservation, 

recreation, or residential housing. 

The final property currently being excessed is called the "La Hueca" tract. "La 

Hueca" is 331 acres of property on the southwestern side of Vieques outside of the 

NASD fenceline. This land lies outside of existing EOSD explosive safety arcs of the 

NASD and is no longer required in the performance of the NASD's mission. 

Members of the Committee, the land being discussed in H.R. 3831 is not 

wasteland. It is valuable property for all of the reasons just sighted. But foremost, it is 

part of an integral training program for the men and women of the United States Armed 

Services. It is for this reason that the Department of the Navy is opposed to H.R. 3831. 
31 

Mr. DE LUGO. Thank you very much, Admiral, for that opening 

statement, and I think you did a superb job of stating the Navy 

and the Defense Department's position. 

I think that there are a few statements that impacted on the 

Chair. One was that the facility at Vieques, if I am quoting you 

correctly, has inestimable value to the Navy and to this country. 

I think you also said you believe it has great value to this country. 

Then I think that the statement was made that some 8,000 

acres-what was the figure on--

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. I believe I said 4,000, sir, had already 

been excessed. 

Mr. DE LUGO. Yes, that is correct, it is 4,000. Let's see. Of the 

4,000 that has been turned back, let's see. The municipal airport 

I think was turned back in June of 1967. 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. Yes, sir. 

Mr. DE LUGO. And then there was Martinome, development of 

1,146 acres. That was turned back in June of 1967. 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. February of 1980, sir. 

Mr. DE LUGO. All right. We have that. That was in June of 1967. 

And Monte Santo, that was 517 acres that was turned back in February of 1980. And Santa Maria, that is 964 acres, that was turned 

back in February of 1980. 

So the Chair's records show that since the agreement-when was 

the Memorandum of Understanding? It wasAdmiral CHRISTENSEN. 1983. 

Mr. DE LUGO. 1983. That since 1983, all we have that has been 

turned back since 1983 is 25 acres, which is a landfill in March of 

1988, and the Desteno land that is meant for development that had 

squatters on that land, and that is 311 acres that was turned back 

in December of 1992. 

That is all we see that has been turned back, that has actually 

been turned back since the Memorandum of Understanding was 

signed. Was there any other land turned back since that Memorandum of Understanding, Admiral? 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. First, sir, I will make sure that we submit this so that it concurs with the figures that you have on the 

dates of the return. 

[The information follows:] 

DISPOSITION OF NAVY PROPERTY IN VIEQUES, PUERTO RICO 

Tract 

Airport ..................... . 

Martineau ......... . ................................... . 

Monte Santo ................................................................. . 

Santa Maria ...................................................... . 

Landfill ....................................................................... . 

Destine ......................................................................... . 

Parcel "A", Eastern Maneuvering Area ....................... . 

Parcel "C", Eastern Maneuvering Area ..................... .. 

La Hueca ...................................................................... . 

Total ................................................................ . 

Acres Date excessed 

124 June 1967. 

1,146 February 1980. 

517 February 1980. 

964 February 1980. 

25 March 1988. 

311 December 1992. 

69 To GSA for processing. 

97 To GSA for processing. 

334 To GSA for processing. 

3,587 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. As you probably have, and I think maybe 

it is in the same document, there are three parcels in process right 

now. Parcel A, parcel C and La Hueca, which constitutes approxi-
32 

mately 500 acres. I think it is important to note that all three of 

those have been in process for some period of time. 

We have, through the House Armed Services, recommended legislation which would revert the 334 acres of La Hueca straight to 

the municipality. We do not know the state of that at the present 

time. 

Mr. DE LUGO. Well, we had this Memorandum of Understanding 

back in 1983, and there is very little to show for it here. Most of 

the land that you referred to was turned over to Vieques long before that Memorandum of Understanding. We have the parcels you 

just referred to, Parcel A, C, and La Hueca of about 500 acres. 

That has been going on for some time. What has been the holdup? 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. As you well know, sir, going through the 

process of excessing properties has to go through a number of legislative hoops. One is to screen it for homeless, whether there is any 

need for homeless; and others to screen it through all the Federal 

agencies. That takes time. That is, sir--

Mr. DE LUGO. Well, as I well know, it does take time, Admiral, 

but there is a limit to how much time it takes. If the administration is on board and is pushing this, if the Defense Department is 

moving on this, it does not take an inordinate amount of time. 

It seems to me the problem we face here is that you have a facility that by your testimony is of incredible-by the Navy's testimony, is of incredible national importance. And yet, after the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding, the impression the 

Chair gets is that while the Navy did do some things to help, they 

were fairly routine. They were not Herculean, they were not the 

types of things that would be undertaken when something is as important as Vieques evidently is to the Navy. 

As I said, if this property, Vieques, is of inestimable value to the 

Navy and the Nation, and the Navy acquired it back in 1940 or 

1941 for $1.5 million for two-thirds of the Island of Vieques, why 

is there no compensation to either the people of Vieques or Puerto 

Rico for the adverse impact, because this is an adverse impact. Yes, 

it is important for the training of our military and their exercises, 

but the people that live on that island, they have had to leave 

Vieques. That is not an asset, that is an adverse impact. 

You know, most of the people that left Vieques came to my district, and we are glad to have them, because they vote for me, election after election. They have come to Saint Croix and they have 

helped us build a better Saint Croix. But they did not want to leave 

their homes and they would like to be able to go back. 

So we have a situation where, and the sponsor of this legislation 

is a very reasonable man, but he is very determined when he is 

going to represent his constituents, the Navy is going to have to 

take this effort extremely seriously. I can tell you that the Resident 

Commissioner of Puerto Rico has a lot of support in the House and 

in the Congress, and that support, I am sure, will remain. 

So I have been impressed very much by your statement. I wish 

you had been there when the Memorandum of Understanding had 

been signed, perhaps the effort would have been more enlightened, 

more serious, but, nevertheless, the Navy has a serious problem on 

its hands, a serious political problem. 
33 

I have some questions for you, Admiral, but I am going to recognize at this time the sponsor of the legislation, the gentleman from 

Puerto Rico, for any questions he might have. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

Thank you very much, Admiral. And, obviously, we are coming 

from-you and I are coming from a different perspective, but I 

want to clear up one thing first and those are the economic facts. 

When you mentioned the Labor Department statistics on Vieques, 

you are referring to the Puerto Rico Labor Department, are you 

not? 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. Yes, sir. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. You are not using the U.S. Census figures, are you? 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. Those are the 1990 figures. No, sir. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. If you were using the U.S. Census figures 

for 1990, you would show a much larger unemployment, which is 

4 7.4 percent. You are aware of that, are you not? 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. Yes, sir. I heard your testimony. 

Mr. RoMERO-BARCELO. All right. Those are the actual figures. 

They are not just in my testimony. I want to make sure. This is 

a copy of the 1990 Census and the figures are subdivided by municipality. And it says, Vieques, 47.4. 

The census is a questionnaire that is answered by everyone, and 

those that do not answer they send people out to try to get the full 

answer. They want to get the whole population. So it is not a poll 

and it is not a mathematical type of formula that they try to use 

subdividing the results for the whole island but it is an accurate 

measurement. There have not been any jobs created in Vieques 

from 1990 until today. 

I don't know if you are aware, but the fact that the figures of the 

Puerto Rico Department of Labor subdivided by municipalities are 

not accepted by any agency in the Federal Government because 

they are estimates, because they are not real figures. They have no 

real census by municipality. What they do island-wide is acceptable. 

When you subdivide it by municipalities, the numbers are 

skewed. Are you aware of that? 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. That is a difficult question for me to answer, sir. What I would say is that I am agreeing that however you 

want to argue the criterion, the fact remains that consistency that 

is spread across the board, to me, is where I use the comparison 

of the figures. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Let me then correct for your information 

and ask your people to get you some correct information. Because, 

I repeat, the Puerto Rico Labor Department figures, when they are 

subdivided by municipality, are not acceptable because they are estimates and they do things to the formulas or something, but they 

do not really know what the unemployment is in that area. 

Maybe just a few samples they took which were insufficient. 

They use them to determine the unemployment. The Mayor of 

Vieques has done a census herself, also, house-by-house, on unemployment, and it also verifies the figures, more or less. It is a little 

bit higher than the U.S. Census of 47. Hers is a little higher than 

50 percent. 
34 

The unemployment in Vieques is very severe and what we are 

telling you is 13 percent unemployment, which is very high, very 

high. It is higher than just about any municipality in the Nation, 

would still be very, very low in Vieques. Most people are unemployed. 

Mr. DE LUGO. At this point, let the Chair, without objection, 

place the official census figures in the record. We will make that 

a part of the record. [See information on p. 265.] 

Please continue. Mr. RoMERO-BARCELO. The other thing I would like to discuss regarding your testimony, Admiral, you said that the-I just want to 

make sure I heard right because I thought I heard you say the munitions depot is worth more in Vieques-is worth more to the Nation than the municipality. 

Did I hear that right? 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. No, sir. Believe me, I am a little nervous 

here today and sometimes the words come out a little wrong. What 

I tried to say is, is the issue of the ammunition dump worth more 

to the municipality of Vieques than it is to the national defense? 

That, to me, is what the issue is. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Is it worth more to the municipality? 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. Is it worth more as part of the municipality than it is to have it part of our national defense. That, to me, 

is what the issue is. I hope I said that right. Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Well, it still gives me the impression you 

are comparing the value of a munitions depot to the value of a people. 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. Oh, no, sir. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. That is what I am concerned about. I 

wanted to make it clear for the record. That is what I understood. 

But I do not think it is what you wanted to say. 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. No, sir. One of the things I have learned 

is if you find you have dug yourself in a hole, it is time to stop 

digging. 

I was making a simple comparison. The issue we have here today 

is the issue of where to place that parcel of land of 8,000 acres. And 

that your decision and what the subcommittee is hearing as part 

of 3831 is, is it worth more to give that property to the municipal 

government than to give that property and keep it part of the United States military in the national deference. So I apologize if I said 

it wrong. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. I wanted to make sure because I didn't 

think you wanted to be misquoted on that. 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. No, definitely not. Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. You talked about the acquisition of the 

land, and that it was acquired at a cost of $1.4 million, 22,000 

acres. Do you know what that comes out to an acre? It is $66 an 

acre. 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. Yes, sir. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Has the Navy or the Department of De- fense paid any taxes to the municipality of Vieques or to the government of Puerto Rico or has it made any payments in lieu of 

taxes from the time it acquired the property until today? 
35 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. Well, you are asking the question and the 

answer of course is, no. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Just wanted to make sure. We want to 

keep that for the record. Neither the U.S. Navy nor the Department of Defense has ever paid any money in taxes to Vieques or 

the people of Puerto Rico, the government of Puerto Rico, or made 

any payments in lieu of taxes. So they have the use of 22,000 acres 

at $66 an acre since 1940; is that right? 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. 1941. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Since 1941, at the time of war already. 

What evidence do you have that even that 1.4 was a fair market 

value? 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. I have to admit it was before I was born. 

Mr. DE LUGO. I envy you. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. During the war, everybody was pretty 

tragic and I am sure ways were found to give this to the Navy at 

the least possible cost. I am not so sure it was even then market 

value. But even if it was market value, do you have any idea how 

much an acre of land next to a beautiful beach is worth in Puerto 

Rico area nowadays? 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. You and I both agree that the land and 

the beaches on Vieques are absolutely beautiful; that the island is 

an island of great, great beauty, and that there is great worth to 

the land that is there. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Would I be exaggerating if I said an acre 

of land next to a beach would bring as much as $50,000 in the 

Puerto Rico area? 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. I am not an expert, Mr. Romero. I agree 

that there would be value to the land that is there, great value. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. So the reason I am talking of the value 

is, if you have something of value that is not being used for the 

purpose or the benefit of a municipality or people, then, obviously, 

whatever you can derive from that thing of value, which is substantial, is lost to those people. 

I just wanted to make sure to bring to your mind, and perhaps 

you can bring to the minds of the people in the Department of Defense and the Navy, the cost, the economic cost, to Vieques for not 

having those lands, which were expropriated from them or taken 

from them at a cost of $1.4 million, which is $66 an acre, when 

today they are worth thousands of dollars an acre. And they are 

beautiful beaches, which they are now being used and do not have 

the normal access to those beaches. 

Sometimes, once in a while, they do have access to some of the 

beaches, not to all of them. That is correct, no? 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. May I make a quick statement in that regard? 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Yes, you may. 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. Last year we opened the beaches to anyone who wished to use those beaches, for any time they wished to 

use the beaches, for any condition, under which they left the beaches as pristine as they found them, with the exception of those specific times where we ran operations which were amphibious operations. 
36 

I believe, and do not quote me on this-I can go into the figures, 

I have them here-that it was approximately 15 days, day by day, 

that we closed the beaches last year. And of the beaches we used, 

we only used two of those beaches for military operations. The reason why we did not use two of the beaches is because we do surveys prior to each amphibious operation. We found turtle eggs 

there and that restricted our use of those beaches for those operations. So we moved our operations elsewhere. 

The total amount of time which we closed last year, I think, was 

15 days. As you know, I have been over to those beaches sailing 

on friends' sailboats. I have seen those beaches, in particular, 

Green Beach, crowded with boats, crowded with people who are 

taking advantage of the beauty of the beaches. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Green Beach. Yes, sir. 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. Yes, sir. Mr. RoMERO-BARCELO. But the other beaches on the eastern 

shore, the eastern coast, are much more limited. 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. They are the ones we held amphibious 

operations on last year. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. There is no access to them. 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. To the exception of the areas which lie 

within the restricted areas which is used as an impact area. Mr. RoMERo-BARCELO. The buses, public buses, can go to those 

beaches? 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. The beaches are more accessible by boat 

than by bus. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. And the reason is there are no roads. 

There is no development there. 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. There is no development, yes. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. So the municipality cannot build roads 

there because it is not their land. They are not accessible, as most 

beaches are. They are there and, yes, you can go there, but only 

if you can find a way, like you can find a helicopter to drop you 

over there or drop you by parachute, or go by boat. But, otherwise, 

they are not really available to most of the people of Vieques and 

most of the people of Puerto Rico. Admiral CHRISTENSEN. I understand your point, sir. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Even in the Green Beach, which Green 

Beach is the one on the western shore, which is-as you said, is 

open, yet there are still even some people who cannot even go there 

because you have denied access to that area, to some of the city 

councilmen, for instance. 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. I can go back and check on that. You 

mentioned that to me once before and I have to get an answer. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. To specific city councilmen. 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. If they were city councilmen and denied 

access, I will go back and find out. And if there was good reason, 

I will communicate back with you. If there was not, then I accept 

responsibility for that not being provided. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. And another point, another issue, something that happened. They tried to take passengers there from 

some of the hotels and they were stopped under threat of being arrested because they said they were using the beaches for exploitation. 
37 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. Yes, sir. You and I have talked about this 

before. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Yes, I know. 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. May I. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Sure, give an explanation. 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. The letter which was written was harshly 

written and it was wrong, and I have written a letter back to the 

individual who suffered the commercial activity, who was on a commercial venture with 140 people. 

He advertised that he was going to Green Beach and they were 

cooking out on Green Beach. The commercial activity flyers went 

out stating that. And so when the flyers came out and the boat 

went to Green Beach, the U.S. Navy, at the time, went ashore with 

them and said you cannot do a commercial venture here on government property. It is not legal. And not only that, you cannot come 

back here again under any condition of a commercial venture. 

I wrote a letter back to that gentleman and I said that it was 

a harshly worded document; that, in truth, all we have is the requirement not to allow people to make money off of the beach 

there. And that is my responsibility. It is not to allow people to go 

in there with stands or to put advertisements up or to make money 

by using Green Beach as the sole reason that they profit. But there 

was absolutely no prohibition against people going to the beach if 

the advertisement--

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Picnicking on the beach. 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. Absolutely, yes, sir. Absolutely. And as I 

said, I think you and I had a discussion. And I said perhaps one 

of the most arrogant animals that has ever been created by man 

is a Navy lieutenant or an Army captain. So what we had there 

was someone who was slightly overzealous and a little bit too abrupt in the handling of his duties. 

Mr. RoMERO-BARCELO. See, the thing is, I know this goes to the 

bottom of the issue, the crux of the matter. The Navy feels and the 

people in the Navy, officers and all down the line, that this is their 

land just because they have title to it. They are users of the land. 

They have legal title to it but this land has, for centuries, belonged 

to the people who lived in Vieques and they want to be able to 

enjoy it and they want to be able to develop it and they feel they 

are being hemmed in. 

Now, it has been used for a munitions depot. My question is: Is 

a munitions depot--can there not be another place for a munitions 

depot? Can you tell me, really, there is no other, no other place in 

the world for a munitions depot? You have to use an island of such 

beautiful beaches for the process and warehouse munitions? 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. I want to answer the question right and 

as honestly as I possibly can, but let me frame it in this context. 

We are in the process right now of going through significant, I believe we call it rightsizing instead of downsizing; that the Navy we 

have today, the armed forces we have today is not the armed forces 

we will have two to three years from now. 

If you ask me this question two to three years from now, I may 

have a different answer because I will know what the final shape 

of the Navy is because BRAC 95 will have been completed at that 

time and I will at least have been able to drive a stake in the sand 
38 

and say this is the size of the Navy, this is the size of the armed 

forces that we have, this is the amount of training that we do, and 

this is the amount of training ordnance we need so, therefore, we 

need the following places. 

I cannot do that right now because this is a moving target. What 

I will say is, we did look at the possibility of relocating the ammunitions dump on Vieques. That as we did that, we looked at the 

naval station, Roosevelt Roads, as an alternative. And if we were 

to move that ordnance to Roosevelt Roads, which is now the only 

place I can see on the island we can move it, the cost would have 

been approximately $300 million. 

Now, I don't know how valid those costs are, but I can tell you 

this, it is very expensive to move it. It is expensive because in 

order to have explosive-safe quantity distance, such that we can 

store the ammunition we need, we need buffer areas. To have those 

buffer areas, we have to buy additional land in different areas. We 

have to construct new magazines, we have to construct a pier at 

Roosevelt Roads, where you can off-load significant ammunition. 

And because of those costs, which were estimated to be as high as 

$300 million, it made the movement of the ammunition out of 

Vieques too expensive, hard to do. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. We will get back to this later on. The 

chairman wants to ask some questions. 

Mr. DE LUGO. The Chair will recognize the gentleman from Puerto Rico for additional questions in one moment. The Chair has 

some additional questions and observations. 

In listening to your statement and to your reply to the questions 

to the gentleman from Puerto Rico, I was particularly taken when 

the gentleman from Puerto Rico made the point that we have this 

22,000 acres, two-thirds of Vieques, that is sitting there and that 

you have testified it is of such great value to the Department of Defense and yet there has been no effort to make any payment in lieu 

of taxes. 

This property, since it is Federal property, pays no taxes. The 

impact on this community is one that is negative. Now, this issue 

did not just come up today, Admiral. There were hearings held 

back in the early 1980s, and there was a report written by the committee of jurisdiction and a lot of things said in that report were 

very important. 

One of the things said in February of 1981 was that interwoven 

into the central issue, speaking about Vieques and the Navy, is the 

question of the impact of the Navy's activities on the people of the 

island. The findings say the Navy should locate an alternative site. 

Now, let me ask you. When you made reference to Roosevelt 

Roads, when was that explored? 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. That was made in March or April of this 

year, sir. It was after H.R. 3831 was--

Mr. DE LUGO. That is a long time from 1981. It was in 1981 that 

the Congress told the Navy that you should locate an alternative 

site. Money was appropriated for this. I think it was $12 million, 

was it not? Well, it was to move out of Culebra and find another 

site, but it was not supposed to be Vieques, it was supposed to be 

those two other islands and they never moved there. 

Whatever happened to that money that was appropriated? 
39 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. I have no idea, sir, but I would like to say 

the two islands you spoke about, if they are in fact on the western 

side of Puerto Rico, and given the distance, the stretch it takes to 

get from Roosevelt Roads to those islands, we are talking in excess 

of 110 to 120 miles. And the reach for aircraft launched out of Roosevelt Roads to do training there or for amphibious operations 

based out of Roosevelt Roads to get there is extraordinarily inefficient and does not constitute a real training opportunity. 

Mr. DE LUGO. Well, Admiral, let's take a look at some more statements in this: The finding that was directed to the Department of 

Defense and the Navy in 1981. It says in the interim-before you 

find the alternative site the Navy should make every effort to work 

closely with the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in implementing 

programs to alleviate the impact of its activities and, in particular, 

explore turning over additional land to the island for civilian use. 

Then we look at the record. Most of the land turned over to you 

was cited as being turned over long before 1981. There is a pittance 

of land that was turned over after 1981 or is in the pipeline when 

we look at the question. 

Anyone sitting here today who is new to this subcommittee has 

to say, my God, why was action not taken back in 1981? Why did 

the Navy not move in a realistic manner? 

You are stuck with the fact there is a different political situation 

today, and that when Members look at this community and the impact of the naval facility there, the adverse impact, and then you 

look at the Federal Government making no meaningful effort to 

compensate, realistically, just compensate realistically, one thing 

has to be understood. 

First of all, the people of Vieques, people of Puerto Rico, and the 

Members of this committee are patriotic Americans. Most of us 

have served in the military. The people of Puerto Rico have one of 

the highest records of military service that you will find is much 

higher than we have here on the mainland. 

So this is not a question of patriotism we are talking about 

today. This is a question of fairness. This is where the Defense Department, with all of its billions of dollars, has taken advantage of 

a United States territory. Taken advantage because it is not a foreign country, taken advantage because, well, you think we could do 

this in, let's say the Philippines or let's say some other area? No, 

we could not. 

As a Nation, we would have to stay up with the political curve, 

and our people would have to go in there and negotiate a new 

agreement that is fairer. So the problem is one everybody can be 

comfortable with. Instead, nothing meaningful has been done since 

1981. Whatever has been done has depended on the good will of 

whoever was the commanding officer of a particular period. That 

is all. Whatever was done was on an ad hoc, day-to-day basis, no 

real policy that we can point to. 

And, yet, you get my sympathy as you sit there. It is not fair for 

the Navy to send you alone, they should have sent--

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. Well, I was ducking some of that, but in 

the same regard, may I say a couple of things, sir? First off, in 

1983, the Navy sent down Rear Admiral Diego Hernandez, and Admiral Hernandez was the man who worked extraordinarily hard 
40 

with, at the time, Governor Romero who forged the Memorandum 

of Understanding with Governor Romero. He served extraordinarily 

for three years down there. 

And while I acknowledge that some of us, and I include myself, 

are less than perfect in the execution of our duties, Rear Admiral 

Hernandez retired as a Vice Admiral, was extraordinary and exceptional as a Commander down there. 

I would like to make a couple of other points. I think we have 

a chart somewhere. I hate charts and graphs, excuse me, but one 

of the reasons why we talk about not having much excessed land 

is due to the fact we keep trying to find areas to carve out and additional land that we can give. 

And what I will show you now is what land is there and what 

land we have tried to excess. The areas in green conservatory zones 

set up by the Memorandum of Understanding. The line, the black 

line, which is drawn straight down vertically north to south represents the edge of the territory which we now hold, which means 

properties outside that line have either been excessed or in process 

of being excessed. 

As you look at that, you see that the red circles abut that line. 

Those red circles are explosive-safe, quantity distance indicators. 

That is what we are required to have in the way of safe distance 

from magazines in order to lay no harm to people, to buildings, to 

roads, from explosive ordnance. 

So as you can see, we agree there is not a lot that has been 

excessed, but we think we are just right down pretty tight on what 

we can excess out of that property without affecting explosive safe 

quantity distance. 

Mr. DE LUGO. Well, it still does not change the military's response to the report which I am citing again. Paragraph 8 of the 

findings says I am concerned that a business-as-usual policy will 

be counterproductive. 

The United States and Puerto Rico have a unique relationship 

that requires trust, communication, and cooperation. Vieques, however, is a political issue that, for some, not many, symbolizes Third 

World concerns with their relationship with the industrialized nations of the world. I cannot emphasize too strongly the need for the 

Navy and the Defense Department to proceed now-that is February of 1981-without delay to locate alternatives to Vieques and 

in the interim study and develop methods of alleviating as many 

of the more immediate concerns as possible. Otherwise-and this 

is a report that was accepted by the full committee and printed officially by the House-otherwise, the Navy may further undermine 

its credibility and encourage exploitation of the controversy. 

Well, this hearing today is certainly not an exploitation of the 

controversy, rather it is a representative of the people of Puerto 

Rico doing his duty. And looking at this, I can only feel it is unfortunate that the Navy did not move with more dispatch when it was 

directed to do so by the House. 

Let me ask you this: In 1971, after years of protest by the people 

of Culebra and the Puerto Rican government, as well as Members 

of the House and Senate, the Navy agreed to cease its operations 

in Culebra. The Secretary of Defense directed the Navy to relocate 
41 

its range facilities to an uninhabited island, Monito and Desecheo 

on the western part of Puerto Rico. That was the range facilities. 

The military construction appropriation for fiscal year 1974 contained $12 million to facilitate that move. Why was that plan not 

carried out? You have already said you do not know what happened 

to the other portion. 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. No, sir. We will research that and submit 

it for the record. 

Mr. DE LUGO. All right. 

[The information follows:] 

The disposition of the $12,000,000 appropriated in FY74 is still being investigated. Initial indications are that the money was never spent (but this is not 

substained at present). 

Mr. DE LUGO. After President Nixon terminated the Navy's use 

of Culebra by Executive order in 1974, a joint Department of Defense and Commonwealth of Puerto Rico Committee was formed as 

the Armed Forces Committee report of February 1981 to find an alternative site for Culebra. This joint committee was reconstituted 

in 1977. 

Was any recommendation made for an alternative site? 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. Let me say, first off, that there was an 

honest effort that went on during the period of the late 1970s 

through the early 1980s. While not a direct participant at that, I 

was a carrier pilot and had come down to the area working air-toground ordnance and part of other exercises that were ongoing. 

As you well know, all of the range facilities were relocated to either the Island of Vieques, to Saint Croix, to Saint Thomas, or to 

Mt. Pico on Puerto Rico. As you well know now, we also have in 

excess of a 200,000 square mile area those range facilities now 

have some degree of oversight over. 

Mr. DE LUGO. Well, it is clear, in reading the record of the past, 

that Vieques was not supposed to be the alternative site for 

Culebra. Admiral, I ask you under what authority did the Navy, in 

effect, relocate the Culebra operations to Vieques? 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. Let me find the specific answers to that 

and I will submit that for the record. 

[The information follows:] 

In regard to the transfer of operations from Culebra to Vieques, I do not believe 

that to be the case. As mentioned in the previous answer, target operations on Vieques had been ongoing long before the talk---{)r action---{)f closing the range in 

Culebra. Also, it was the intent of Congress to keep range operations on Puerto 

Rican territory, but a suitable alternative was not found. Therefore, the operations on Culebra were closed and Vieques operations remained ongoing. 

Mr. DE LUGO. We will look forward to getting that for the record. 

Under section 1 of the community assistance of the Memorandum of Understanding that we have made reference to several 

times during this hearing today, the Navy agreed to continue, 

quote, an ongoing effort to seek out and encourage civilian industry 

to locate their operations on the island. 

Can you tell this subcommittee how many industries has the 

Navy been able to establish in Vieques since the signing of this 

memorandum? 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. Let me give you a little history again on 

that, and I apologize. When the original Memorandum of Under-
42 

standing was signed, it was agreed to that we would go after what 

are called the top 10. They were major industries to come on to the 

Island of Vieques and establish some form of subcontracting effort. 

They included General Dynamics, Grumman, Litton, Lockheed, 

McDonnell Douglas, Newport News Shipbuilding, Sperry, United 

Technologies, and General Electric. There were, by 1974, 400 direct 

jobs which were obtained. 

The decline in the losses went as follows: 175 people lost jobs in 

the garment manufacturing plant which made military uniforms 

because the plant owner was no longer able to take military contracts for having accepted a bribe. The high cost of transportation 

to and from the island, as we have discussed before. There has 

been no help to this point from the Puerto Rican Port Authority. Lack of company diversification. Heavy reliance on government 

contracts. The government contracts ended, the military began to 

downsize. Hurricane Hugo destroyed that which had not already 

been taken in 1989. That was the top 10 as they existed. Since then, Lieutenant Commander McCloskey, who is on my 

right, and his predecessor, were assigned for full-time economic development. As we know, the issue of industry and large company 

was one that is an extremely hard fit on the Islands of Vieques his 

efforts went down to those which could fit on the Island of Vieques. 

The following is a list of projects which he has started and/or attempted to start which are ongoing, which have not made it because of other economic issues or which have yet to fully vet. 

One-thousand-acre hay farm, Camp Garcia. I talked about that 

earlier. Aloe vera farm, lease of 200 acres of NASD land on the 

western side to grow aloe vera. Lease of 50 acres for canepa tree 

orchards. 8(a) Machine Shop, a subcontract of small works through 

Opti Company, which has the Navy 8(a) contracts in Lupia, Puerto 

Rico. A new hotel on the north shore of Vieques. 

Living Machine. We have a report on the use of Vieques retreated sewage water with an opportunity to start that for the recycling of wastewater through natural processes. A tourism package, 

Ask Hotels, in Vieques. Air link to work out deals for package tours 

that could be advertised to state side travel agents. A multi-tenant 

building subdivision of 11,000 square feet. A Puerto Rican industrial development company has helped us with that building, which 

is available as of November of this year. In the process of going through the clearance through the different companies, one of the companies backed out. One of two of 

the other companies will move in. 

Ecotourism development. Preservation of the bio bay through a 

management company. Mr. Romero and I have discussed this in 

the past. The bioluminescent bay on the Island of Vieques is a 

world class resource and it should be protected. Ecotourism is the 

use of that bay as an extraordinarily viable option. 

Tax systems manufacturing. Stack CD-ROM drivers possibly to 

come to Vieques. A Vieques beef farm. Use of naval NASD area for 

beekeeper boxes for honeybees. A cattle ranch and a roof repair. 

How many of these projects have succeeded? One. How many of 

these projects are influenced by the dynamic that occurs because 

of the cost of living on Vieques? A lot of them. What more can we 

do to help stimulate some of these projects? More. Will it ever 
43 

make up for the difference in the cost of living in Vieques? Probably not. 

We have to come to the root of the basic problem. It costs more 

to live on Vieques than it does on the mainland. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Mr. Chairman. 

Mr. DE LuGo. Yes, the gentleman from Puerto Rico. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. When you say that, you mentioned it before as a reason for lack of development of Vieques. Is the cost of 

living in Vieques any more expensive than the cost of living on 

Saint Thomas? The cost of living on Saint Thomas is much higher, 

isn't it? 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. It probably is. The income is higher in 

Saint Thomas, yes, sir. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. So the fact the cost of living is higher is 

not really an obstacle to development. 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. I think there is--

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Saint Thomas and Saint Croix and Saint 

John are part of the United States. Not like they were a foreign 

country and would have some different things, they are part of the 

United States and they have a much more-they are much more 

developed, much more developed than Vieques and they have even 

a much higher cost of living and their food is higher over there and 

clothing is higher and everything is higher. 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. Yes, sir. And the income is a lot higher. 

And I think there is a d~amic in here we have to address. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. But there is not. 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. Airports on Vieques which is 3,400 feet 

long. That airport is too small to handle bigger airplanes. That airport needs to be bigger, too. Remember, Saint Thomas has its own 

airport so it brings in its supplies by ship to its harbor and by airplane to its airport. 

Vieques gets its supplies by boat from the Vieques ferry through 

the Port Authority because none of the planes that bring air shipment over are big enough to carry those materials over by air. So 

there are different dynamics and there are things we can do better. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Where is the land that Vieques has for 

building an airport? 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. I think we talked about this before, and 

I will go back a little bit. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Navy has it, though, no? 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. The navy offered some portion of Camp 

Garcia as part of the extension for the use of the airport a few 

years ago. The answer was that the airport extension which we 

gave included 124 acres and was satisfactory to the municipality of 

Vieques. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. And it was what? 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. One hundred twenty-four acres we ceded 

to extend the airport was what the municipality of Vieques wanted. 

I was not there at the time. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. The airport is-right now, the lands still 

belong to the Navy; is that not correct? 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. No, sir, I believe we have ceded 124 

acres. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Oh, you have ceded. 
44 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. Yes, sir. 

Mr. RoMERO-BARCELO. But the municipality has no land at this 

moment to build a larger airport? 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. Not on that plan there, no, sir. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Not on the island? 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. I cannot answer that question. I think we 

will find that there are other areas but that is not available to me 

at the time. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Can we take a look at that map over 

there again? 

Now, looking at that chart or map you have there, those red circles indicate the place where the magazines are located and the 

buffer zone that is necessary around it, right? Is that correct? 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. Yes, sir. The western side is magazines 

and the conservation zones. Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. The one on the top, the red circle, indicates a buffer zone around the pier? 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. Yes, sir, that is correct. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. So anything outside that area is not really necessary at all for the depots for the ammunition depot? 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. The green areas are those conservation 

zones that are a part of the Memorandum of Understanding between the government of Puerto Rico and some of them are under 

natural protection because they are wetlands and/or that they have 

endangered species and/or they come under other environmental 

constraint. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. So they are not necessary for the depot 

facilities, that other part, there is about 3,000 acres at least. 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. Under the green? 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Yes. Admiral CHRISTENSEN. They are not part of the EQSD requirement as part of the depot, that is correct, sir. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. So they are not necessary for the depot? 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. Any of the lands which are outside of the 

red circles are not necessary for the depot. Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Can those be returned to Vieques? Why 

are those not offered back to Vieques? 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. The lands which lie underneath the green 

portions are in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding between Puerto Rico or are under environmental protection. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. We can deal with the environmental protection. We can deal with the conservation. We do that with the 

Departments of Interior or the EQSD or whatever we have to deal 

with. This Navy is not the caretaker of the environmental protection of the Nation. 

So in this case, the Memorandum of Understanding imposed that 

duty on the Navy to prevent the Navy from destroying those areas, 

not to keep it as-not to have the Navy be the caretaker of those 

areas but to prevent the Navy from hurting those areas; isn't that 

really the purpose of the Memorandum of Understanding? 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. I would also say we have done a whale 

of a job. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. I am not saying you have not done the job 

in taking care of that, I am just saying that the purpose is not to 
45 

have you as a caretaker but to make sure you did not do any injury 

to those areas. So that area can, therefore-you have no need for 

it as a Navy, no national defense interest for those lands. 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. I would say, again, that I will repeat the 

area which is part of the ammunition dump-NASD-are those 

areas described around the red lines. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Let the record show, then-can we havedo you have a print copy of that map? 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. We can provide it, yes, sir. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Would you provide us one. 

[The information follows:] 

A color-coded copy of the map used during the 4 Oct 94 hearing is enclosed. 

[EDITOR'S NOTE.-The map may be found in the Committee's 

files.] 

Mr. RoMERO-BARCELO. And let the record show that this is a 

map of almost all of Vieques, that it includes the western part of 

Vieques where the ammunition depot is and the pier is. It has 

some red circles which show that the area which is needed to be 

used for the ammunition depot facilities and as buffer zones, that 

there is considerable amount of land around that area which is, oh 

at least over 3,000 acres, which are not needed and are not part 

of the needs for the national defense. I want the record to show 

that so that we may be able to later on determine exactly the de- scription of those lands. 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. Let me also point out a couple of white 

areas on there. Lieutenant Commander McCloskey will do it. We 

have a location for an aloe vera farm and also a location for the 

ROTHR, which will be going in-the ROTHR, relocatable, over-thehorizon radar-which will be going in and those are the parts he 

is showing now. And I apologize there is one other and I cannot 

read it. Oh, the mahogany grove which we are growing there. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Mahogany grove. 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. Mahogany grove. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Is that necessary for the national defense? 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. It is part of the requirement of the MOU. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. All I want to do is identify that land that 

you have indicated here that is necessary for national defense. So 

the other one, the other lands are not necessary for national defense. Okay. So there is at least over 3,000 acres that can be disposed of that the Navy has acknowledged there is no need for the 

national defense. 

Now, you talked about that you were sure the best development 

for Vieques is tourism. And what is one of the greatest attractions 

for tourism in the Caribbean? Is it not the beaches? 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. Absolutely. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. And we have already stated for the record 

that the largest number of beaches in Vieques are in the Navy 

land. There are some not very nice beaches in that western area. 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. Yes, sir. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Okay, thank you very much. 
46 

Mr. DE LUGO. All right. Finally, I want to thank you for your patience, Admiral, and I want to thank the other witnesses. We have 

had the Admiral on the stand here for about an hour and a half. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Wait a minute, I am sorry. May I? 

Mr. DE LUGO. Yes, the gentleman from Puerto Rico. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Of the 102 magazines that you have 

there, how many of those magazines are, for instance, right now 

being used and have munitions warehoused in them. 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. I am looking to see where I have my crib 

sheet here. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Okay, take your time. 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. We have some Teague magazines which 

are active, 34 in ready reserve, 26 which are unusable at the 

present time. In use, we have 60. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. In use, you have 60? 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. Yes, sir. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. So what you need really is to have 60 

magazines. You do not need more than 60, really, for your everyday-for your purposes of your activities around Vieques. 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. The 34 magazines which were in ready 

reserve, plus the 20 which are presently unusable, are in that condition for the possibility of surge, larger training forces more requirements to store ordnance. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. For the possibility, but they are not now 

necessary for the national defense. 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. We are holding 60 active. We are holding 

30 in ready reserve which means, at any moment, we are ready to 

put into use those magazines, and 20 would require work prior to 

the time they would be able to store support ordnance. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. If you were to require only 60, would 

those 60 fit in the Roosevelt Roads. Admiral CHRISTENSEN. You have asked the very same question 

I asked. We are able to provide to you and we will provide for the 

record the impact of what goes from those 60 magazines on to Roosevelt Roads. It is part of the study we made in March after you 

submitted the bill. It is part of the information which we used to 

derive the cost of $300 million. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. We do not have that information. 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. Well, then, we will provide it to you, sir. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. So the answer to my question is, are 

those 60 magazines, will they fit in within the Roosevelt Roads. 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. At a cost of approximately $300 million. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. At a cost of approximately $300 million. 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. Yes, sir. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. And who made those estimates. 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. That was made by the Public Works officer in conjunction with the OPNAV here in the Pentagon. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. To Public Works officer. 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. Roosevelt Roads, who is charged with the 

responsibility of facilities in Roosevelt Roads in Vieques and in conjunction with the planners in OPNAV. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Can you give us copies of those estimates, 

also? 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. Yes, sir. 
47 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Together with the others. 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. Yes, sir, we sure will. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Thank you very much. 

[The information follows:] 

The following table outlines the estimated costs for relocating the existing magazines on Vieques to Roosevelt Roads: 

Impact Estimated cost 

Relocating existing facilities in the "Bundy" area of Roosevelt 

Roads ·······················································oo·········································· $60,000,000 

Acquisition of 210 acres of private property outside current 

fenceline for ESQD arcs 000000 00 00 000000000000000000 000000 0000 0000 0000000000 000000 00 00 0000 00. 

Mitigation of 156 acres ofpime quality mangrove areas (3:1) 00000000000 

Mitigation of 140 acres of medium quality wetlands (2:1) 00000000000000000 

Mitigation of 140 acres oflow quality wetlands (1:1) 0000000000000000000000000 

Reroute portion of Boxer Drive to Gate 3 00000000000000 0000 0000 00 00 0000000000 0000 0000 

Construct mooring facility for handling weapons oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. 

6,300,000 

303,264,000 

166,800,000 

76,160,000 

2,000,000 

12,000,000 ------

Total ooooo•oooooooooooooo•ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo••oooo•oo•oo•ooooooooooooooooo• 626,524,000 

Mr. DE LUGO. All right, thank you. The committee will receive 

those documents and make them a part of the record when you forward them, Admiral. 

Let me say, in winding up, one of the concerns of the committee 

we raised was this $12 million which was appropriated back in 

197 4 for the relocation of the two islands that were mentioned 

moving from Culebra. This money was appropriated. At that time, 

Admiral Iselin said that this money was needed. In order to accomplish that, we will require funding for the project. 

That was introduced by the Senate Armed Services Committee 

based on the decision that had been made by the Secretary of the 

Defense, and that was, of course, to relocate from Culebra from 

these other two islands which we are now told would not work out. 

There is nothing in the record about the Navy saying they would 

not work out at thai; time. At that time, the Navy said this is 

where we have to go and we need $12 million in 1974 dollars and 

they got it. And today we do not even know where the $12 million 

went to. 

We still do not know how so much got moved from Culebra to 

Vieques, which was not supposed to be done and we want to know 

under what authority that was done. Anyway, this page, page 458 

of the Senate hearing, the testimony of the Admiral and Senator 

Bellmon, if there are no objections, that will be made a part of the 

record at this point. 

I want to thank you again, Admiral. There may be one or two 

additional questions that we will submit to you for the record. 

Again, I thank you for your cooperation with us and you did a 

fine job for the Navy, but this situation has got to be adjusted in 

this day and age. I mean, this is no longer acceptable and I think 

that we all know that and we need to adjust this situation. It has 

to be adjusted by finding additional substantial additional land 

that can be transferred and developed so that this community can 

be developed. But if not, I think that the Navy and the Defense Department have to come up with a plan that gives some meaningful 

compensation to the people of Puerto Rico and Vieques for this impact. I mean to have all this property since the early 1940s, no 

taxes being collected, no money in lieu of taxes, it would not happen anywhere else. 
48 

Thank you, again, Admiral, for your testimony and your courtesy 

to this committee. 

Admiral CHRISTENSEN. Thank you, sir. It was an honor to be 

here. 

Mr. DE LUGO. They are going to send you up many times. You 

do an excellent job. Thank you. 

All right, now we have a good friend of this committee, the Secretary of State of Puerto Rico, former member of this committee, 

the Honorable Baltasar Corrada del Rio. 

Secretary Corrada was Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico 

from 1976 to 1984. He was here during the days of my youth, and 

mayor of San Juan from 1984 to 1989. It gives me the greatest 

pleasure to welcome you, to welcome my former colleague on the 

committee, and still close personal friend. 

Baltasar Corrada del Rio, the Secretary of State, has a reputation in Congress as a very fair and discerning legislator who made 

it his business to study both sides of the issues that came before 

him. His scholarly approach won him many compliments and 

helped him make many friends for all of the insular areas. Good 

to have you before us Baltasar. 

STATEMENT OF BON. BALTASAR CORRADA DEL RIO, 

SECRETARY OF STATE, PUERTO RICO 

Mr. CORRADA DEL RIO. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, 

Members of the Subcommittee, Resident Commissioner, RomeroBarcelo. 

First of all, before I begin, I would like to say that upon learning 

that this may become the last hearing to be chaired by Chairman 

de Lugo, I would like to associate myself with prior remarks. I had 

the privilege of working with him for six out of my eight years as 

Resident Commissioner, and more frequently than ever, we had the 

opportunity of working together for matters that were for the benefit of both the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. 

And upon his retirement from Congress, I certainly commend 

Ron de Lugo for his excellent service, not only to the people of the 

Virgin Islands but to the Nation as a whole. 

Mr. DE LUGO. Thank you very much, Mr. Secretary. And if you 

would suspend for just one moment. Let me say to those who are 

here today that I am going to turn over the Chair to the Resident 

Commissioner of Puerto Rico at 5 o'clock this afternoon. I have another commitment, and I want to apologize to any of you who are 

at the witness table when I am not in the chair, because I very 

much want to hear your testimony. 

I have a lot of friends here that have come from Puerto Rico to 

testify, and you know, it is my way to be in the chair for the entire 

hearing. But I have another commitment and I must vacate the 

Chair at that time and I would ask the gentleman from Puerto Rico 

to assume the chair at that time. 

I see we have the Mayor of Vieques, the Honorable Manuela 

Santiago Collazo. I want to thank you for coming all this way, and 

I read your statement. And also my good friend Senator Kenneth 

McClintock-Hernandez; and Dr. Rafael A. Rivera Castano will be 

testifying; and Carlos Ventura. So my apologies to those whom I 

miss. 
49 

Now, please proceed, Mr. Secretary. 

Mr. CORRADA DEL RIO. Mr. Chairman, I request my entire testi- mony consisting of eight pages be made part of the record. 

Mr. DE LUGO. Without objection, so ordered. 

Mr. CORRADA DEL RIO. Today I appear on behalf of the Governor 

of Puerto Rico, the Honorable Pedro Rossello, to deliver testimony 

in support of H.R. 3831, the Vieques Lands Transfer Act of 1994, 

introduced by Resident Commissioner Romero-Barcelo on February 

9, 1994. 

The objective of H.R. 3831 is to revert to the municipality of 

Vieques approximately 8,000 acres of Federal lands located on the 

western part of Vieques Island which are now used by the Department of the Navy so that the municipality of Vieques may use 

them for the benefit of the inhabitants over the island. 

The Department of Defense has long opposed a transfer to civilians of its Navy facilities in Vieques on the grounds that Vieques 

provides, quote, the most comprehensive naval training environment available anywhere in the Atlantic and that such facilities 

are indispensable in the maintenance of fleet readiness. Thus, the 

Department of Defense has argued there are no alternative facilities for the Navy to relocate, and the continued use of the Vieques 

facilities are vital to the national security. 

Although advancing and protecting our national security is a preeminent concern of government, it is necessary to take a closer look 

at this argument. The operations of the Navy in Vieques take place 

at both ends of the island. On the eastern end, the installations are 

part of a large military complex known as the Atlantic Fleet Weapons Training Facility headquartered at Roosevelt Roads Naval Station in Ceiba, Puerto Rico. This facility consists of four firing 

ranges of which only two are related to Vieques. 

West of the civilian zone in Vieques is the naval ammunition facility, which encompasses the whole western end of the island. This 

facility is used by the Navy for deep storage of conventional ammunition, although most of the ammunition is destined for off-island 

use by the Navy, the Marines, and the Puerto Rico National Guard. 

The land presently occupied by the NAF is precisely the land 

which has been sought by the municipality of Vieques for its economic development and which H.R. 3831 intends the Navy to 

transfer. Thus, in order to make a realistic attempt to analyze the 

possibility of the land transfer, it is necessary to concentrate on the 

issues involving not only the NAF and not the operations of the 

Navy in Vieques as a whole. Before continuing any further, I believe it is appropriate to reiterate that the government of Puerto Rico supports without reservation all actions taken by the President and the Congress that are 

necessary to protect and further the security interests of the United States. Governor Rossello is keenly aware that the presence of 

the Navy in Puerto Rico, and particularly in Vieques, is of utmost 

importance in allowing it to conduct operations in support of the 

national defense and the security policy of the United States in this 

hemisphere. 

Puerto Rico's steadfast support to the Nation's defense should 

come as no surprise to anyone. Having one of the Nation's highest 

enlistment rates, the American citizens of Puerto Rico have always 
50 

had a significant presence in the various branches of the armed 

forces. 

Our servicemen have participated courageously in every war, 

armed conflict, and peacekeeping operation since World War I. Just 

recently, a unit of the Puerto Rico National Guard has been selected for possible deployment in Haiti. And in fact some of the 

members of the multinational force that will be deployed in Haiti 

have been trained in Puerto Rico. 

Moreover, of all the territories that have entered the union, none 

has sustained as many combat casualties as Puerto Rico. The patriotism of Puerto Ricans becomes even more evident when one takes 

into account that, because Puerto Rico is not a state, its residents 

cannot have voting or proportional representation in Congress, 

which possesses the authority to declare war and, likewise, cannot 

participate in the election of the President who is the Commanderin-Chief. Nevertheless, we have been and are there at the defense 

of the Nation whenever it has been required. 

But to continue with the land transfer issue, allow me to put 

forth this question. Would the security of the United States be put 

at risk if the lands now used by the Naval Ammunition Facility are 

transferred to the Municipality of Vieques? We are certain it would 

not. Governor Rossello would not support this bill if he believed it 

would imperil the Nation's security. At the same time, I would like 

to emphasize that H.R. 3831 does not address, and the administration of Governor Rossello is not now supporting the closing of the 

Vieques range or the Inner Range of the Atlantic Fleet Weapons 

Training Facility. 

Let us then analyze the reasons for the position taken by the 

Navy and by the Department of Defense in opposing the land 

transfer that would be authorized under H.R. 3831-particularly 

two objections set forth in a letter of Acting General Counsel of the 

Department of Defense, Mr. Dennis H. Trosch, to Congressman 

Ronald V. Dellums dated May 26, 1994. 

One of them in fact provides a possible alternative that was 

clearly spelled out in a sentence which refers to the usefulness and 

importance of the NAF, thus "negating the need for an ammunition 

resupply ship to steam in the area for every training evolution." 

There might be the alternative, of course, of an ammunition risk 

supply ship that could be available to take care of the ammunition 

needs. That is one alternative. The other alternative would be the 

eastern part of Vieques. And the third alternative was the· one 

mentioned by Admiral Christensen, which is Roosevelt Roads. 

The other objection is one of cost. Nevertheless, it recognizes the 

feasibility of moving the naval ammunition facility to some other 

location. The question is what would the cost be, and I think that 

is a very important element and should be clarified through the 

process of this congressional hearing. 

But being within the Atlantic Fleet Weapons Training Facility or 

in Roosevelt Roads or elsewhere in the eastern Caribbean, there is 

an alternative. Also, part of the relocation cost provides for infrastructure construction and/or maintenance that could very well be 

a sound investment for future civilian use by the people of Vieques. 
51 

It seems, therefore, that the objections presented by the Navy relate more to having a convenient and inexpensive storage location 

rather than the security of our Nation. 

Is convenience an acceptable reason for maintaining the Naval 

Ammunition Facility in th·e western end of Vieques over the pressing need for jobs of the U.S. citizens in that island? Certainly not. 

Even if the land transfer will not be a panacea to all the socioeconomic problems that the population of Vieques now faces, the 

inhabitants of Vieques deserve to have the means by which they 

can advance their economic development. 

Another reason why the Navy and the Department of Defense 

oppose the lands transfer is the cost that would be involved in 

making the land safe for civilian use from an environmental standpoint. In a letter I previously referred to, they link this environmental concern with requiring payment for the land that they are 

asked to revert to civilian use, and I quote: Any legislation should 

address the significant cost of cleanup for residential and educational use by either requiring the payment of fair market value 

or by including a substantial appropriation for environmental remediation, end quote. 

If the operation of the Naval Ammunition Facility in Vieques has 

had an adverse environmental impact which must be remedied, 

this should not be a reason for exacting payment from the Municipality of Vieques for land. It needs to further the continued economic development of the island. The cost of any environmental remedial action should be borne by the Navy as the user of that property and by putting into that area the 8,000 acres the risk elements 

that now would be required to remedy. 

Moreover, when needed for the development of a community, 

Federal lands have traditionally been transferred without cost as 

is proposed by Congressman Romero-Barcelo and the sponsors of 

this bill and by the Vieques municipal government. At this time, 

there are two land transfers that are being handled by the Commission for the Transfer of Land and other Federal Properties, of 

which I am its chairman, without cost to the Municipality of 

Vieques. One is the transfer of 69 acres of land for the development 

of a sports complex, and the other is the transfer of 97 acres of 

land located next to the landfill which will be left undeveloped so 

as to provide a buffer zone between the landfill and other developments. 

Yet the people of Vieques need more land in order to increase the 

prospect of building a better life for themselves. That is why the 

transfer of lands provided by this bill will certainly have an urgently needed positive impact on the community. It will provide 

land for economic development and opportunities, such as in the 

area of tourism while at the same time providing room for other 

pressing needs such as schools, child care centers, hospitals, public 

housing and still some others. But this is an area that I will leave 

for the Mayor of Vieques to describe in detail, although rest assured that the Vieques municipal government will have the complete support of the Governor and of the various state governmental agencies that will be involved in this important endeavor. 

The state government of Puerto Rico stands ready to prepare in 

close coordination and collaboration with the municipal government 
52 

of Vieques, a detailed plan for the use and development of the 

8,000 acres of land should Congress order the transfer so that the 

land is well managed and utilized to further the creation of jobs, 

environmental protection, housing, recreation, and other social 

needs of the people of Vieques and Puerto Rico. 

In the past, and especially after the agreement of October 11, 

1983 between the Government of Puerto Rico and the U.S. NavyMemorandum of Understanding-expectations were too high as to 

the assistance that the Navy could provide in the economic development of Vieques. 

For example, when explaining the efforts that the Navy would 

undertake to assist their neighboring civilian community, that document stated, and I quote: Primary among them is an ongoing effort to seek out and encourage civilian industry to locate their operations on the Island. 

The Navy will work with Commonwealth agencies and groups to 

seek grants, start up funds and financial assistance from other 

Federal departments for use on Vieques and make every meaningful effort within its power to obtain full employment on the Island, 

end quote, from the MOU. 

I do not doubt the Navy's good intentions, but I do question the 

ability of a branch of the armed forces to promote the continued 

economic development of a civilian community-it is certainly neither the proper role nor the mission of the Department of Defense 

or the Navy to do so. Nevertheless, the inability of the Navy to 

fully comply with the MOU shows that the Municipality of Vieques 

and the government of Puerto Rico are in a much better position 

to set forth the framework and provide the incentives for the economic development of the Island. Also, both state and local governments are in a better position to address and look after other issues of great importance to the citizenship they are elected to serve 

such as the protection of the environment. 

This is why we are somewhat puzzled when the Navy poses the 

protection of the environment as a reason for opposing the lands 

transfer proposed in this bill. We certainly appreciate their concern. However, the Navy could hardly be more interested or better 

able to protect the environment in Vieques than the Government 

of Puerto Rico and the Municipality of Vieques are. Not only does 

the Municipality of Vieques abide by Federal environmental legislation, but it must comply with our own state legislation and with 

the regulations of various state agencies whose task is to protect 

and to care for our natural resources. 

The U.S. Navy should not be concerned either by the possibility 

of uncurtailed development that does not abide with, or that tries 

to sidestep, environmental laws. On the contrary, the Autonomous 

Municipalities Act of Puerto Rico, under which the Municipality of 

Vieques is governed, establishes a very rigorous procedure for all 

municipal government to follow as provided in Article 13.04, and 

I quote: 

In order to foster maximum compatibility between the Territorial 

Planning Strategy with the regional and statewide public policies 

of the Government of Puerto Rico, the initial approval of the Territorial Planning Strategy, and revision of parts thereof, is retained 

for the central Government through the Planning Board. 
53 

This is a reliable and effective safeguard for the sound use of the 

land that H.R. 3831 intends to revert to the Municipality of 

Vieques. Also, before the Municipality of Vieques can put into operation its Territorial Planning Strategy, it will need to comply with 

the regulations of other state and Federal agencies such as the 

Puerto Rico Environmental Quality Board, the U.S. Corps of Engineers, EPA, and there are others. 

We know that the people of Vieques not only enjoy and take 

pride in the immense natural beauty of their Island, but since they 

want to develop a tourism-oriented economic base, it makes sense 

that they would be very interested in the protection of their environment. Its unspoiled and unique natural resources-for example, 

three of the world's seven bioluminescent bays are located in 

Vieques-could very well prove to be its major tourist attraction 

and especially with the development of what we nowadays call 

ecotourism. Thus, even if it is true that over 4 7 percent of the land 

in the Naval Ammunition Facility is not suitable for any kind of 

development, this would not negate the usefulness of the lands 

transfer to the Municipality of Vieques. 

Instead, this transfer will provide incentives for the Municipality 

and for the people of Vieques to decide, with the assistance of the 

state government of Puerto Rico, what is best for their well-being, 

rather than having the Navy decide for them. Also, this land transfer would provide the means for the development of an improved 

relationship between the Navy and the people of Vieques-an improved relationship that benefits both the civilian population of 

Vieques and the defense preparedness that the Navy strives to 

maintain. 

Let us allow the American citizens of Vieques to stand for themselves, and let us give them the means by which they can achieve 

their goals. Mter all, government-of which the Navy and the rest 

of the Armed Forces are an important part-exists for the benefit 

of the people and not vice versa. 

Thank you very much, and I will be glad to answer any of your 

questions. 

[The prepared statement of Mr. Corrada del Rio follows:] 
54 

NOT FOR RELEASE BEFORE OCTOBER 4, 1994 AT 2:00P.M. 

STATF.MF.NT OF 

TIIF. HONOI{AIJLE BALTASAR COHRADA HF.L RIO 

SECRETARY OF STATF. OF PUERTO RICO 

IIEt'OilE TIIF, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

Sl/IICOMMI'I1'1m ON INSULAR AND INTEI(NATIONAL At' FAmS 

IU:GARD!NG H.R. 3831 

0CTODF:R 4, 1994 

Chairman De Lugo and members of the House Subcommittee on Insular and 

International Aft:1 irs: 

My name ~ 11altasar Corrada del Rio. I was privileged to serve in the 

U.S. I louse of Representatives for eight (!!) years as Puerto Rico's Resident 

Commissioner. Currently, I hold the oftice of Secretary of Stale which is the 

second highest ofticc in the executive brand1 of the Government of Puerto Rico. 

Today. I <~ppear on behalf of the Gove rnor of Puerto Rico, the Honorable 

Pedro Rosselli\ to deliver testimony in support of H.R. 3831, the Vieques Lands 

Trans lor Act of I <)<J4, introduced by Resident Commissioner Romero Barcelo on 

Fchruary lJ, 1994. 

Viequcs, one of the seventy eight (78) municipalities of Puerto Rico. is a 

small, narrow and long island located approximately seven (7) miles southeast of 

Puerto Rico and twenty two (22) miles southwest of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin 

Islands. Measuring twenty (20) miles long and four and a hulf (4.5) miles widt:, 

at its widest point, Vieques has an :trca of thirty-four thousand one hundred one 

p4,1 0 I) acres. llowevcr, its population, uf approximately eighty-six hundred 

(8,600) persons, controls an an:a of land not lmger than seven thousand (7,000) 

acres. On the othcr hand, the Department of the Navy either owns or controls 

close to tWCIIty-scven thnusr111d (27,000) acres, which ~<.:counts lor ove r seventy-
55 

nine (79) percent of tho.: surface of the island. 

The objedive of ll.R. 3831 is to revert to the Municipality of Yiequcs 

approximately eight thousand (8,000) acres of federal lands located on the 

western part or VieqLtes Island which arc now used by the Department of the 

Navy so that the Municipality of Vieques may use them for the hcnctit of the 

inhabitants of the island. 

The Dt:partment of Delimse has long opposed the transfer to civilians or 

its N<~vy facilities in Vicqucs on the grounds that Yicques provides "the most 

comprehensive naval training environment available anywhere in the Atlantic"', 

and that such l~1cilitics "arc indispensable in the maintenance of Oect rcadiness." 2 

Thus, the LJepartm<:nt of Defense has argued that there are no alternative 

fitcilitics when: the Navy could relocate. and that the continued use of the 

Yicqucs tacilities arc vital to the national security. 

Although advancing and protecting our national security is a preeminent 

com:t.:m of government, it is necessary to take a closer look at this argument. 

The operations of the Navy in Yieques take place at both ends of the island. On 

the eastern end, the installations are part of a large military complex known as 

the Atlantic Flett Weapons Training Facility (''A.f.W.T.F."), headquartered at 

Roosevelt Roads Naval Station in Ceiba; Puerto Rico. This facility consists of 

ltlltr (4) !iring rung\!S of which only two (2) are related lo Yicqucs. 

West of the civilian zone in Vicqucs is tile Naval Ammunition Facility 

("N.I\.F.") which encompasses the whole western end of the island. This 

lt1cility is used by the Navy for deep storage of conventional ammunition 

although most of the <tmn1unition is destined for oft~island usc by the Navy, the 

Marines and the Puctto Rico National Guard. 

The land pn:s<:ntly occupied by the N.A.f. is precisely the land which has 

' l.cllcr dated .July 2, t 99J from Mr. F. S. Sterns. Acting Assistant Secretary of the Navy 

for l11sl<1llations and l.:nvironmcnt. ll' Uun. Carlos Romero-Bnn.:..:IU. Resident Commissiom:r of 

Puerto Hi~.:o. 

l /hid. 

2 
56 

been sought by the Municipality of Vicques lo r its economic dcvclopmcnt1 and 

which ILR. 31:!3 I intends the Navy to transfer. Thus, in order t~J mnke an honest 

attl·rnpt to analyze the possibility of the land transfer it is necessary to 

c<IIH.:cntrate on the issues involving only the N.A.F. and not the op~:rutions of the 

Navy in Vieques as a whole. 

Before continuing any further, I believe it is appropriate to reiterate that 

the Govcmmcnt of Puerto Rico supports without reservation all actions taken by 

the President and Congrc~s that are necessary to protect and further the security 

interests of the United States. Governor Rossell{! is keenly aware that the 

prcscncu of the Navy in Pucrt(l Rico, and particularly in Vie<JUCS, is of utmost 

importance in allowing it to conduct operations in support of the national 

defense and the sl!curity policy of thl! United States in this Hemisphere. 

Puerto Rico's steadl~tst support to the Nation's defense should come as no 

surprise. Having one of the Nation's highest enlistment rates, the American 

citizens of Puerto Rico have always had a significant presence in the various 

branches of the armed forces. Our servicemen have participated courageously in 

every war, armed contlict and peacekeeping operation since World War I. Just 

recuntly, a unit of the Puerto Rico National Guard has been selected for possible 

deployment in I Iaiti. 

Moreover, of all the territories that have entered the Union. none has 

sustained as many combat ca$ualties as Puerto Rico. The patriotism of Puerto 

Ricans becomes even more evident when one takes into account that, hccause 

Puerto Rico is not a state, its residents cannot have voting or proportional 

representation in Congress, which possesses the authority to declare war and, 

likcwisu, cannot participate in the election of the President who is the 

Corn 111 ander-i n-C hie f. 

But to contimtc with the land trunsfer issue, allow me to put forth this 

question. Would the security of the United States be put at risk if the lands now 

used by the N.i\.F. arc transferred to the Municipality of Vieques'l We arc 

curtain it would not. Governor Rnssdl6 would not support this bill if he 

believed it would imperil the Nation's security. i\t the same time, I would like 

·' Letter dated May 25, !993 from lion. Manuela Santiago Collazo. Mayor vi' Vicqucs, lo 

linn. Carlos Romero BnrcdO. Rc..:siJcnt Cnmrnissioncr uf Puerto Rico. p. 2 . 
57 

to emphasize that H.R. 3831 does not address, and the administration of 

Governor Rosselli' is not now supporting the closing of the Yicques nmge or 

Inner Range of the A.F.W.T.r. 

Let us then analy:.-:e the reasons for the position taken by the Navy and by 

the Department of Octcnse in opposing the land transfer that would be 

authorized under II.R. 3831 -particularly, two (2) objections set forth in a 

letter of Acting (ieneral Counsel of the Department of Detense, Mr. Dennis II. 

Trosch, to Congressman Ronald Y. Dellums dated May 26, 1994. 

Om: ol" them provides a possible alternative that was clearly spclled~out in 

a sentence which refers to the usefulness and importance of the N.A.F., thus 

"negating the need ti.1r an ammunition resupply ship to steam in the area tor 

every trairing evolution. "

4 The other objection is one of cost. Nevertheless, it 

recognizes the tcasibility of moving the N.A.F. to some other location; be it 

within the A.F.W.T.F., in Roosevelt Roads or elsewhere in the Eastern 

Cnribbcan. Also, part of the relocation cost provides for infrastructure 

construction and/or maintenance that could very well be a sound investment for 

1l1turc civilian usc by the people of Yieques.l 

It seems, thcretore, that the objections presented by the Navy relate more 

to having a convenient and inexpensive storage location rather than the security 

of our Nation. 

Is convenience an acceptable reason for maintaining the N.A.F. in the 

westcm end of Vicqucs over the pressing need l(>r jobs or the U.S. citizens in 

that island? Certainly not. Even if the land transfer will not be a panacea to all 

the socioeconomic problems that the population of Yiequcs now faces, the 

inhnbitants of Vieques deserve to have the means by which they can advance 

their economic tk:vclopment. 

Another reason why the Navy and the Department of Defense oppose the 

·• l.ctkr dated May 2(,, I 994 from Mr. Dennis !L Trosch, Acting Ucncral Counsel of the 

Department of Defense, to Congressman Ro11ald V. Dcllums, p. I. 

~ l~csponsc hy th~ Navy lO inform3tion requested by Ms. Alma Moore. im::h1dcd as nn 

enclosure to a lctkr rrom Admiral E. E. Chrhtl'nsen. Commander Fled Air Carihhean. to 

I Ion. ( ~arlos Ihm"'cro Barcclt'1. Rc!>idcnt Commissioner of Puerto Rit:o, on May f), 1994 

4 
58 

lands transfer is the cost that would be involved in making the land saf~ for 

civilian usc ti·om an environmental standpoint. In a leller I previously referred 

to, they link this environmental concern with requiring payment fi>r the land that 

they an.: asked to revert to civili~n usc, and I quote: 

[aJny legislation ~hould address the significant cost of 

de<mllp for residential and educational use by either 

requiring the payment of fair market value or by 

including a substantial appropriation for environmental 

remediation. 

End of quote. 

If the operation of the N.A.F. in Vieques has had an adverse 

environmental impact whiclt must be remedied this should not be a reason for 

exacting payment ii·om the Municipality of Viequcs tor land it needs to fUJther 

the continued economic development of the island. The cost of any 

environmental remedial action should be borne by the Navy. 

Moreover, when needed for the development of a community, li:dcral 

lands h:wc traditionally been transterred without cost as is proposed by the 

sponsors of this bill and by the Vicques tnunicipal government. At this time 

there an; two (2) land transli:rs that arc being handled by the Commission for 

th<! Transfer ol' I .ami and oth<.:r Federal Properties, of which I am its Chairman, 

without cost to the Municipality of Vieques. One, is the transfer of sixty nine 

({J'J) acr<.:s of land for the development of a sports complex; am! the other, is the 

transl\:r of ninety~scven (97) acres of land located next to the landfill, which will 

be tell undeveloped so as to provide a butTer zone between the landfill and nthcr 

dcvdopnH:nts. 

Yet, the people of Vio::qucs ne~d more land in order to increase the 

prospect of building a better life for themselves. That is why the transfer of 

lands provided by this bill will certainly have an urgently needed positive impact 

on tlw community. It will provide land for economic development ami 

opportunities, such as in the nrea of tourism while at the same time providing 

roo111 l(u· othn pressing needs such as schools, child care centers, ho~pitals, 

puhli~ housing and still ~om<: others. But this is an ar~a that l will leave for the 

Mayor of' Viequcs to dc:scrib<: in detail, Hllhough rest assured that the Vieques 

5 
59 

municipal government will haw the complete support of the Governor and of 

the v:~rious st•ttc governmental agcm:ics that will be involved in this important 

L'ndcavor. The stale government of Puerto Rico stands ready to prepare in close 

coordination and collaboration with the municipal government of Yicques, a 

detailed plan tor the usc and development of the 8,000 acres of land should 

Congre~s order their transfer w that the land is well managed and utilized to 

further the cr<.:ation of jobs, environmental protection, housing, recreation, and 

social needs of the people of Vieques and Puerto Rico. 

In the past, and especially after the agreement of October II , 1983 

between the Government of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Navy -better known as 

the Memorandum of Understnnding- expectations wen~ too high as to the 

<~ssistance thllt the Navy could provide in the economic development of Yicqucs. 

For cxamrlc, when explaining the eftorts that the Navy W\luld undertake to 

assist their neighboring civilian community, that document stated, and I quote: 

Primary among them is an ongoing effort to seek out 

and encourage civilian industry to locate their 

operations on the Island. 

The Navy will work with Commonwealth agc:ncics and 

groups to seck grants, start up ti.mds and financial 

assistance from other federal departments for usc: on 

Viequcs ;~nd make every meaningful eftort within its 

power to obtain li.1ll employment on the Island.(' 

End of quote. 

I do not doubt the Navy's good intentions, but 1 do question the ability of 

a branch of th<: armed li>rccs to promote the continued economic development of 

a civilian community --it is certainly neither the proper role nor the mission of 

the Department of !Jcli:nsc to do so. Nevertheless, the inability of the Navy to 

1l1lly comply with the Memorandum of Understanding shows that the 

Municipality of Vicques ;~nd the Government of Puerto Rico arc in a much 

1

' Dm.: umcnl proviUcd by lht• U .S. Navy anti included as an enclo sure to u lc11cr <.latcd May 

9, 1')94 from Rc+.ar Admiral E. E. Chri~ en .s en~ Commandt: r Fl~ct Air Carihhc;U1. 1o Hun. 

Carlos Humcrn BurcdU, Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico. 
60 

better position to >et forth the framework and provide the incentives li1r the 

economic development of the island. Abo, both state and local governments arc 

in a better position to address and look atlcr other issues of great irnpor1ance to 

the citi;r.enship they arc elected to serve such as the protection of the 

environment. 

This is why we arc somewhat puzzleu when the Navy poses till.' protl·ction 

of the environment as a reason for opposing the lands transtcr proposed in H.R. 

)8) f. We certainly apprcci<~te their concern . llowever, the Navy co ulu haruly 

he mon.: interested or better able to protect the environment in Vicques than the 

(iov.:rnmcnt of Puerto Rico and the Municipality of Vieques is. Not only docs 

the Municip<rlity of Viequcs must abide by federal en vironmental legislation. but 

it must comply with our own state legislation anu with the rcgulati(HlS of various 

state agencies whose task is to protect and to care for (lUI' rwtural n:smrrces. 

The U.S. Navy should not be con~crncd either by the possibility of 

uncurtailcd development tlwt does not abide with, or th<Jt tries tu sidestep. 

environ111cntal laws. On the contrary, the Autonomous Municip<di tics Act of 

Puerto Rico, under which the Municipality of Vicques is governed, establishes a 

very rigorous procedure for all municipal government to follow as provided in 

Artici<.: 11.04, and I quote: 

ln order to Custer maximum compatibility between the 

Territorial Planning Strategy with the regional anu 

statewide public policies of the Govcrnrm:nt of Puerto 

Rico. the initial approva l of the Territorial !'Ianning 

Stn1tcgy, and revision of par1s thereof, is retained fur 

the central (jovcrnrnent through the Planning Bo,rrd. 

End of quote . 

This is a reliable nnd effective sal~guard for the sound us<: of the l<md that 

II.R. 1KJ I intt.:mb to revert to the Municipality of Vicqut.:s. Also, hci<Jrt.: the 

Municipality of Vicques can put into operation its Te rritorial l'lanrring Strategy. 

it will need lo comply with the regulations of other st;tte and federal agen cie~ 

such as the Puerto Rico Environmental Quality 13oard, the U.S. Corps of 

l~nginc.!t:rs and various other~. 

7 
61 

We know that the people of Yi.:qucs not only enjoy and take pride in the 

immense natural beauty of their Island. but sine.: they want to develop a 

tourism-oriented economic base', it makes sense that they would b..: V<.!ry 

intt;rested in the protection of their envimnmcnt. Its unspoiled and unique 

naturul resources -for example, three (3) of the world's seven (7) 

bioluminescent bays nrc located in this Island- could very well prove to be its 

major tourist attrac!ion and especially with the development of what we 

nowadays know as ecotourism. Thus. even if it is true that over forty seven (47) 

percent of the land in the N.A.f'. is not suitahlc for any kind of development" 

this would not negate the usefulness of the l:lnds transfer to the Municipality of 

Vic(1ucs. 

Instead, this transter will provide incentives for the Municipality and fi.>r 

the people of Vieques to decide, with the assistance of the str1te government of 

l'ucrto Rim, what is best tor their well-being, rather than having the Navy 

decide for them. 1\lso, this land transfer wnu ld providt; the mt!;llls ti>r the 

development of an improved re lationship between the Navy nnd the people of 

Yicque~ -a cnnti nuing relationship that henctits both the civilian population of 

Yicques and the defense preparedness that the Navy strives to maintain. 

Let us allow the American citizens of Vi cqucs to stand f(,i· themselves, 

and let us give th..:m the means by which they can achieve their goals. 1\tlcr all, 

government -of which the Navy and the rest of the 1\rmcd foor~cs an~ an 

important pmt ... exists tor the benefit of the people and not vice versa. 

Thank you very much. 

1 l.cllcr dated May 25, 1993, from the Mayor of' Vicqucs, lion. Manucb Santiago 

('olla'lo, lo I I on. Curios Romero Oan.:cl6, Rc~idL•n t <.'ommissi(l!H.::r or Pu~rto Rico, p. 2. 

It l.cllcr thllcd iYlay 26, Jt)'J4, l'rom Mr. Dennis II. Trosch, t\·..::ting (icn...:ral Coun:->d or lhe 

I )cp,Jrtmcnt of Dcrcnsc, to Congressman Ronald V . Ddlums. 

8 
62 

Mr. DE LUGO. Thank you very much, Mr. Secretary. You say in 

your statement it seems the objections to H.R. 3831 presented by 

the Navy relate more to having a convenient and inexpensive storage location. On what do you base that conclusion? 

Mr. CORRADA DEL RIO. I think it appears from the letters that 

have been sent and even from the testimony of Admiral 

Christensen today. It is not a question of national security to keep 

the ammunition facilities in that particular tract of lands, it is a 

matter of convenience, of having it there readily accessible or because it may be too costly to move them to Roosevelt Roads. 

So the question is not of national security, the question is one of 

convenience or inconvenience to the Navy and the possible cost of 

relocation. And I think that it would be important in the work of 

Congress to assess what that cost of relocation; what the alternatives or options are or may be, including removal or relocation 

to the eastern part of Vieques, the use of naval, of vessels as ammunition, as a munition facility, the use of Roosevelt Roads, or any 

other alternative that might be located. And, also, the question of 

cost. 

Now, I heard here the figure of $300 million to do this relocation. 

To me, it appears to be a very staggering figure. It is an important 

figure. But it is a one-shot deal. It is a cost of relocating elsewhere. 

Once that cost is eliminated, it is nonrecurrent. 

Now, I wonder what the annual cost or the long-term cost of the 

utilization of those 8,000 acres represent to the people of Vieques 

and the people of Puerto Rico. If those 8,000 acres could be utilized 

for job creation, tourism, protection of the environment and housing and all the other elements, I venture to say that in 10 to 12 

years, the benefits to the people of Vieques would very highly surpass $300 million. 

In other words, it is either the nonrecurrent cost of $300 million 

or keeping the people of Vieques recurringly in a situation where 

they stand to lose millions and millions of dollars, which not only 

mean money but happiness and well-being to these people. 

And, again, I have to question at this time, for lack of expertise, 

advice on this matter, whether the actual cost of relocation would 

be $300 million. But I think that the adverse economic impact on 

the people of Vieques of the use of this 8,000 acres goes way above 

$300 million when you look at the continuing impact that this represents on a year-by-year basis. 

These are the limits that have to be considered by the Congress, 

and Governor Rossello certainly supports this bill. Mr. DE LUGO. That is a very good point you make. 

There are those in Congress, Mr. Secretary, and elsewhere who 

would argue the Navy is entitled to have this "convenient and inexpensive location" since they paid fair market value for the land 

back in the early 1940s. 

What is your reaction to such comments? 

Mr. CoRRADA DEL RIO. Well, I think you have to address these 

issues on the basis of a changing world and changing circumstance. 

And the fact that they paid back in 1941, because there were compelling reasons to acquire that land and they paid the market 

value, does not mean that simply because it is convenient to retain 
63 

the 8,000 acres they should retain them, when there is a more compelling reason why the 8,000 acres at this time and toward the end 

of the 21st century may be much better put to use by the civilian 

population and the people of Vieques and Puerto Rico than the 

Navy based on current needs. Mr. DE LUGO. Thank you, Mr. Secretary. 

The gentleman from Puerto Rico. Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

Mr. Secretary, let me congratulate you on a very, very complete 

and very good statement. I wanted to just underscore something 

that you mentioned about it is a matter of feasibility, it is a matter 

of cost, it is not a matter of national security. The cost of the $300 

million, when the Admiral testified that at most what they really 

need is 60 magazines. He said 60 magazines were going to be built 

in Roosevelt Roads, it would cost $50 million per magazine for a 

depot, that seems like an enormous amount of money for one magazine. 

So $300 million-the Navy and the Army and the Air Force, I 

think all three government service branches have a tendency to, 

whatever they do seems to cost more than what anybody else does. 

So that is why I wanted him to examine the estimates, because I 

think we should have that analyzed by maybe the Public Works 

Department or somebody else that could take a look at it, because 

it seems to be very, very expensive. 

I really agree with your testimony, your statement, 100 percent. 

I do not think there is any need for me to ask you questions, it 

would be just to make you repeat what you have said, but I wanted 

to make that clarification and thank you for what you said. 

Mr. DE LUGO. Thank you very much, Mr. Secretary. You have 

been most helpful to the committee. 

Mr. CORRADA DEL RIO. Thank you very much. 

Mr. DE LUGO. Now, our next witness is the Mayor of Vieques, the 

Honorable Manuela Santiago-Collazo. Mayor Santiago was born on 

Vieques, the youngest of seven children and graduated magna cum 

laude in her graduate and undergraduate studies in her education 

at the University of Puerto Rico. 

She has worked for 28 years to improve educational resources for 

her island, the Island of Vieques, and she became the first woman 

to hold the position of Mayor of Vieques. Our congratulations to 

you, Your Honor, and welcome to the committee. Your statement, 

without objection, will be made a part of the record at this point 

and you may proceed by summarizing or as you wish. 

STATEMENT OF MANUELA SANTIAGO-COLLAZO, MAYOR, 

VIEQUES, PR, ACCOMPANIED BY ANTONIO MONROIG, LEGAL 

COUNSEL, MUNICIPALITY OF VIEQUES, AND MARIA 

SALAZAR, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, VIEQUES NONPROFIT 

CORPORATION 

Ms. SANTIAGO-COLLAZO. Good afternoon. My name is Manuela 

Santiago Collazo and I have been the mayor of the Island Municipality ofVieques since January of 1985. Before that, I served in the 

municipal assembly for two terms. 
64 

Vieques, as you well know, is an island of 20 miles long by 4.5 

miles wide and two-thirds of our island has been under the jurisdiction of the Navy since 1940. We are proud that we have contributed to the national defense 

of our country during the Second World War and all subsequent 

conflicts in which our Nation has been involved, be it in far away 

Korea, Vietnam, or the Persian Gulf or our close neighbors Grenada, Panama and Haiti. Our island has been used for assault landing practices, 

bombarded for over 50 years with every conceivable weapon, except 

nuclear or biological, and has served as a rest and recreation site 

for our military personnel suffering from exhaustion and mental 

ailments. Civilian residents of Vieques have endured the noise of 

explosions and the risks to their life, health, and environment with 

courage and resignation. But the time has come that we get back 

part of our land so that Vieques may develop its resources to benefit our population. 

When the Navy took over our lands, we had a population of 

15,000 people. Let me tell you that during the first 10 years, people 

went to different places, most especially to Saint Croix and the Virgin Islands. The Viequenses, as our residents are called, have been 

forced to leave their homes because of lack of development and the 

burden of living under the constant shelling and bombarding of the 

Navy. 

Our island have been divided in three areas: The eastern part 

used by the Navy for target practice, the central part used by the 

residents of the municipality, and the western third used as a 

depot. 

H.R. 3831 proposes the return of the western portion of Vieques 

back to the civilian use so that we may develop and create economic communities for our people. We fully support the enactment 

of H.R. 3831 as a measure of justice. Since the Navy took our 

lands, our sugar industry disappeared and we have not been able 

to utilize our natural resources to benefit our community. 

Tourism can be an important industry for our island as it has 

been for all the Caribbean Islands that are remote. The return of 

the Navy land will allow Vieques to develop tourism to create jobs 

and energize our economy. 

Since we have no land available to permit projects to ameliorate 

the critical housing situation and to build new recreational and 

educational facilities, the growing crime rate hangs over us as the 

clearest manifestation of the critical economic situation. We have 

unemployment rates higher than 15 percent, and this is real and 

official. Our per capita income, according to the 1990 Census, is 

$2,997, one of the lowest per capita incomes in Puerto Rico and in 

the whole United States. 

The Viequense families with an income below the established 

poverty level reached 70 percent in 1989. 

Women must be flown by emergency planes to the main island 

of Puerto Rico to give birth due to the poor conditions of the 

Vieques hospital. 

We also suffer from the highest rate of broken families and the 

highest infant mortality index among Puerto Rico's 78 municipalities. 
65 

The Vieques student in quest of a higher education has to travel 

to Puerto Rico to obtain a university degree and then with no hope 

of returning to Vieques due to the lack of employment opportunities. Many of the students travel to the main island on a daily 

basis in the decrepit, obsolete, and hazardous transportation system owned and operated by the state government. 

We do not ask for welfare or subsidies, rather we first ask to 

have the right to enjoy the fruits of our labor and to provide an 

adequate standard of living for the people of Vieques. 

In 1983, then-Governor of Puerto Rico, Carlos Romero-Barcelo, 

and the Navy signed an agreement whereby the Puerto Rican government agreed to drop all litigations in court against the military 

for ecological and economic damage in exchange for a Navy commitment to mitigate ecological damage of their activities and help 

with local economic development. This agreement is known as the 

Memorandum ofUnderstanding-MOU. In it the Navy recognizes "that the Navy activities on the Island 

of Vieques may have a potential detrimental impact on the social 

and economic development of the island." It also recognizes its obligation to be a good neighbor to the people of Vieques and will continue to strive to improve the welfare of the island's people. 

Its most prominent parts are: Community assistance, land use, ordinance delivery in the inner range on Vieques, and environmental matters. 

The Navy promised that together with the Puerto Rican government agencies and groups, they would work to seek grants, startup funds and financial assistance from other Federal departments 

for use in Vieques and make every meaningful effort within its 

power to obtain full employment on the island. Even though it was 

not specified in the memorandum, at least 500 jobs were promised. 

Our municipal government has never obtained grants through 

the Navy's efforts. 

Even though the government of Puerto Rico and the Navy have 

tried to stimulate industry and job creation, it has been possible to 

sustain manufacturing industries in Vieques. 

Forty-four years of bombarding, including napalm in Vieques has 

been painful to the environment of the island. The Navy nevertheless has been careful not to destroy turtles and pelicans because 

they are protected species, but now it is time to protect the people 

of Vieques which, to us, are at least as important as turtles and 

pelicans. 

Last year, on a Sunday, October 24, 1993, 10:20 p.m., the whole 

Island of Vieques was totally shaken and taken aback by the 

strangest and most eerie noise. Since it was common knowledge 

that military maneuvers were taking place, we understood that 

was due to this fact and immediately called the NAF, Camp Garcia, and Roosevelt Roads requesting an explanation. But to no 

avail. 

Mter waiting for more than an hour, when everyone refused to 

identify themselves, we called the observation post and were informed that the Navy had canceled all mi.titary maneuvers for the 

night. Upon learning that all maneuvers had been canceled, I realized that something very dangerous had happened that could seriously affect the lives of all of us and requested additional informa-
66 

tion. But, again, deaf ears. Very little sapience. I was simply advised that I would receive detailed information the next day. 

True to their word, the next day we were informed that by an 

error in judgment, a pilot had dropped five bombs outside the inner 

range and that they had fallen 2.5 miles from Isabel II, our urban 

area. That is 1.5 miles from our solid waste facility that is patrolled on a 24-hour basis. 

We were also advised than experts in deactivating bombs were 

on their way to Vieques and that four bombs had already been 

found. 

Mr. Chairman, do you think that the people of Massachusetts 

would have tolerated such a Navy's presence in Martha's Vineyard 

or the people of California on Catalina Island, or the people of the 

Carolinas in the Outer Banks? Of course no. The time has come to 

do justice to the loyal American citizens of Puerto Rico by letting 

Vieques enjoy its land for its benefit. 

Recently Hawaii was given back the island of Kahoolawe which 

was uninhabited and had been used for target practice. Our island 

bears a larger burden because it is inhabited by human beings. 

A new world order has been in the making in recent years. With 

the demise of the Soviet Union, national defense priorities have 

changed and it is important that the western part of our island is 

returned to us so we may pursue our happiness and improve the 

living standards of our people. 

Thank you very much. [Prepared statement of Ms. Santiago-Collazo follows:] 
67 

WRl'ITEN STATEMENT OF THE 

HONORABLE MANUELA SANTIAGO-COLLAZO 

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SUBCOMMITTEE ON INSULAR AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS 

OCTOBER 4, 1994 
68 
69 

GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS MANUELA SANTIAGO COlLAZO AND 

I HAVE BEEN MAYOR OF THE ISLAND MUNICIPALITY OF VIEQUES SINCE 

JANUARY OF 1985. BEFORE THAT I SERVED IN THE MUNICIPAL ASSEMBLY 

FOR EIGHT YEARS. 

VIEQUES, AS YOU WELL KNOW, IS AN ISLAND OF TWENTY MILES 

LONG BY FOUR AND A HALF MILES WIDE AND THREE FOURTHS OF OUR 

ISLAND HAS BEEN UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE NAVY SINCE 1940. 

WE ARE PROUD THAT WE HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE NATIONAL 

DEFENSE OF OUR COUNTRY DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR AND ALL 

SUBSEQUENT CONFLICTS IN WHICH OUR NATION HAS BEEN INVOLVED, BE 

IT IN FAR AWAY KOREA, VIETNAM, OR THE PERSIAN GULF OR OUR CLOSE 

NEIGHBORS GRENADA, PANAMA AND HAITI. 

OUR ISLAND HAS BEEN USED FOR ASSAULT LANDING PRACTICES, 

BOMBARDED FOR OVER 50 YEARS WITH EVERY CONCEIVABLE WEAPON, 

EXCEPI' NUCLEAR OR BIOLOGICAL, AND HAS SERVED AS A REST AND 

RECREATION SITE FOR OUR MILITARY PERSONNEL SUFFERING FROM 

EXHAUSTION AND MENTAL AILMENTS. CIVILIAN RESIDENTS OF VIEQUES 

HAVE ENDURED THE NOISE OF EXPLOSIONS AND THE RISKS TO THEIR 

LIFE, HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT WITH COURAGE AND RESIGNATION. 

BUT THE TIME HAS COME THAT WE GET BACK PART OF OUR LAND SO 
70 

THAT VIEQUES MAY DEVELOP ITS RESOURCES TO BENEFIT OUR 

POPULATION. 

VIEQUES HAS A RICH HISTORY. IT WAS DISCOVERED BY 

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS ON NOVEMBER 16, 1493, THREE DAYS BEFORE 

HE DISCOVERED THE MAINLAND OF PUERTO RICO. 

SINCE THEN IT WAS INHABITED BY THE SPANIARDS, THE ENGLISH 

AND THE FRENCH, UNTIL THE YEAR 1844 WHEN IT WAS ESTABLISHED AS 

A MUNICIPALITY. 

OUR ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL LIFESTYLE WAS 

NOTEWORTHY. 

THE SUGAR CANE INDUSTRY OPERATED FOUR SUGAR MILLS WHICH 

BROUGHT TO LIFE GREAT SPLENDOR AND ECONOMIC WELL-BEING FOR 

THE VIEQUENSES, AS OUR PEOPLE ARE AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN. SUGAR 

CANE WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES WERE IMPORTED FROM THE LESSER 

ANTILLES AND FROM TOWNS BORDERING THE EASTERN COAST OF 

PUERTO RICO. 

3 
71 

DURING THE EARLY 1940's, MORE THAN 15,000 VIEQUENSES LIVED 

HAPPILY IN OUR ISLAND OF VIEQUES. 

DURING THE DECADES OF THE 20's AND 30's, THE ISLAND OF 

VIEQUES SHONE AS A BRIGHT STAR AMONG THE 78 MUNICIPALITIES OF 

PUERTO RICO. 

THE VIEQUENSES ARE GOOD-NATURED, SKILLED LABORERS, 

TRUSTWORTHY AND LOYAL. AS EVERY OTHER CITIZEN IN THE WORLD, 

THEY HOPE FOR A BETTER WAY AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THEIR 

CHILDREN AND TO PROVIDE THEIR FAMILIES WITH IMPROVED 

EDUCATIONAL AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES. 

DURING THE DECADE OF THE 1940's, THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE 

NAVY OCCUPIED MORE THAN 78% OF OUR LAND TO ESTABLISH TWO 

MILITARY BASES AS PART OF THE ROOSEVELT ROADS COMPLEX. THIS 

ACTION BRINGS FORTH THE TOTAL DECAY OF THE SUGAR INDUSTRY IN 

OUR ISLAND. THE TWO BASES LOCATED IN VIEQUES ARE STILL KNOWN 

AS CAMP GARCIA ON THE EASTERN COAST AND THE NAF ON THE 

WESTERN COAST. 

4 
72 

IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WHEN THE NAVY TOOK OVER THE 

LAND IN VIEQUES, IT MOVED ITS INHABITANTS TO ANOTHER AREA, 

OWNED BY THEM, CLOSE TO ISABEL II, OUR URBAN CENTER. 

THE DISPLACED VIEQUENSES WERE GIVEN A LETTER BY THE NAVY 

ADVISING THEM THAT THE LAND AND HOUSES TO WHICH THEY WERE 

BEING MOVED BELONGED TO THE NAVY, AND IF NEEDED THEY WERE TO 

ABANDON SAME IN 24 HOURS. 

MANY VIEQUENSES ENJOYED THIS "NEW AND TEMPORARY 

BONANZA" BROUGHT FORTH BY THE MILITARY CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY. 

HOWEVER, THE GREATEST MAJORITY OF THE DISPLACED 

VIEQUENSES FELT THAT THEY HAD BEEN BANISHED FROM THEIR HOMES, 

FROM THEIR LAND AND FROM THEIR PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT. THEY FELT 

LIKE EXILES IN THEIR HOMELAND AND DECIDED TO EMIGRATE TO NEW 

YORK AND SAINT CROIX IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS, WHICH AT THE TIME 

WAS EXPERIENCING A FLOURISHING SUGAR CANE INDUSTRY. 

KNOWN AS THE EXODUS. WE LOST MORE THAN 7,000 INHABITANTS. 

5 
73 

TIIE VIEQUENSES HAVE BEEN FORCED TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES 

BECAUSE OF LACK OF DEVELOPMENT AND TIIE BURDEN OF LIVING 

UNDER THE CONSTANT SHELLING AND BOMBARDING OF TIIE NAVY. 

PUERTO RICANS OBTAINED THEIR AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP IN THE 

YEAR 1917 AND SINCE TIIEN WE ARE U.S. CITIZENS BY RIGHT AND WITII 

LOVE. 

WE HAVE COURAGEOUSLY RESPONDED TO THE CALL OF OUR 

COUNTRY AND HAVE SPILLED THE BLOOD OF OUR CHILDREN TOGETHER 

WITH THE GALLANT AND BRAVE AMERICAN SOLDIERS DRENCHING FAR 

AWAY LANDS; SUCH AS, EUROPE- KOREA AND VIETNAM, IN OUR QUEST TO 

DEFEND AND UPHOLD OUR DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM AND WAY OF LIFE. 

WE CARE. 

OUR ISLAND HAS BEEN DIVIDED INTO THREE AREAS; THE EASTERN 

PART USED BY THE NAVY FOR TARGET PRACTICE, TIIE CENTRAL PART 

USED BY THE RESIDENTS OF TIIE MUNICIPALITY AND THE WESTERN 

TIIIRD USED AS A DEPOT. 

6 
74 

H.R. 3831, KNOWN AS THE LANDS TRANSFER ACT, PROPOSES THE 

RETURN OF THE WESTERN PORTION OF VIEQUES BACK TO CIVILIAN USE 

SO THAT WE MAY DEVELOP AND CREATE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR 

OUR PEOPLE. WE FULLY SUPPORT THE ENACTMENT OF H.R. 3831 AS A 

MEASURE OF JUSTICE. 

THE CENTRAL PART OF THE ISLAND, KNOWN AS THE CIVILIAN AREA 

IS COMPRISED OF 7,000 ACRES. OF THIS, MORE OR LESS 4,000 ACRES ARE 

OWNED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF PUERTO RICO WHO LEASES MOST OF 

THEM TO SMALL AGRICULTURAL CONCERNS. OF THE REMAINING 3,000 

ACRES, 1,000AREOWNEDBYSMALLPRIVATELANDOWNERS,LEAVING2,000 

ACRES FOR USE AND DEVELOPMENT BY THE CIVILIAN POPULATION AND 

OUR MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT. 

THE NAVY'S OCCUPATION OF OUR LAND HAS HAD A HAUNTING AND 

SPIRALLING NEGATIVE EFFECT: 

1. IT HAS AFFECTED ADVERSELY THE CIVILIAN POPULATION 

2. IT HAS DRAMATICALLY REDUCED EMPLOYMENT 

OPPORTUNITIES 

3. IT HAS STUNTED AND ERODED OUR SOCIO-ECONOMIC GROWTH 

7 
75 

SINCE WE HAVE NO LAND AVAILABLE TO IMPLEMENT PROJECTS TO 

AMELIORATE THE CRITICAL HOUSING SITUATION AND TO BUILD NEW 

RECREATIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES; THE GROWING CRIME 

RATE HANGS OVER US AS THE CLEAREST MANIFESTATION OF THE 

CRITICAL ECONOMIC SITUATION. 

WE HAVE AN UNEMPLOYMENT RATE HIGHER THAN 50 PERCENT 

(REAL, NON-OFFICIAL) AND OUR PER CAPITA INCOME, ACCORDING TO THE 

1990 CENSUS IS $2,997, ONE OF THE LOWEST PER CAPITA INCOME IN 

PUERTO RICO AND IN THE WHOLE UNITED STATES. 

THE VIEQUENSE FAMILIES WITH AN INCOME BELOW THE 

ESTABLISHED POVERTY LEVEL REACHED 70 PERCENT IN 1989. 

WOMEN MUST BE FLOWN BY EMERGENCY PLANES TO THE MAIN 

ISLAND OF PUERTO RICO TO GIVE BIRTH, DUE TO THE POOR CONDITIONS 

OF THE VIEQUES HOSPITAL. 

WE ALSO SUFFER FROM THE HIGHEST RATE OF BROKEN FAMILIES 

AND THE HIGHEST INFANT MORTALITY INDEX AMONG PUERTO RICO'S 78 

MUNICIPALITIES. 

8 
76 

THE VIEQUENSE STUDENT IN QUEST OF A HIGHER EDUCATION HAS 

TO TRAVEL TO PUERTO RICO TO OBTAIN A UNIVERSITY DEGREE; AND 

THEN ·WITH NO HOPE OF RETURNING TO VIEQUES DUE TO THE LACK OF 

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES. 

MANY OF THE STUDENTS TRAVEL TO THE MAIN ISLAND ON A DAILY 

BASIS IN THE DECREPIT, OBSOLETE AND HAZARDOUS TRANSPORTATION 

SYSTEM, OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE GOVERNMENT. 

THEY ARE BOUND TO THIS NEVER-ENDING FATE BECAUSE THEIR 

FAMILY'S PRECARIOUS ECONOMIC SITUATION PREVENTS THEM FROM 

BOARDING IN PUERTO RICO. 

IN THE LATE 1970's AND DUE TO THE DECLINING ECONOMIC 

SITUATION AND THE FISHING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN AREAS AND 

DURING CERTAIN TIMES WHEN THE NAVY CONDUCTED MILITARY 

MANEUVERS THE VIEQUENSE FISHERMEN SPEARHEADED A DRIVE TO 

STOP THE BOMBING ON THE ISLAND AND END RESTRICTIONS ON FISHING. 

MOST OF THE PEOPLE REBELLED AGAINST THE NAVY'S PRESENCE ON THE 

ISLAND, AND MANY OF THEM WERE ARRESTED. 

9 
77 

MANY OF THOSE ARRESTED WERE PROHIBITED TO ENTER ALL OF 

THE NAVY-OWNED LANDS, A PROHIBITION THAT STILL STANDS TODAY. IT 

IS PAINFUL AND OUTRIGHT DEMEANING NOT TO ALLOW AMERICAN 

CITIZENS TO ENTER THE LAND WHERE THEY WERE BORN. 

IN 1980, CONGRESSMAN, RON DELLUMS DIRECTED A HOUSE ARMED 

SERVICES COMMITI'EE PANEL REVIEW OF THE NA VYTRAINING ACTIVITIES 

ON THE ISLAND OF VIEQUES. THIS PANEL CONCLUDED IN ITS FINAL 

REPORT TO THE COMMITI'EE THAT THE NAVY "SHOULD LOCATE AN 

ALTERNATIVE SITE" AND THAT "IN THE INTERIM:, THE NAVY SHOULD 

MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE COMMONWEALTH OF 

PUERTO RICO IN IM:PLEMENTING PROGRAMS TO ALLEVIATE THE IM:PACT 

OF ITS ACTIVITIES AND IN PARTICULAR, EXPLORE TURNING OVER 

ADDITIONAL LAND TO THE ISLAND FOR CIVILIAN USE". 

IN 1980, THE NAVY SOLD THE MONTE SANTO AND SANTA MARIA 

RESETTLEMENT AREAS TO THE GOVERNMENT OF PUERTO RICO; THESE 

AREAS HAD BEEN INHABITED BY VIEQUENSE FAMILIES SINCE THE 1940's. 

WHEN SQUATI'ERS, VERY LOW AND LOW-INCOME VIEQUENSE 

FAMILIES, TOOK OVER WHAT IS KNOWN AS THE SANTA MARIA GRAZING TO 

BUILD THEIR HUMBLE HOMES, AND THE NAVY COULD NOT STOP THEIR 

10 
78 

INFLUX, THEN- THEY SOLD THIS LAND TO THE GOVERNMENT OF PUERTO 

RICO. TODAY- THE AREA- MAINLY KNOWN AS VILLA BORINQUEN IS 

HOME TO HUNDREDS OF THESE NEEDY VIEQUENSES- WHO HAVE FINALLY 

ACHIEVED THE ALL-AMERICAN DREAM OF LAND AND HOME OWNERSHIP. 

MOST RECENTLY, THE NAVY SOLD TO THE GOVERNMENT OF PUERTO 

RICO 320 ACRES DUE TO ANOTHER SQUATTER TAKE OVER. THIS 

SITUATION IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE VILLA BORINQUEN LAND SITE; 

SINCE THE INHABITANTS OF THIS PLOT CAN BE CONSIDERED 

SPECULATORS AND NON-VIEQUENSES. 

BEING RESPONSIBLE AND FORTHRIGHT ADMINISTRATORS, WE 

CANNOT DENY THAT THE NAVY HAS CONVEYED APPROXIMATELY 200 

ACRES- DECLARED EXCESS PROPERTY- TO THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT 

TO DESIGN, DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT SPECIFIC PROJECTS. 

NEVERTHELESS, WE NEED SPECIAL CONGRESSIONAL LEGISLATION THAT 

WILL ALLOW OUR MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT TO UTILIZE THIS LAND FOR 

OTHER VALID PURPOSES; SUCH AS, THE DEVELOPMENT AND 

IMPLEMENTATION OF HOUSING AND TOURISM RELATED PROJECTS. 

IN 1983, THEN GOVERNOR OF PUERTO RICO, CARLOS ROMERO 

BARCELO AND THE NAVY, SIGNED AN AGREEMENT WHEREBY THE PUERTO 

11 
79 

RICAN GOVERNMENT AGREED TO DROP ALL LITIGATIONS IN COURT 

AGAINST THE MILITARY FOR ECOLOGICAL AND ECONOMIC DAMAGE IN 

EXCHANGE FOR A NAVY COMMITMENT TO MITIGATE THE ECOLOGICAL 

DAMAGE OF THEIR ACTIVITIES AND HELP WITH LOCAL ECONOMIC 

DEVELOPMENT. 

THIS AGREEMENT IS KNOWN AS THE MEMORANDUM OF 

UNDERSTANDING. 

IN IT THE NAVY RECOGNIZES "THAT THE NAVY ACTIVITIES ON THE 

ISLAND OF VIEQUES MAY HAVE A POTENTIAL DETRIMENTAL IMPACT ON 

THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE ISLAND". IT ALSO 

RECOGNIZES "ITS OBLIGATION TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR TO THE PEOPLE 

OF VIEQUES AND WILL CONTINUE TO STRIVE TO IMPROVE THE WELFARE 

OF THE ISLAND'S PEOPLE. 

ITS MOST PROMINENT PARTS ARE: COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE, LAND 

USE, ORDINANCE DELIVERY IN THE INNER RANGE ON VIEQUES AND 

ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS. 

THE NAVY PROMISED THAT TOGETHER WITH THE PUERTO RICAN 

GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND GROUPS THEY WOULD WORK TO SEEK 

12 
80 

GRANTS, START UP FUNDS AND FINANCIAL ASSISTA.t'\ICE FROM OTHER 

FEDERAL DEPARTMENTS FOR USE IN VIEQUES AND MAKE EVERY 

MEANINGFUL EFFORT, WITHIN ITS POWER, TO OBTAIN FULL EMPLOYMENT 

ON THE ISLAND. EVEN THOUGH IT WAS NOT SPECIFIED IN THE 

MEMORANDUM, AT LEAST 500 JOBS WERE PROMISED. 

OUR MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT HAS NEVER OBTAINED GRANTS 

THROUGH THE NAVY'S EFFORT. 

EVEN THROUGH THE GOVERNMENT OF PUERTO RICO AND THE NAVY 

HAVE TRIED TO STIMULATE INDUSTRY AND JOB CREATION IT HAS BEEN 

IMPOSSIBLE TO SUSTAIN MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES IN VIEQUES. 

THE NAVY SPENDS MILLIONS IN MILITARY-SPONSORED 

MANUFACTURING CONTRACTS IN PUERTO RICO. MOST OF THESE 

INDUSTRIES ARE ESTABLISHED IN MAYAGUEZ AND OTHER 

MUNICIPALITIES OF PUERTO RICO. NONE OF THESE MUNICIPALITIES 

HAVE SACRIFICED THEIR RESIDENTS NOR HAVE THEY SUFFERED FROM 

THE NAVY'S NEGATIVE IMPACT AS VIEQUES HAS. WE ARE LIVING IN A 

CORNER OF OUR ISLAND BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND AND BELIEVE THAT 

WE HAVE TO HAVE THE BEST TRAINED ARMED FORCES TO UPHOLD 

DEMOCRACY AND NATIONAL SECURITY. 

13 
81 

VIEQUES POSSESSES THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THE INDUSTRIAL 

BUILDINGS AND THE BEST TECHNICAL AND QUALIFIED EMPLOYEES. 

ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT ECONOMIC ENTERPRISES--THE 

FISHING INDUSTRY- IS MOST NEGATIVELY AFFECTED DURING THE NAVY'S 

MANEUVER ACTIVITIES. THE FISHERMEN ARE NOT ALLOWED TO FISH; 

AND, IN ADDITION, THEW AR VESSELS DESTROY THEIR NETS AND FISHING 

DEVICES. OUR FISHERMEN ARE NEVER COMPENSATED FOR THESE 

LOSSES. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE TAKE NOTE OF THE FACT THAT OUR 

FISHERMEN HAVE RESORTED TO THE ART OF DEEP-SEA DIVING TO 

ACHIEVE GOOD FISHING; BUT, THEY NOW FACE AN EVEN GREATER RISK -

GETTING THE BENDS- A DISABLING CONDITION THAT CONFINES THEM TO 

A WHEEL CHAIR FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES. 

THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING ALSO PROVIDES FOR THE 

IMPLEMENTATION OF A FORESTRY PROGRAM IN NAVY LAND WHEREBY 

THE NAVY AGREES TO DEVELOP AND PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT. 

14 
82 

ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, THE NAVY PROCEEDED TO PLANT SEVERAL 

HUNDRED MAHOGANY TREES ON THE WESTERN PART. THE NAVY AGREED 

TO MAINTAIN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FOREST UNTIL IT IS 

FINANCIALLY SELF-SUSTAINING THROUGH HARVESTING AND 

REFORESTATION. 

BUT, THIS INDUSTRY WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR THE VIEQUENSES 

IN AT LEAST 30 YEARS; AND, IN ADDITION THE STATUTORY FRAMEWORK 

FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF PROFITS FROM SUCH A NAVY MANAGED 

FOREST (10 USC 2665) IF ANY, WILL HELP US TO ALLEVIATE THE 

DEVASTATING ECONOMIC SITUATION OF OUR ISLAND. 

IN RELATION TO THE ADVANCES DELIVERY INNER RANGE ON 

VIEQUES THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING STATES THAT THE 

SAFETY OF PERSONNEL (CIVILIAN AND MILITARY) DURING THE CONDUCT 

OF MILITARY TRAINING OPERATIONS IS OF VITAL Il\IIPORTANCE. IT ALSO 

STATES THAT THE NAVY WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE ALL NECESSARY STEPS 

FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE PEOPLE OF VIEQUES FROM MISHAP 

INVOLVING THE USE OF LIVE ORDNANCE AND HIGH POWERED AIRCRAFT 

FLYING ADJACENT TO POPULATED AREAS OF VIEQUES. 

15 
83 

BUT THE PEOPLE OF VIEQUES HAVE HAD THE MOST PAINFUL AND 

TRAGIC EXPERIENCES UPON FINDING LIFE ORDNANCES IN OUR BEACHES. 

MANYVIEQUENSES HAVE BEEN SEVERELY HURT WHEN HANDLING THESE 

LIVE AMMUNITIONS. 

LAST YEAR ON A SUNDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1993, 10:20 P.M. THE WHOLE 

ISLAND OF VIEQUES WAS TOTALLY SHAKEN AND TAKEN A BACK BY THE 

STRANGEST AND MOST EERIE NOISE. 

SINCE IT WAS COMMON KNOWLEDGE THAT MILITARY MANEUVERS 

WERE TAKING PLACE, WE UNDERSTOOD THAT WAS DUE TO THIS FACT 

AND IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE NAF, CAMP GARCIA AND ROOSEVELT 

ROADS REQUESTING AN EXPLANATION. 

BUT, TO NO AVAIL, AFTER WAITING FOR MORE THAN AN HOUR, 

WHEN EVERYONE REFUSED TO IDENTIFY THEMSELVES, WE CALLED THE 

OBSERVATION POST AND WERE INFORMED THAT THE NAVY HAD 

CANCELLED ALL MILITARY MANEUVERS FOR THE NIGHT. UPON 

LEARNING THAT ALL MANEUVERS HAD BEEN CANCELLED, I REALIZED 

THAT SOMETHING VERY DANGEROUS HAD HAPPENED THAT COULD 

SERIOUSLY AFFECT THE LIVES OF ALL OF US AND REQUESTED 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION - BUT, AGAIN, DEAF EARS, VERY LITTLE 

16 
84 

SAPIENCE, I WAS SIMPLY ADVISED THAT I WOULD RECEIVE DETAILED 

INFORMATION THE NEXT DAY. 

TRUE TO THEIR WORD, THE NEXT DAY, WE WERE INFORMED THAT 

BY AN ERROR IN JUDGEMENT A PILOT HAD DROPPED FIVE BOMBS 

OUTSIDE THE INNER RANGE AND THAT THEY HAD FALLEN 2.5 MILES 

FROM ISABEL II, OUR URBAN AREA; THAT IS, 1.5 MILES FROM OUR SOLID 

WASTE FACILITY THAT IS PATROLLED ON A 24- HOUR BASIS. 

WE WERE ALSO ADVISED THAT EXPERTS IN DEACTIVATING BOMBS 

WERE ON THEIR WAY TO VIEQUES- AND THAT FOUR BOMBS HAD ALREADY 

BEEN FOUND. 

NOW - I ASK YOU - DO WE DESERVE TO LIVE WITH THIS CONSTANT 

NIGHTMARE? 

IN RELATION TO ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS, THE NAVY HAS DONE 

A MAGNIFICENT JOB. THEIR CONSTANT PREOCCUPATION WITH 

PROTECTING THE TURTLES AND BROWN PELICANS, ENDANGERED 

SPECIES, HAS BEEN MERITORIOUS AND WORTHY OF COMMENDATION. 

17 
85 

THE NAVY HAS TAKEN ALL NECESSARY MEASURES TO ENSURE ITS 

ACTIVITIES DO NOT JEOPARDIZE THEIR CONTINUED EXISTENCE. 

FORTY FOUR YEARS OF BOMBARDING INCLUDING NAPALM IN 

VIEQUES HAS BEEN PAINFUL TO THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE ISLAND. THE 

NAVY NEVERTHELESS HAS BEEN CAREFUL NOT TO DESTROY TURTLES 

AND PELICANS BECAUSE THEY ARE PROTECTED SPECIES BUT NOW IT IS 

TIME TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE OF VIEQUES WHICH TO US ARE AT LEAST 

AS IMPORTANT AS TURTLES AND PELICANS. 

WE, THE PEOPLE OF VIEQUES STRONGLY ENDORSE AND SUPPORT 

H.R. 3831. 

WE NEED THE LAND: SINCE THE NAVY TOOK OUR LANDS OUR SUGAR 

INDUSTRY DISAPPEARED, OUR RESIDENTS WENT INTO EXILE AND WE 

HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO UTILIZE OUR NATURAL RESOURCES TO BENEFIT 

OUR COMMUNITY. 

THE TOURISM INDUSTRY, AMONG OTHERS, CAN BE AN IMPORTANT 

INDUSTRY FOR OUR ISLAND AS IT HAS BEEN FOR OTHER CARIBBEAN 

ISLANDS THAT ARE REMOTE AND NOT AS BEAUTIFUL AS VIEQUES. 

18 
86 

THE RETURN OF THE NAVY LAND WILL ALLOW VIEQUES TO DEVELOP 

TOURISM TO CREATE JOBS AND ENERGIZE OUR ECONOMY. 

WE ARE AMONG THE POOREST PEOPLE UNDER THE FLAG OF THE 

UNITED STATES. WE DO NOT ASK FOR WELFARE OF SUBSIDIES. RATHER 

WE FIRST ASK TO HAVE THE RIGHT TO ENJOY THE FRUITS OF OUR LABOR 

AND PROVIDE AN ADEQUATE STANDARD OF LIVING FOR THE PEOPLE OF 

VIEQUES. 

MR. CHAIRMAN, DO YOU THINK THAT THE PEOPLE OF 

MASSACHUSE'I'TS WOULD HAVE TOLERATED SUCH A NAVY PRESENCE IN 

MARTHA'S VINEYARD OR THE PEOPLE OF CALIFORNIA IN CATALINA 

ISLAND OR THE PEOPLE OF THE CAROLINAS, IN THE OUTER BANKS? OF 

COURSE NOT. THE TIME HAS COME TO DO JUSTICE TO THE LOYAL 

AMERICAN CITIZENS OF PUERTO RICO BY LE'I'TING VIEQUES ENJOY ITS 

LAND FOR ITS BENEFIT. 

RECENI'LY HAWAII WAS GIVEN BACK THE ISLAND OF KAHOOLAWE 

WHICH WAS UNINHABITED AND HAD BEEN USED FOR TARGET PRACTICE. 

IN ADDITION, CONGRESS ASSIGNED 400 MILLION DOLLARS FOR CLEANING 

THE ISLAND. THE ISLAND BEARS A LARGER BURDEN BECAUSE IT IS 

INHABITED BY HUMAN BEINGS. 

19 
87 

A NEW WORLD ORDER HAS BEEN IN THE MAKING IN RECENT YEARS. 

WITH THE DEMISE OF THE SOVIET UNION, NATIONAL DEFENSE 

PRIORITIES HAVE CHANGED AND WE ARE WILLING TO CONTINUE TO LET 

THE U.S. NAVY USE PART OF OUR LAND, IF IT IS NECESSARY. BUT IT IS 

IMPORTANT THAT THE WESTERN PART OF OUR ISLAND IS RETURNED TO 

US SO WE MAY PURSUE OUR HAPPINESS AND IMPROVE THE LIVING 

STANDARDS OF OUR PEOPLE. 

20 
88 

Mr. DE LUGO. Thank you, Mayor Santiago, for your statement. 

Very moving statement and very strong pronouncement on behalf 

of your people. 

Mayor, Your Honor, would you identify the people that are at the 

witness table with you, please. 

Mr. MONROIG. Yes, Mr. Chairman. My name is Antonio Monroig, 

legal counsel to the Municipality ofVieques here in Washington. 

Ms. SALAZAR. Mr. Chairman, my name is Maria Salazar, and I 

am the Executive Director of a nonprofit corporation in Vieques 

dealing in housing and economic development. 

Mr. DE LUGO. Thank you, and it is a pleasure to have you here 

before the committee. Let me ask you now, Mayor, could you tell 

the committee how you arrived at the 50 percent unemployment 

figure for Vieques. 

Ms. SANTIAGO-COLLAZO. Yes, we conducted a survey house by 

house, business by business, everything where people were working, we just survey it and it is more than 50 percent. 

Mr. DE LUGO. More than 50 percent. 

Ms. SANTIAGO-COLLAZO. The unemployment. 

Mr. DE LUGO. You feel confident that this is an accurate representation of the economic situation on Vieques having gone house 

to house to establish this? 

Ms. SANTIAGO-COLLAZO. Yes, that is true. 

Mr. DE LuGo. Thank you. You state in your testimony that in 

1982, the Navy sold what is now Villa Borinquen to the government of Puerto Rico. How much land was involved and what is the 

land being used for now? How was it subdivided? 

Ms. SANTIAGO-COLLAZO. Well, by 1980, the Navy sold two 

resettlements, Monte Santo and Santa Maria settlement areas, but 

those areas were inhabited by the people that they moved from the 

other areas to an area next to the urban area, Monte Santo and 

Santa Maria. 

Mr. DE LuGo. So the Navy had resettled people from its land? 

Ms. SANTIAGO-COLLAZO. Yes. 

Mr. DE LUGO. To this other land? 

Ms. SANTIAGO-COLLAZO. Yes. And in 1980, they sold that land to 

the state government, especially to the land administration agency. 

Mr. DE LUGO. What happened? Did the people who were living 

on the land at that time, did they receive title to the land? 

Ms. SANTIAGO-COLLAZO. No, no, no, no. The state agency is dealing with the title. But they are not giving the title-they have to 

buy the land. Most of them have to buy the land. Some of them 

can get it by $1. 

Mr. DE LuGo. I see. But if they buy the land, then they will getthere is a program, the government of Puerto Rico has set up a 

program under which those people who are living on the land can 

purchase the property on which they built their homes? I understand these are very modest homes. 

Ms. SANTIAGO-COLLAZO. Their homes are already built because 

they have been there since 1940, and they had no title. 

Mr. DE LUGO. They have no title, but is there a program today 

that these people can get title to their land, I mean, to the land 

on which they built their homes? 

Ms. SANTIAGO-COLLAZO. Yes. 
89 

Mr. DE LUGO. There is a program? 

Ms. SANTIAGO-COLLAZO. Yes. It is-no, no, no. No program at all. 

Mr. DE LUGO. No program at all? 

Ms. SANTIAGO-COLLAZO. They have to buy the piece of land 

where they established their homes 50 years ago. 

Mr. DE LUGO. But that-I see. They would buy that piece of 

land--

Ms. SANTIAGO-COLLAZO. Yes. 

Mr. DE LUGO [continuing]. From the State agency, the government of Puerto Rico? 

Ms. SANTIAGO-COLLAZO. Yes. 

Mr. DE LUGO. And they would get title, all right. 

You also state that more recently, 320 acres were sold by the 

Navy to the government of Puerto Rico, but for people that you describe as speculators and people not from Vieques. Could you explain to the committee about this? 

Ms. SANTIAGO-COLLAZO. Yes, they-the Navy sold it to the government of Puerto Rico, about 1,000 acres of land. It is the Santa 

Maria grazing area and Marteno tract. 

The Santa Maria grazing area, they are having a problem withthey were having a problem with the squatters, so they decided to 

sell the land to Puerto Rico, not the government of Puerto Rico. 

They couldn't deal with the squatters so they sold the land. 

Mr. DE LUGO. But these squatters were not from Vieques? 

Ms. SANTIAGO-COLLAZO. Well, those from that part, grazing area, 

they are from Vieques and they are poor people in a great need of 

land, but there is another 311 acres of land that the Navy sold to 

the land administration because there were some people that were 

speculating with the land. They were squatters and they were speculating with the land. They also sold that. 

Mr. DE LUGO. Where did these people come from? 

Ms. SANTIAGO-COLLAZO. Well, some from Vieques. They have 

other houses, to establish a second home, and people from Puerto 

Rico, Ponce, Bayamon, Quintnavo, everywhere in Puerto Rico, and 

in the United States, and we have a JapaneseMr. DE LUGO. The mainland, too? 

Ms. SANTIAGO-COLLAZO. Yes, and we have Japanese also and we 

have Frenchmen over there, and they have not-they have not sold 

that land-they have not bought that land. Those are squatters, 

but different kind of squatters than the first ones. 

Mr. DE LUGO. Are you familiar with the recommendations of Senator McClintock, Senator McClintock's study? 

Ms. SANTIAGO-COLLAZO. Yes. They visited Vieques about a year 

ago and they gave us the study. 

Mr. DE LuGo. Do you support the findings of Senator McClintock's study? 

Ms. SANTIAGO-COLLAZO. Right now I do not recall everything of 

the study, but by that time, I thought, and I think it was a very 

good study on the situation of Vieques. 

Mr. DE LuGo. It was a very good study. 

Ms. SANTIAGO-COLLAZO. Yes. 

Mr. DE LuGo. Your assessment of it. All right, thank you very 

much. 
90 

Let me recognize--let me do this: I am going to have to turn over 

the Chair at this time to the resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico, 

and before I do, I would like to place in the record at the end of 

the witnesses that we will be hearing today statements, one from 

Mr. Luis R. Carrillo, retired pharmacist, San Juan Puerto Rico. Mr. 

Carrillo is here and sitting in the front row. Thank you for joining 

us today. Your statement will appear in its entirety in the record. 

One from Victor M. Erneric, President, Committee to Improve 

Maritime Transportation between Vieques and Puerto Rico, and a 

letter from Mr. Valentin "Chiro" Hernandez, President, Puerto Rico 

Freedom-! am sorry, Puerto Rico Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO 

and I would like to state that the record will remain open for 14 

days for any additional statements that are received by the committee. 

[Prepared statements of Mr. Carrillo and Mr. Emeric, and letter 

from Mr. Hernandez follow:] 
91 

DEPOSITION BEFORE THE COMMITTEE HEARING OF THE SUB-COMMISSION 

OF INSULAR AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS OF THE NATURAL RESOURSES 

COMMISSION OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HELD ON 

OCTOBER 4. 1994 AT 13o00 ~~REGARDING THE CONGRESSIONAL MEASURE 

TO TRANSFER 8,000 ACRES OF LAND HELD BY THE UNITED STATES NAVY 

TO THE MUNICIPALITY OF VIEQUES, COMMONWEALTH OF PUERTO RICO. 

LUIS R. CARRILLO 

1512 RODANO ST. 

RIO PIEDRAS, 

PUERTO RICO 00926-2817 

TELEPHONE (809)764-6979 

FAX (809)767-3072 

CONTENTo EIGHT PAGES 
92 

OCTOBER 4 . 1994 

HON. RON DE LUGO-CHAIRMAN 

SUB-COMMITTE OF INSULAR AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS 

OF THE NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE 

OF THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATI VES 

WASHINGTON . D .C. 205 15-620 1 

REF ' PUBLIC HEARINGS ON THE CONGRESSIONAL MEASURE FOR 

GENTLEMEN' 

THE TRANSFER OF 8000 ACRES OF LAND TO THE MUNICIPALIT Y 

OF VIEQUES BY THE UNITED STATES NAVY . 

MY NAME IS LUIS R. r.ARR I LLO A 70 YEARS OLD CITIZEN OF THE 

UNITED STATES BORN . RAISED AND RESIDENT OF SAN JUAN . PUERTO RICO. 

AS A MATTER OF I NFORMAT I ON . I WISH TO INFORM THAT I SERVED 

FOR 25 MONTHS IN THE ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES DURING THE SECOND 

WORLD WAR WITH THE 65TH . INFANTERY REG I MENT PARTICIPATING IN THE 

NORTH AFRICA AND EUROPEAN CAMPAIGNS 

I AM A RETIRED REGISTERED PHARMACIST ALTHOUGH AT THE PRESENT 

I AM PRO VI DING VOLUNTARY SERVICE AT THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION 

HOSPITAL IN SAN JUAN . PUERTO RICO . 

AM ATTENDING THIS HEARING REPRESENTING MY WIFE . MRS . CARMEN 

AMEL IA BENITEZ AS WELL AS THE RELATIVES OF HER PATERNAL BROTHERS. 

OOLOREZ BENITEZ GEORGINA BENITEZ FRANCISCA BENITEZ SANTIAGO 

CARLOS ARTURO BENITEZ SANTIAGO CARLOTA BENITEZ SANTIAGO AND JULIO 

BEN I TEZ VA ZQUEZ TO MY KNOWLEDGE ALL DECEASED AS DEFENDANTS IN 

THE EXP ROPRIATION AND CONDEMNATION PROCEEDINGS . UNDER THE CIVIL 

CASE NO 2604 BY THE UN I TED STATES NAVY . OF THEIR LAND IN THE 

WARDS OF PUNTA ARENAS AND LA LLA VE . MUNIC I PALITY OF VIEQUES. 

PUERT RICO . 
93 

HON RON DE LUGO-CHAIRMAN 

PAGE 2 

OCTOBER 4 1994 

OUR POSITION IN THIS CASE IS BASED IN MY LETTER ADDRESSED 

TO MR. CARLOS ROMERO BARCELO. RESIDENT COMMISSIONER OF PUERTO 

RICO IN WASHINGTON WITH A COPY TO HON. WILLIAM CLINTON . PRESIDENT 

OF THE UNITED STATES . HON . OR. PEDRO A. ROSELLO. GOVERNOR OF PUERTO 

RI CO , THE PUERTO RICAN NEWS PAPERS EL NUEVO OIA . f.L VOC ERO , THE 

SAN ~UAN STAR AND MY ATTORNEY RICARDO E . CARRILLO . WHICH LETTER 

I WOULD LIKE TO READ BEFORE THIS COMMISSION . LEAVING A COPY OF 

THE S AME FOR THE RECORDS AS PART OF THIS DEPOSITION . 

READ LETTER OF APRIL 11 , 1994 ADDRESSED TO MR . CARLOS ROMERO BARCELO 

CONSIDERING THAT THE "COLD WAR" I S OVE R AS WELL AS THAT THE 

COMMUN ISTS COUNTRIES ARE EASING OFF THEIR THREAT TOWARDS DEMOCRATIC 

COUNTRIES. THE SAFEGARO OF THE UNITED STATES IS NO LONGER IN ~EOPAROY 

OR AT STAKES . CONSEQUENTLY , THE ISLAN D OF VIEQUES AT THE PRESENT 

TIME DOES NOT REPRESENT THE STRATEGIC POSITION AS THE MAIN REASON 

FOR WH I CH THIS LAND WAS CONDEMNED AND EXPROPRIATED IN 1942. 

BESIDES , HA VING THE U . S . NAVY TAKEN OVER . FOR SECURITY MEASURES 

THE LAND IN VIEQUES. AN UNDUE HARDSHIP FOR 52 YEARS HAS BEEN IMPOSED 

ON THE UNITED STATES CITIZENS IN THIS ISLAND WHICH IT IS MY FEELING 

IS NO LONGER THE STRATEGIC POSITION NECESSARY FOR THE SAFEGUARD 

OF THE UNITED STATES , THE CARIBBEAN AND AO~ACENT REGION . 

BASED ON THE AFORESAID IT IS OUR FEELING THAT MOST OF THE 

LAND BE I NG CLAIMED IN TH I S HEARING SHOULD BE TRANSFEREO TO THE 

MUNICIPALITY OF VIEQUES WITHOUT INCLUDING THE 1234.03 ACRES EXPROPRIATED 

FROM THE DEFENDANTS MENTIONED UNDER THE CI VIL CASE ND . 26D4 REFERRED 

TO IN MY COMMUNICATION OF APRIL 11 . 1sq,, ADDRESSED TO MR . CARLOS 

ROMERO BARCELO AS RESIDENT COMMISSIONER OF PUERTO RICO IN THE 

CONGRESS OF THE UNITED S TATES . 

85-315 95-4 
94 

HON. RON DE LUGO - CHAIRMAN 

PAGE 3 

OCTOBER 4. 1994 

WE STRONGL Y FEEL AND RE QUEST THAT I N ORDER TO JUSTL Y COMPENSA TE 

FOR THE INJUSTICE AND HARDSHIP IMPOSED TO THE I R ES TATE IN TH E 

AFOREMENTIONED CI VIL CASE. THE DEFENDANTS BE REDEEMED BY GRANTING 

THEIR JUST REQUEST WHENEVER AN Y ACTION IN TAKEN ON THE REFERRED 

LAND. 

I WISH TO TAKE TH I S OPPORTUNIT Y TO EXPRES S MY SINCERE THANK S 

TO OR. ANTONIO RI VERA CASTA~O FOR I NVITING ME TO THIS HEARING 

AS WELL AS TO TH I S HONORABLE COMMISSION IN PE RMITING ME TO MA KE 

TH I S DEPOSITION . 

IF YOU NEED AN Y ADDITIONAL INFORMATIO N . PLE ASE 00 NOT HES I TA TE 

IN CONTAC TING ME WHENE VER YOU DEEM IT NECES S AR Y. 

ONCE AGAIN MANY THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR KINDEST 

ATTENTION 

~· /[ (_ - ---.--/' 

LUIS A CARRILLO 

1512 RODANO ST . 

RIO PIEDRAS . P . R. 

00926- 2 8 1 7 

PHONE' ( 809 ) 76 4 -69 7 9 

FA X,(8 09)767 -30 7 2 
MR. CARLOS ROMERO BARCELO 

RESIDENT COMMISSIONER 

95 

April 11, 1994 

1517 Longworth House Office Building 

Washington , 0 C . 20515 

Dear Mr. Romero Barcelo: ' ' 

Through the media, I heard that there is a committee 

strongly lobbying among the Congress and the President of 

the United States towards the final withdrawal of the 

United States Navy from the Island of Vieques while at 

the same time requesting that the land be handed over to 

the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. 

Most probably this committee is not fully aware of 

the means in which some of this land was expropriated and 

ultimately condemned by the Navy of the United States as 

a security measure for the Mainland . 

In 1942, the estate of my mother-in-law, the late 

Mrs . Maria Bithorn Vga. Benitez and my wife Carmen Amelia 

Benitez Bithorn then ·a minor, was badly hampered 

by the expropriation and condemnation proceedings, under 

the civil case No . 2S04. by the United States Navy of 

their land in the wards of Punta Arenas and La Llave . 

Municipality of Vieques. This seme"situetion is 

applicable to my wife's paternal brothers Dolores 

Banltez, Georgina Benitez~ F~ancisca Benitez Santiago , 

Carlos Arturo Benitez Santiago, Carlota Benitez Santiago. 

Julio Benitez Vazquez and the other defendants, 

Joaquin L. Rodriguez , Sofia Bermudez. Rafael Lopez 

Dominguez, Bank of Nova Scotia, Ana Rieckhoff Medina , 

Francisco Vilches, Federal Land Bank of Baltimore and the 

People of Puerto Rico, as defendants in the above 

entitled case ee sole owners of the 1234.03 acres of land 

condemned in the referred wards. 

The reasons behind the condemnation proceedings w~~ 

never questioned as the defendants realized that the 

take over of the land in question was of paramount 

importance for the safeguard and security of the United 

States 
96 

However, while reviewing all the evidence available 

from my wife's file on this proceeding, I realized that 

the same was not done with the class and honesty 

expected from the Government of the United States. On the 

contrary , it was totally unfair, unjust, unilateral, 

ominous, unlawful, improper as the officers involved in 

the proceedings didn't act in good faith. There was a 

fo~l play since the beginning of the proceedings . 

Henceforth, I will refer only to the land taken 

over from the estate of my mother-in-law and my wife as 

we don't have any additional information on the other 

land (698.51 acres] condemn7d from the other defendants. 

It is common and customary that, for tax purpose, 

the property in Puerto Rico is appraised at a price much 

lower than it's actual market value. 

For the tax years of 1939-40 and 1940-41, the land 

belonging to the estate of my wife and mother-in-law was 

appraised by a Government appraiser, Vicente L. Gimenez, 

in the amount of $50,760. for the 535.52 acres 

comprised by their estate and taxes were being paid based 

on this appraisal value. 

According to our file, the last appraisal was dated 

March 4, 1g41. This appraisal was appealed by my 

mother-in-law before the "Junta de Revisian & 

Igualamiento", a government agency. Finally, the Junta 

made a revision on the · appraisement of the land in 

question , reducing the tax value to $47 , 420. 

As mentioned before , the last •appraisal made by the 

Government appraise~ : Vicente L. G!meQeZ, was dated March 

4. 1941. In the meantime, words were spreading around 

towards the imminent possibility by the Government of the 

United States for the expropriation and condemnation of the 

land in ~uestion . 

All of a sudden, in April 19, 1941 [46 days after 

the last appraisal), the same Government appraiser, 

Vicente L. Gimenez, reduced the appraisal value of the 

same land from $50 , 780. to $35 1 430. Don't you think 

there was something smelling fishy on this last appraisal? 

A letter dated April 15, 1942 signed by C. L . Strain, 

Lt. Comdr , U.S. Navy, was received by my mother-in-law in 

which it was stated that her property in the Island of 

Vie~ues consisting of 535.52 acres was appraised as 

having a value of $24 , 120. and that due to the urgency of 

defense measures a proceeding tc acquire the property 

would be instituted by or shortly after May 1, 1942. 
97 

It was also indicated that "should it be necessary 

the United States may enter into possession or property 

prior to the acquisition or formal title". 

In view oF the flagrant abusiveness and unfairness 

made b y the appraiser or the land condemned , a letter was 

written on April 18, 1942 by the lawyer or my 

mother-in-law. Attorney Jose G . Gonzalez and addressed to 

Lt . Comdr. C L. Strain questioning the appraisal value as 

their estate would be badly hampered by the inadequacy in 

the appraisal value and the true value of the land . 

Furthermore , a letter was sent b y the deFendants to 

Mr. Norman M Littel . Under Procurement General or the 

United States , in which the appraisal value or the land 

condemned was challenged For being unjust , unFair , 

absurd , outrageous , and contemptibly while at the same 

time requesting a revision of the same. 

To the deFendant's claim For justice and Fairness 

implied in their letter , to their dismay no answer was 

given to their communication . 

Conversely , dated May 11, 1942 , signed by Lulu H. 

Donohue as Clerk or the District Court or the United 

States for Puerto Rico, the deFendants were notiFied that 

a proceeding for condemnation or the land was filed in 

said court under the civil case No.2604 being the 

attorneys For the petitioner Walter L. Newman Jr , Special 

Assistant to the Attorney General , and Tomas I. Nido, 

Guillermo Estrella Frasqueri and Antonio Castro Fernandez 

as Special Attorneys. 

Dated the same date, 

declaration or taking was 

Cooper without giving the 

May 11 . 1942. the judgment and 

issued by Judge Robert A 

deFendants' ~heir basic rights 

and opportunity to be heard regarding the inequity oF the 

compensation for the condemned land as they considered 

it as unjust . unFair and unilateral . 

It is my understanding that the defendants never 

questioned the security reasons for the take over of the land 

However, what they always questioned were the procedures 

involved . It should have been done with the class and 

honest y expected from the Government of the United States . 

Rather , they felt that the Officers representing the 

petitioner acted like henchmen without any consideration 

towards the rights of the defendants. Their positions 

was ''This is a yes or yes proposition~ take it or leave 

it . '' Justice was net served in this case. 
98 

In order to continue with their sugar business and 

maintain their sugar quota my mother-in-law. had to buy 

land in the Municipality of Trujillo Alto at a price of 

$217 per acre versus $45 per acre which was the 

condemnation price of their land expropriated in Vieques 

Considering that the land in Vieques at any moment 

may be handed over to the Government of Puerto rico: it 

is our strong request and feeling that the least the 

Government of the United States should do is to revert 

the land condemned to their original owners at the time 

of the condemnation proceedings. In this way the 

defendants are redeemed and justly compensated for the 

har•ship and injustice imposed to their Estate when the 

land was condemned. 

Your assistance and orientation will be greatly 

appreciated in this just and fair request. On the other 

hand please let me know who else we should address 

on this matter. 

If you need any additional information kindly do 

not hesitate in contacting the undersigned at your 

convenienc:e. 

Thanking you in advance for your cooperation and 

assistance I remain. 

LAC/ems 

Cordially yours 

~:~c~>=·~ 1512 Rodano St 

Rio Piedras~ P R. 00926-2817 

Tel-764-6979 

cc: Hen. William Clinton 

Pres. of the United States 

Hen Or Pedro A. Rosello 

Governor of Puerto Rico 

Newspapers: El Nuevo Dia 

El Vocero 

The San Juan Star 

Attorney: Ricardo E. Carrillo 
99 

Comlttt Pro Mejor TransponaciOn Maritima de Vlequea 

(Cormdttee to IIJ1)rwe Maritime nansponatiOn DetW8&n Vlaquaa ana Pueno RICO) 

Apanado 142 . Vleques, Puerto Rico 00765 

October 41 1884 

Position of the Committee to Improve Maritime Transportation 

between Vleque• and Puerto Rico (CPMT,.,V) Defore the SuD 

Committee on Insular Affairs relative to House Resolution 3831 1 

VJaques Land Transfer Bill of 1884 

The Committee to Improve Marttlme Transponatlon between Vleques and 

the Main Island Of Puerto Rico IS an organlzauon that strtves fOr a better maritime 

link between the Islands of Vleques and Pueno Rico. One of our objectives Is 

the reestabllshmem of the ahonest natural route connacung the Islands. 

Our measa~e to you addresses this concem. 

Vleques Ia a small munldpal Island located seven miles southeast of the 

main Island of Pueno Rico. 

During the decade of the 1940"s, when the u.s. Navy expropriated 

2e,ooo of the total 33,000 acres of the Island of Vleques, two military 

Installations went established on Vleques: On the Eastern end and one on the 

Western end of the Island. The western base, which Is used as a navai 

ammunition tadllty, Is located only six miles from the SOutheast coast of Puino 

Alco. This Is the shortest distance between both Islands. The expropriation of 

that land closest to Pueno Rico deprives the people of Vteques of the closest 

point Of contact between both Islands. This route (from Punta Arenas in Vleques 

to ensenada Honda In Celoa. Pueno Alco) was long used commercially 

(pass~tngers and cargo) until the expropriation of these lands occurred in the. 

19'0'8. 
100 

Committee to l"ll"ove Maritime TransponatiOn between VlllqU8S and Pueno Rloo 

October •. 100• 

Pa;o 2 

The other route (Puerto Mulas in Vleques to Puerto Real In Fajardo, Puerto Rico) 

remains as the only available commercial route still In servlcw. It Is a much 

longer route of 1 B nautical miles. 

The other existing route, which is used exclusively 1)}1 the U.S. Navy for miiHary 

purposes is only seven miles long. This route Is alSo used by family and friends 

of military personal stationed at Roosevelt Roads In Celba, who come to ·areen 

Beach· (Punta Arenas) In private yachts, and consider It their private beach. 

The elimination of this short route has eliminated potential tourist development 

of the island as well as a shorter, qul~er and more com1ortable trip for Vleques 

residents travelling to the ·big lsland-R: This trip utilizing the short route took forty 

five minutes in 1940. After the expropriation of these lands by tha U.S. Navy 

and the elimination of this route, a trip to Puerto Rico takas no tess than an hour 

and a half utilizing the Puerto Mulas-Fajarao route. Obviously, the service has 

worsened. 

This bill Introduced by the Honorable Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico, 

Carlos Romero BarcelO, to return the Western end of Vleques to the local 

Municipal Government, offers us the opportunity to reestablish the shon route by 

our people and visitor. 

It Is for this reason that we urge you to approve this bill which Will enable our 

Island to progress oy ending the Isolation which we now aurrer due to 

Inadequate transportation to and from Vleques. ~· ·: 

In your nands ts the opportunity to do true justice to the people of Vleques. 

cf~·,q~ 

VIctor M. Emerlc 

President 

Committee to Improve Maritime 

Transportation between 

Vleques and Puerto Rico 
101 

. FEDEfi~Ciof,- DEL TRABAJO DE PU~FJ~O RICO ~FL·9l0 • . . (PUERTO R.ICO .~~iR&TION OFi..UaR AFL.CIOI . . .. 

·,.·-· ... v·i..LENriN.·(CHfAo) HER1iAHo£Z 

=~: -- :~ ~ -/ :-~ ~~~ ~ -. ;: . _ JOSE M. TORRES 

1&c::Jtn.uia. nloill111o 

JOse~ CAc1Z ~:- ~ •• ".1:1!. ,-.. l .. oufi: ., . .. ·--!", ::"'· . ·--J -.· 

ciRME'N. FANN·r VAtbea -._. JOSE (P£P£) F£UCfANO 

filitiJ~\?. "· '"~· , . . : Insu~ar !Vld Interi!a.ticinal ;.ffairs :;.U?i~ep s; ates P._~pitai."": { · ·· · ::- .;:z.~ Lopc;w,o~ !f.ol!-.se Office Bldg. -'- -.· )lo'*c.lR6_ c: . 5:_".·: _, .. >·> :.. . · ' Iridepeizdencti. • · N.e•i .Jersey Aves., SE 

July l4; 1994 

TEL (809) ; 

FAX (~09); 

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washington., D.c. 205l(i.: .-i ·· ·~ 

.,Pl\~ · .: Austuz ~;J~;~i~t~~~.;::lt:~"'tt,.'!:~Ul.~ l(urphJff'' Robert llnderwQod and RasJ.dent CO!!Pl,ssJ.oner ~r~I:· Car).o: 

·- ~:~ -· 17f.~~=:~~:::t~:~;~ :~;rthJ .warkers 2ue~o ~i~lT.!f;;1f~ i1p . .. ' Al"L.:.:CIO ~-iii- e· that t . . 'Omiiittee on AZmitd $ilry,i /:ii Via ' j(atura 

,~ -.ir!Jt~t t~;~~~lin~f:1tit ::J::\t:i::;i: ~:i?J ~~ < ~evast~t.iJ?g .. <t:rama .: of l:hs :111il-!, tary P.Z(BBen;ce ~ .. tllfl .!~~~~, ;_,~h 

·. 1o10rke~s :; ~ .::;_P~;-t~cul~r ~<!."!!~ . not .b•nlf..f.;t . . J.n ~;J"'..IY.i :· ~~' J;~-:­ . rf!_lahc:rn.:rMp ... ; !!any ·:ot them ~ rural . .tnJ.!abJ.~~f;~ . "'-.hg;_fll!~ .~ee 

·.: · .· w.;~~l,or~?. .l!!CI:Jt of~ their . l.i. ve~ iUld . I.it• . ~£~ t.h.-. ,!~ttl, ~f. ~ ;a<foi.cul t:#~ '· -: t;hey· g~. ~nag~ . in tn&· limited land (:hat:· fs av.u~,ab.le #f t::b~",-: ~ 

··- t:i..rirfiii" tney :ara "/J'ireiit&ii for crossing the· .Navy borders 'fo .'do· $01r fish~ng. : _. ·. : · · ·· · 

:: ~(T..b~~ ·n?t only hiJve to ~~ffer critii:a.l ecop.~c c¢'jj,._,~que_itp ., t~ey ~~so sqffez: ~he need .' o.( ·good healt;Jicljre,. ~hi.t.'!~~r!t / ~ousin~ 

eaucat;~onal : fac~l,r.ties and recently .brought to t.Jlepz by the NfJV< 

cr:m:rrutei,s;. higi, ' ci.'ime rates. ;. They ·a}:so Iack a gog,q iiight ~l e.e[ 

un.ce in. · the · middle bf th.e IJight they are awaked.};o -enJoy, se.• - list~n ~nq _fee~. the t:iirgei: pr_actices.. in tJie middle of: t.iJ!" . q!=_eail 

. . ·:;the .ip4anders ar~ . ne~l:cted. the USe Of C]OiJ_cf fi~h~~r-ijr:B. having at. times the .iiecess.ity to coille. a_cro:s to. the tmm:.of.Fajar on t!:e fer=y boat, 0 buy ex;iensive ~ea~o:d a~~ o:,_h er ~~ti C?.les. 

-: ": ~c ;:: "96E9. =D'EZ: . ..; uNCos STATION. SANTURCE. P.A. ·00910·1 96S9 

• c: • ·:" o;EGU NOO PISO SANTi.JAC;';;., .'"' q_ .:o9or" 
The Honorable Ron de Luge 

Page 2 

July 14 , _1994 

, , .. .:; - -- .:. .... - .;., , ·::.- . -· ; .. -·-·.:.., .. 

=c : _ ~Hr ,~ Lane Kirkland · · ·. ·: c President ~~IO 

t'mci ·.· 

102 
103 

Mr. DE LUGO. I want to thank you, Madam Mayor, and all of the 

witnesses who are here, and, at this time, let me turn the gavel 

over to my friend from Puerto Rico to assume the Chair. 

Thank you very much. 

Ms. SANTIAGO-COLLAZO. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO [presiding]. Mayor, good afternoon. I want 

to congratulate you on your testimony. It was very, very complete 

and very powerful. 

There is one part of your testimony I am-that was not clear and 

I want to make sure-I want to clarify it. You said there were five 

bombs dropped, and you said that four were found. Was the fifth 

one found eventually? 

Ms. SANTIAGO-COLLAZO. Well, I don't know. I don't know. Nobody 

told me about a last one. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. I am going to take note of that. I am 

going to find out myself. We should find that, make sure that that 

bomb is found. 

As you heard the testimony of Admiral Christensen how the 

Navy contributes to the economy of Vieques, how would you compare the contribution of the Navy to the economy of Vieques to 

what it would represent to Vieques if Vieques had to use those 

8,000 acres in the western part of Vieques? 

Ms. SANTIAGO-COLLAZO. I am very confused because I can't tell 

you that they are contributing to the economic development of 

Vieques. That is not true. For example, they say that they are losing about 500 acres to farmers to establish a project, and they 

know that the farmer doesn't have any money to establish the 

project. They are also leasing some land--

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. So in other words, they are still not leasing the land. They are only planning to lease it? 

Ms. SANTIAGO-COLLAZO. Well, that is true. They are also helping 

the Vieques marine laboratories to establish a shrimp-a project in 

Vieques, and they took the project to the MAC, the Management 

Advisory Committee of the Navy, and they didn't give him the permits to establish the project. Those are the projects that they are 

telling or that they included in the written statement that are not 

true. We are dealing with thoseMr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Are they really helping you pave the 

roads? 

Ms. SANTIAGO-COLLAZO. No, they didn't. They asked me for the 

money. 

Mr. RoMERO-BARCELO. In other words, they will pave it if you 

give them the money? 

Ms. SANTIAGO-COLLAZO Yes. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Including the cost of the engineer? 

Ms. SANTIAGO-COLLAZO. Yes, and that is true, very, very true. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. So actually, the only way that you can see 

that Vieques can develop is by having the land available for the 

tourism projects? 

Ms. SANTIAGO-COLLAZO. Yes, Mr. Chairman. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Otherwise you don't see-how do you feel, 

you as a Viequean, being hemmed in on both sides by the Navy 

property? 
104 

Ms. SANTIAGO-COLLAZO. Well, it is very difficult for us. For example, the Navy owns three-fourths of our island. We only live in 

the central parts, but let me tell you, from the 7,000 acres that are 

land for civilian use, the state government has about 4,000. One 

thousand belongs to small farmers, and we only have 2,000 acres 

of land, and I have to tell you something, I do not have any land 

to establish our projects. On Thursday, I bought less than an acre 

of land for the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Corporation and 

I paid $55,000 for less than an acre. Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. So when I mention the price of one acre 

of land in the beach-with beach front, $50,000, it is much more 

than that? 

Ms. SANTIAGO-COLLAZO. It is priceless. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. It is much more than that, okay. Mayor, 

I don't have any questions to ask from you because I agree with 

you 100 percent. All I want to say is that we are supporting your 

request very strongly. 

Unfortunately, I don't think that this year it will go to the Floor, 

this bill, as you may well know. We are recessing on Friday and 

I couldn't get the hearing before this time and so we won't have 

any time to go to the Floor, but when we come back in January, 

this bill is going to be renewed. 

We are going to file it again. We are going to have-I think we 

are going to have more sponsors on the bill than we have now. The 

hearings will be there in the record to be referred to and in the 

meantime, we are going to be talking to other people in between 

to make sure that we get what we need for Vieques. 

Thank you very much. 

Ms. SANTIAGO-COLLAZO. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The next witness now is Senator Kenneth McClintock. After Senator Kenneth McClintock, then we will have the panel of Mr. Rivera Castano and Mr. Carlos Ventura. 

STATEMENT OF HON. KENNETH McCLINTOCK-HERNANDEZ, 

SENATOR, THE SENATE OF PUERTO RICO 

Mr. MCCLINTOCK-HERNANDEZ. Chairman, my name is Kenneth 

McClintock, and I appear on behalf of the Senate of Puerto Rico. 

I am especially pleased to appear before you this time, not to talk 

about our perennial political status problem, but about a problem 

at least as important for the people of Vieques, Puerto Rico. 

May I say that our passionate and dedicated mayor of Vieques 

is a very hard act to follow. All Puerto Ricans are grateful to you 

for filing H.R. 3831 and calling the attention of Congress to an 

issue that Congress should address and resolve. 

While the relationship between the overwhelming majority of the 

residents of Puerto Rico and the Navy has been one of mutual cooperation and reciprocal necessity over the years, most Puerto 

Ricans are concerned that the residents of Vieques have borne 

more than their share of the economic cost of national defense for 

over half a century. The Navy has contributed to the social, cultural, and economic well-being of Puerto Rico, but clearly the United States Navy has injected a substantial amount of capital to the 

local economy. 
105 

In addition, Puerto Rico greatly benefited from the operations in 

the island of Vieques due to the fact that Puerto Rico is an indispensable part of the U.S. and therefore benefits from U.S. military 

support. However, Mr. Chairman, the Cold War is over and our nation remains the only military superpower in the world. The need for a 

600-ship Navy is no longer as great as it was a decade ago. Likewise, the intensity of the training needs of our armed forces is not 

the same as it was when Soviet nuclear subs prowled the Caribbean or when Cuba was a major exporter of revolution and failed 

socialist idealogy in our hemisphere. It is time to reevaluate the Navy's need for control over twothirds of the island of Vieques and clearly the need is no longer the 

same. H.R. 3831, which follows the lines of House Concurrent Resolution 16, approved by overwhelming majorities in our legislature, 

undoubtedly has the support of most Puerto Ricans. 

Navy operations in Vieques have essentially stifled economic 

growth on the island. While one of the beautiful Virgin Islands' 

chains, geographically speaking, Vieques has several of the Caribbean's most pristine beaches, several bioluminiscent bays, and a 

land mass comprising 52 square miles or 34,101 acres. Obviously 

you haven't visited Vieques. I strongly urge you to do so. Other islands in the Caribbean with comparable natural resources are more highly developed than Vieques. The major difference is that economic activity on those other islands is not constrained as it is in Vieques where even Navy-generated economic 

activity is limited. Consequently, as an elected representative of the people of Puerto Rico, I share the point of view of the Honorable Manuela 

Santiago, mayor of Vieques, in that the most important and fruitful 

way that the economic hardship currently suffered by the residents 

of Vieques can be eradicated is through the creation of an economic 

development strategy that would convert the island and its pristine 

beaches into a tourist haven of the northeastern pa rt of the Caribbean, as well as preserve those areas of the island of high ecological value. 

This necessarily means the reacquisition of sufficient land now 

occupied by the United States Navy as H.R. 3831 proposes. The 

Committee on Federal and Economic Affairs conducted a study of 

the problems and economic opportunities of the island of Vieques 

last year which identified several problems enumerated in our written statement. 

In addition to tourism development, we also propose the development of certain agricultural activities, such as the strengthening of 

Vieques' unique bee and honey industry, as well as certain limited 

industrial activity. Although the limitations imposed on the social, 

cultural, and economic development of the island of Vieques by the 

U.S. Navy is not the only cause for such hardship, it is 

undisputedly a major factor. 

Our study concludes the following: Due to historical and geographic reasons, Vieques has been marginalized from the process 

of economic development that the rest of Puerto Rico has experienced during the last 50 years. 
106 

The United States Navy has controlled some of the best lands for 

agricultural development, the most pristine beaches of Puerto Rico, 

the most important fish farms, and the most expedient route between Vieques and Puerto Rico. 

The U.S. Navy has now occupied and controlled over two-thirds 

of the island of Vieques for the past 50 years. Undeniably, we as 

American citizens have greatly benefited from the operations performed by the Navy through the years. Nevertheless, it is clear 

from what I have described above that the Vieques community suffers great hardship and foresees an obscure future so long as the 

hand of restrictions here under review remain. 

As American citizens, the people of Puerto Rico, like the people 

of California, Florida, or New York are more than willing to contribute and sacrifice themselves for the national interest. However, 

because of the amount of land used by the armed forces in Puerto 

Rico, Puerto Rico carries a much higher burden of our national defense than many States of the union. 

From what I have described above, it is clear that a grave problem exists in Vieques. It is not a problem of great national concern 

that affects Americans nationwide, yet it is a grave problem for a 

small microcosm of American citizens, the residents of Vieques in 

particular and the American citizens in Puerto Rico in general. 

Vieques served a vital interest to all of us. It is my belief that 

the U.S. Navy can ably adapt to the situation H.R. 3831 proposes, 

just like it has done when the Iron Curtain fell and a much larger 

and critical readjustment had to be made. I strongly urge you to 

favorably report H.R. 3831, an island as beautiful as this wasn't 

meant to be totally controlled by the military forever. 

Thank you. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Thank you very much, Senator McClintock. 

[Prepared statement of Mr. McClintock-Hernandez follows:] 
107 

STATEMENT ON HR 3831 BY THE 

HON. KENNETH D. McCLINTOCK 

ON BEHALF OF THE SENATE OF PUERTO Ril.:O 

Subcommittee on 

u.s. 

October 4, 1994 

Insular and International 

House of Representatives 

Washington, DC 

Affairs 

Chairman De Lugo and members of the Subcommittee, my name is 

Kenneth D. McClintock and I appear on behalf of the Senate of 

Puerto Rico, in which I chair two standing committees, one select 

commit tee and one joint commit teel. I am especially pleased to 

appear before you, this time not to talk about our perennial 

political status problem but about a problem at least as important 

for the people of Vieques, Puerto Rico. 

All Puerto Ricans are grateful to Congressman Romero for 

filing HR 3831 and calling your attention to an issue that 

Congress should address and resolve. 

While the relationship between the overwhelming majority of 

the residents of Puerto Rico and the Navy has been one of mutual 

cooperation and reciprocal necessity over the years, most Puerto 

Ricans are concerned that the residents of Vieques have borne more 

than their share of the economic cost of national defense for over 

half a century. 

The Navy has contributed to the social, cultural and economic 

well being of Puerto Rico. Clearly, the United States Navy has 

injected a substantial amount of capital to the local economy. In 

addition, Puerto Rico greatly benefitted from the operations in 

the island of Vieques due to the fact that Puerto Rico is an 

indispensable part of the United States and therefore benefits 

from U.S. military support. 

However, the Cold War is over---and our nation remains the 

only military superpower in the world. The need for a 600-ship 

Navy is no longer as great as it was a decade ago. Likewise, the 

intensity of the training needs of our Armed Forces are not the 

same as they were when Soviet nuclear subs prowled the Caribbean, 

or when Cuba was a major exporter of revolution and socialist 

ideology in our hemisphere. 

It is time to reevaluate the Navy's need for control of over 

two-thirds of the island of Vieques, and clearly the need is no longer the same. 

HR 3831, which follows the lines of H. Cone. Res. 16, approved 

1 By appointment of Senate President Roberto Rexach Benitez, I chair the 

Committee on Governmental Affairs, one of the two most important in the 

Senate, the Committee on Federal and Economic Affairs, and the Select 

Committee on Economic Regulation. I was elected by fellow senators and 

representatives to chair the Joint Committee for the COrdova Congressional 

Internship Program, a program created by Law 59 of 1993, which I authored, and 

which will provide several students from Puerto Rico colleges and universities 

the opportunity to work and study in Congress every year, beginning in the 

Spring of 1995. 
108 

by overwhelming majorities in our Legislature2, undoubtedly has 

the support of most Puerto Ricans. 

Navy operations in Vieques have essentially stifled economic 

growth on the island. While one of the beautiful Virgin Islands 

chain, Vieques has several of the Caribbean's most pristine 

beaches, se·veral bioluminiscent bays and a land mass comprising 52 

square miles or 34,101 acres. If you haven't visited Vieques, I 

strongly urge you to do so. 

Other islands in the 

resources are more highly 

difference is that economic 

constrained, as it is in 

Caribbean with comparable natural 

developed than Vieques. The major 

activity on those other islands is not 

Vieques, where even Navy-generated 

Members of all political parties in Puerto Rico's Legislature have 

i~troduced legislation concerning Vieques, :ncluding: 

1. H.R. 513 presented April 18, 1989 which made a direct call to the 

United States Navy to traspass to the Government of Puerto Rico those lands 

not ~ecessary for defense readiness. 

Authors: Samuel Cepeda Garcia (PPD) and Jose M. Del Valle Lopez 

(PPD). 

2. H.R. 529 presented April 21, 1989 which made a formal request to 

the Governor of Puerto Rico to authorize the admonition of Lands to transfer 

them free of cost. 

Author: Nestor S.Aponte HernAndez (PNP) 

3. H.R. 2186 presented May 16, 1991 which ordered the Commission on 

Housing and Urban Development to investigate the grave housing problem facing 

the residents of Vieques. 

Authors: Samuel Cepeda Garcia (PPD) and Alfonso L6pez Chaar (PPD) 

4. Senate Resolution 179 presented April 29, 1989 which made a formal 

request to the Governor of Puerto Rico to authorize the admonition of Lands 

to transfer them free of cost. 

Author: EQrique Rodriguez Negr6n (PNP) 

5. Senate Resolution 261 presented Septerber 6, 1989 which ordered a 

study of the land title problems facing the island of Vieques and other 

matters relating to the well being of its residents. 

Author: Marcos A. Rigau (PPD) 

6. H.R. 1477 presented September 24, 1993 which ordered the Commission 

on Housing and Urban Development to realize an investigation of the 

invasions of lands in Vieques which are property of the Government of Puerto 

Rico. 

Author: Zaida HernAndez Torres (Speaker, PNP) 

7. 

President 

Joint Resolution 16 presented May 13, 1993 

Bill Clinton to transfer the lands in Vieques 

United States Armed Forces to the Government of Puerto Rico. 

which requested 

occupied by the 

Authors: David Noriega Rodriguez (PIP) and Augusto SAnchez 

Fuentes (PNP) 
109 

economi c activity is l imited3 . 

Consequently, as an elected representative of the people of 

Puerto Rico, I share the point of view of the Honorable Manuela 

Santiago, Mayor o f Vieques, in that the most important and 

fruitful way that the economic hardship currently suffered by the 

residents of Vieques can be eradicated is t hrough the creation of 

an economic devel opment strategy that would convert the island and 

its prist ine beaches int o the tourist haven of the northeastern 

pa rt of the Cari bbean, as well as preserve those areas of t he 

island of high ecological va lue. This necessarily mean s the 

reacquisition o f sufficient land now occupied by the Un ited States 

Navy, as HR 3831 proposes. 

The Committee on Federal and Economi c Affairs conducted a 

s tudy of the prob lems and economic opportunities of the island of 

Vieques last year which identified the fol lowing problems: 

1. Navy land ownership severely restricts te rritoria l 

expansion 

2. An inadequate and outmoded system of water aqueducts 

impedes industrial and housing deve lopment . 

3. An almost complete disappearence of agricu l ture . 

4. A deficient system of transportation. The study expands 

on this issue to state that there is a crucial need to expand the 

runway and facilities of the airport in order to adequately 

connect Vieques and the main island of Puerto Rico. Th i s, in 

t urn, wo uld facilitate communication and, most importantl y , 

develop the all impo r tant a nd indispensable tourism industry. I t 

no ted that the sho rtest route by sea to the main island of Puerto 

Rico would require the use of lands under Navy ownership4. 

5. A grave need for housing, which r equires land. 

6. Very little t o urism activity. This is perhaps the most 

unde r develped but richest asset the island o f Vieques would have, 

were it not for the crippling land restrictions. 

7. Chronic unemployment that is placed in the 50% range by 

some government estimates. 

8. A lack o f industrial promotion and industria l 

deve l opment. 

9. A disproportionately large level of residents livi ng 

under the poverty leveL whose well-being depends solely on 

government aid. 10. The l oca l municipal government suffers fr o m an extre mely 

weak fi scal situation directly due to the lack of cap i ta l and 

investment. 

In addition to tourism development, we also propose the 

devel opment of ce rtain agricultural a ctivities, such as the 

strengthening o f Vieques' unique bee and ho ney industry, as well 

as certa in limit ed industrial a ct i v ity . 

Although the limitations imposed on the social, cul tural and 

economic development of the Island of Vieques by the United States 

3 The Ex ecut ive Summary of the "Economic Adj ustment Program for Viegues 

Puerto Rico " concluded that " ... Navy land ownersh i p constrains commun ity 

development and its activities prov ide few loca l jobs." 

4 The d~stance betwee n the Navy-contro lled westernmost tip of Vieques (an area 

inc luded in the HR 3831 land transfer) and Ceiba is s ignificantly shorter than 

the urre~t Isabel Segunda-Fajardo fer ry rout e. 
110 

Navy is not the only cause for such hardship, it is undisj:mtably a 

major factor. 

Our study concludes the following: 

"Due to historical and geographic reasons, [Vieques) has 

been marginalized from the process of economic 

development that the rest of Puerto Rico has 

experienced ... during the last 50 years, the United States 

Navy has controlled some of the best lands for 

agricultural development, the most pristine beaches of 

Puerto Rico, the most important fishfarms and the most 

expedient route between Vieques and Puerto Rico". 

The United States Navy has now occupied and controlled over 

two-thirds of the Island of Vieques for the past 50 years. 

Undeniably, we, as American Citizens, have greatly benefitted from 

the operations performed by the Navy through the years. 

Nevertheless, it is clear from what I have described above that 

the Vieques community suffers great hardship and foresees an 

obscure future so long as the land restrictions here under review 

remain. 

As American Citizens, the people of Puerto Rico, like the 

people of California, Florida or New York, are more than willing 

to contribute and sacrifice themselves for the national interest. 

This is abundantly clear from the active and indispensable 

participation of thousands of Puerto Ricans in each and everyone 

of the conflicts the U.S. has been involved in this century. 

Reserve, National Guard and Active Duty Puerto Ricans were notably 

active in Vietnam, Granada, Panama, the Gulf War, Somalia and 

currently, in Haiti. However, because of the amount of land used 

by the Armed Forces in Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico carries a much 

higher burden of our national defense than many states of the 

UnionS. 

From what I have described above, it is clear that a grave 

problem exists in Vieques. It is not a problem of great national 

concern that affects Americans nationwide, yet it is a grave 

problem for a small microcosm of American citizens---the residents 

of Vieques in particular, and the American citizens in Puerto Rico 

in general. Vieques served a vital interest to all of us. It is 

my belief that the United States Navy can ably adapt to the 

situation H.R. 3831 proposes just like it has done when the Iron 

Curtain fell and a much larger and critical readjustment had to be 

made. 

I strongly urge you to favorably report HR 3831. An island 

as beautiful as this wasn't meant to be totally controlled by the 

military forever. 

Thank you. 

5 Currently, Puerto Rico is host to 5 major U.S. Military installations. 

According to the Department of Defense, Puerto Rico carries the burden than 

the states of Arkansas (5), Kentucky (5), Louisiana (5), Maine (5), and Rhode 

Island ( 5). Puerto Rico carries a greater burden than the states of 

Connecticut (3), Delaware {2), Idaho (2), Iowa (2), Kansas {4), Minnessota 

(2), Montana (2), Nebraska (2), Nevada (4), New Hampshire (3), New Mexico (4), 

North Dekota (4), Oregon (2), South Dekota (2}, Vermont (1), West Virginia 

(2), Wisconsin (3), and Wyoming (2). 
111 

SUPPLEMENTAL SHEET 

STATEMENT ON H. R. 3831 BY THE 

HON. KENNETH D. McCLINTOCK 

ON BEHALF OF THE SENATE OF PUERTO RICO 

October 4, 1994 

Subcommittee on Insular and International Affairs 

U.S. House of Representatives 

Washington, D.C. 

Pursuant to the "Committee on Natural Resour ces Formatting 

Requirements for Printing of Hearing Statemets, Written Comments 

and Exhibits", I am providing the following information: 

Name : 

Address : 

Sen. Kenneth D. McClintoc k 

Senate of Puerto Rico 

The Capitol 

San Juan, Puerto Rico 00901 

Topical Outline : The Statement will refl ect the Senate Of 

Puerto Rico ' s support for H.R. 383 1 , p l acing particular attention 

to a study conducted by the Federal and Economic Affairs 

Committee, chaired by Sen. McClintock , which f ound that the 

transferring of land is indispen sable for the social, cultural and 

economic well being of the Island of Vieques. 
112 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. I just want to congratulate you on your 

statement and also on your interest in the-Senate's interest and 

your committee's interest in issues in Vieques, and the initiatives 

that you took to conduct the study and to help us in that, obtain 

some results in this legislation. 

I would like to ask you a very few questions. One of them is, the 

accommodations that the-that are set forth in your report, do you 

feel that or do you know, feel that those recommendations are supported by the people of Vieques? 

Mr. MCCLINTOCK-HERNANDEZ. Yes. My impression is that they 

would all be supported by the people of Vieques, because our recommendations basically were picked from a large pool of recommendations that the people of Vieques proposed in public hearings that we held in Vieques, in addition to public hearings that 

were held in the capital in San Juan. 

In addition to that, we, a bipartisan delegation of our committee, 

visited Vieques, spoke to people outside the hearings process, and 

we also were able to have a tour of the whole island of Vieques, 

basically from one point to the other. 

In fact, I must say, with great pain that when we visited the 

summit of Manta Pieta, the highest point in the island of Vieques, 

we were accompanied by Mayor Manuela Santiago Collazo who was 

there at our invitation, and it was the first time that she, as mayor 

of Vieques for many years, and as a life-long resident of Vieques, 

had had the opportunity to visit the summit, the highest mountain 

in her island. 

Mr. RoMERO-BARCELO. Do you feel that the accommodations that 

the report-in your study, that they also feel that they have the 

support of the legislature? 

Mr. MCCLINTOCK-HERNANDEZ. Yes, I believe they have the support of the legislature. The problem is that we have not been able 

to get all agencies of the Executive Branch to devote the attention 

and to focus on these-all of these recommendations, although I do 

know that the Secretary of Economic Development, Louis Fortuno, 

is actively pursuing several initiatives relating to Vieques now, 

that he heads an umbrella agency that has responsibility over a 

number of agencies that have direct impact over Vieques, such as 

the Economic Development Administration, the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Corporation, plus the tourism company, which 

had already been collaborating with the mayor of Vieques. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Are you planning to, once you get those 

statements and studies and reactions from the different agencies, 

to bring it to the floor of the legislature to have some kind of resolution? 

Mr. McCLlNTOCK-HERNANDEZ. In fact, my report last year is a 

partial report, although it is complete in the sense that we did a 

very wide-ranging study. We did not want to file a final report so 

as to maintain jurisdiction over the subject, and we are actively 

pursuing follow-up on our recommendations and we will eventually 

be reopening the hearings process to hear from the agencies what 

have they done about our recommendations. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Your final report and resolution adopting 

some recommendations would be beneficial in the process that we 

are going to be following next year on this legislation. 
113 

Mr. MCCLINTOCK-HERNANDEZ. What we could probably do, I will 

not be filing a final report until December 1996. I will not relinquish jurisdiction over this important matter, and a matter that is 

very close to my heart, because I have been very close to Mayor 

Santiago and the electorate of Vieques. 

But what we will probably be doing is probably early next year, 

we would do the-a second report which would update the first report so that then you would have a more complete picture, that 

would help this committee in its work. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Okay. Have you discussed any of your 

recommendations with any of the Navy officials? 

Mr. MCCLINTOCK-HERNANDEZ. I have discussed with Admiral 

Christensen, and Officer McCloskey was with him here today, an 

overview of some of the recommendations. They have communicated to me some of the projects that they have been supposedly 

working on. 

For example, the shrimp farm that Mayor Santiago mentioned in 

her testimony, the aloe vera farm, the canape farm, and a number 

of other projects. The problem is, as Mayor Santiago says, these are 

all-projects are in a very incipient phase. There is no guarantee 

that any of these projects will really get off the ground, and, for 

example, they are talking about setting up some bureaus that in 

some way or another are supposed to help develop the plankton or 

something that contributes to improving the food chain in the 

water so that fish will multiply more rapidly, but then there are 

so many constraints to the fishermen in Vieques that you can have 

all the fish in the world there, but if you are denied access to certain fishing areas, well, you know, what is the use of having all the 

fish if you can't throw your nets? 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. The mayor says in her statement, you say 

in your statement, that the Navy has stifled the economic growth 

on development of the island of Vieques, whereas the Navy, on the 

other hand, says that they provide the economy with $4 million annually. 

What is your reaction? 

Mr. MCCLINTOCK-HERNANDEZ. Well, just consider-! mean, if you 

are staying at a small country inn in Vieques during an ocean venture or one of the exercises where they do a live bombing, you 

know, I honeymooned recently in St. Martin and one of the things 

that attracted me there was the total silence and the total tranquility that you have there. 

In Vieques, you don't have at all times of the year that total 

tranquility, and if you are going to have tourists planning their vacations based on military schedules, some of which may be known 

publicly, but others may not be known publicly, well, you know, it 

stifles tourism activity. 

In addition to that, the fact that the municipality of Vieques, and 

Puerto Rico, as you know, the municipal governments, their major 

source of income is property taxes. They are not allowed to collect 

any type of sales taxes or excise taxes. They are not allowed to collect income taxes. So basically property taxes and taxes on business 

are their major source of income, and you were mayor of San Juan 

for eight years and have personal knowledge of that. 
114 

In Vieques, then you tell them, okay, you can't collect property 

taxes on two-thirds of the land of your municipality, so that stifles--

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Three-quarters. 

Mr. MCCLINTOCK-HERNANDEZ. Three-quarters of the land in 

Vieques, and then in the quarter of land that is devoted to civil end 

use, then almost all of it or most of it is devoted to residential purposes, and residents in Puerto Rico have a $15,000 exemption over 

their first home so they don't get much money out of that either, 

and then there is a number of land use restrictions over the civilian portion of Vieques which were imposed by the Navy many 

years back. 

You can't build any high-rises there. You can't do a number of 

things there, so their tax base is a fraction of the tax base of the 

rest of the municipalities in Puerto Rico. So when you consider that 

the municipal government is one of the promoters of economic development, and then you tie their hands and you tie their feet and 

you basically stuff their mouths by not allowing them to tax the 

properties in Vieques, you are stifling economic growth just in that 

area alone. 

I could go-I could talk for an hour about other ways that they 

stifle economic growth. 

Mr. RoMERO-BARCELO. Finally, Senator, what is your response to 

the Navy's assertion that transferring-you were here when the 

Admiral testified? 

Mr. MCCLINTOCK-HERNANDEZ. Yes, I was. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Transferring the lands under the bill to 

the municipality of Vieques would severely limit their ability to 

conduct the kinds of exercises that they conduct in Vieques. 

Mr. MCCLINTOCK-HERNANDEZ. Well, I am not an expert in military matters, but I just can't believe that the Navy's needs today 

are exactly the same as they were 15 years ago. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Fifty years ago? 

Mr. MCCLINTOCK-HERNANDEZ. Fifteen. No, I don't know what 50 

years is. I am only 37 years old, so I don't know what 50 years is. 

Mr. RoMERO-BARCELO. You are a wise guy now. 

Mr. MCCLINTOCK-HERNANDEZ. No insult intended, but you know, 

15 years ago, we were in the middle of the Cold War. We had 

ICBM's from Russia, the Soviet Union poised on the United States. 

You had Soviet nuclear submarines crawling around the Caribbean. You had Fidel Castro exporting revolution in the Americas 

and Mrica and wherever. The situation was totally different, and 

I just can't believe that the training and military needs of the Navy 

and the United States Armed Forces today are exactly the same as 

they were then. 

The Admiral has talked about how much it would cost to transfer 

the ammo depots to other land-based facilities, but he mentioned 

in passing several times that having those land-based ammo facilities in Vieques precludes the need of having ammunition ships in 

the exercises. 

I am sure that the operation of an ammunition ship would not 

cost $300 or $400 million if they are talking about land-based facilities. So maybe what they should do is seriously consider the possibility of using ammunition facilities on board specialized ships, 
115 

which they have, and which they use in other parts of the world, 

rather than depend on land-based facilities. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Thank you. Thank you very much. 

PANEL CONSISTING OF DR. RAFAEL A. RIVERA-CASTANO, 

PRESIDENT, COMMITTEE FOR THE RESCUE AND DEVELOPMENT OF VIEQUES; AND, CARLOS VENTURA MELENDEZ, 

COMMITTEE FOR THE PRO RIGHTS OF VIEQUES FISHERMEN 

Mr. RoMERO-BARCELO. Now, we have the panel of Dr. Rafael A. 

Rivera-Castano, the President of the Committee for the Rescue and 

Development of Vieques and Mr. Carlos Ventura, Committee for 

the Pro Rights of Vieques Fishermen. 

You may proceed. 

STATEMENT OF DR. RAFAEL A. RIVERA-CASTANO 

Dr. RIVERA-CASTANO. Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman, ladies and 

gentlemen. First of all, you have to excuse me, Mr. Carlos Ventura 

who was supposed to be with me this panel, but he had to step out 

of the room for some personal reasons. I hope that heMr. RoMERO-BARCELO. If he comes back in time, we will listen 

to him. Dr. RIVERA-CASTANO. I hope he is back before we finish this. But 

his statement has been filed with the Commission, and I urge you 

to really study this statement with all his addenda because they 

have a very good explanation of the impact of the Navy, especially 

in the fishermen and the fishermen industry. 

But now, as I said, my name is Dr. Rafael A. Rivera-Castano. I 

am a professor of the University of Puerto Rico, America Sciences 

campus. I was born and raised in Vieques, and I was one of the 

ones, of the many Viequeans that had to migrate to the island of 

Puerto Rico. But luckily since 1992, I went back to Vieques, my beloved island, to live my retirement for the rest of my life. I am here this afternoon on behalf of the Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques, and I am pleased to present this 

afternoon our point of view regarding H.R. 3831, a bill also referred 

to as the Vieques Land Transfer Act of 1994, introduced in the 

House of Representatives by Mr. Romero-Barcelo, and other distinguished Congressmen. 

This bill authorizes and directs the transfer of certain lands on 

the island of Vieques, owned by the U.S. Navy, to the municipality 

of Vieques. These lands comprise approximately 8,000 acres located 

in the western part of the island of Vieques designated by the Navy 

as a Naval ammunition depot. 

We regret that these public hearings were not held in Puerto 

Rico since there are many fellow Puerto Ricans that would liked to 

express themselves on the benefits of this bill. In lieu of this personal presentation, we are delivering this afternoon a letter with 

several, over 500 signatures, from residents of Vieques endorsing 

the approval of bill H.R. 3831. 

The committee feels that this act does justice to the residents of 

Vieques and marks the initial step for the recovery of land in 

Vieques and, therefore, the initiation of the socioeconomic recuperation of our island. 
116 

However, we believe that Subsections (b) of Section 2 should be 

amended to introduce specific language regarding the time needed 

to prepare the plan for the use of the recovered lands and to clarify 

the process for the approval by Congress of such plan. 

We feel, however, that when these lands are transferred to the 

municipality of Vieques, under no circumstances should they be returned to the U.S. Navy since this will only defeat the purpose of 

the bill. Therefore, Section (2)(b) should reflect this purpose. With 

these comments, the committee wholeheartedly recommends the 

approval of H.R. 3831. 

In order to back up our position, I would like to make a brief 

statement on our reasons to recommend the approval of this act. 

During the early part of the 1940's, the U.S. Navy acquired by 

condemnation all the western part of Vieques, that this act pretends to return to the municipality of Vieques now. With this acquisition, Vieques lost the last of its sugarcane factories and the island was thrown into a severe economic situation. Not just 15 percent of unemployment, it is 50 percent of unemployment. It also 

lost the shortest route of transportation to the main island of Puerto Rico, aggravating the already serious socioeconomic depression, 

and this is why in Vieques everything costs more, because we have 

to-the transportation costs more because we have to use a longer 

distance. 

By the mid-1940s, the Navy acquired also by condemnation all 

the eastern part of the island in order to establish an area for 

bombing and landing mane:uvers. The result of all these land acquisitions was that the civilian population of Vieques was left with 

only one-third of its island. Throughout these years the people of Vieques have been struggling to survive. The population has dropped from around 12,000 

inhabitants in 1940 to around 8,000 in 1990. All these people live 

in a small part in the center of the island producing a population 

density of around 500 persons per square mile, about half of the 

population density of the whole Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, which has one of the highest densities of all the worlds. The urban 

area of Isabel II, the capital of the island, has approximately 5,600 

persons per square mile. 

The high population density is one of the factors for severe 

health problems on the island. A high infant mortality rate, 24.5 

deaths per 1,000 live births, a high incidence of alcoholism, drug 

abuse, and HIV infections. It also contributes to a high environmental contamination, which, added to the contamination produced 

by the bombing and landing maneuvers in the eastern part of the 

island, is probably the main factor for the high cancer rate of the 

island, 279 cases per 100,000 population, higher than all Puerto 

Rico. There is no question in our minds that the only way that all socioeconomic indexes in Vieques will improve is with the return of 

all land occupied by the U.S. Navy to the people of Vieques. The 

act under consideration by this subcommittee is the first step toward this socioeconomic recovery. 

As I said before, for the past 50 years, two-thirds of the land of 

Vieques have been under the control of the U.S. Navy. Throughout 

all these years, the people of Vieques have been struggling to sur-
117 

vive and they have been demanding the return of these lands by 

the U.S. Navy. 

Several political and civic groups have started actions to this effect. In the early years of the 1980s, the U.S. Navy prepared an 

Environmental Impact Statement in response to a lawsuit by the 

Puerto Rican government against the Navy. In this statement, the 

Navy admitted the existence in Vieques of hundreds of areas of cultural, historical, and archeological interest, most of them in the 

lands under Federal jurisdiction. 

It also refers to the many areas that are subjected to ecological 

danger due to naval activities in the island, and I was extremely 

surprised and amazed to hear Admiral Christensen saying today 

that this was nothing to do about Vieques and saying a lot of-ex- cuse me, a lot of lies about the Memorandum of Understanding of 

1983. I mean, this is something that I did not expect from the Navy 

this afternoon. 

This statement, the statement of impact, this statement also considered the transfer of NAD activities to Pinero Island, near the 

coast of the main Roosevelt Roads Base as a favorable alternative 

for the closure of these activities in Vieques and the return of the 

land to the Puerto Rican government. 

Since 1983 they admitted that they wanted to move this land 

from the NAD. 

In March of 1993 with the end of the Cold War and the intention 

of the U.S. Government to close several armed forces bases in the 

U.S., the Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques 

was formed. Our purpose was to reinitiate the fight for the transfer 

of the Navy land to Puerto Rico and help in the planning process 

for the socioeconomic development of the island. 

Our effort has received the backing of the mayor and the municipal assembly of Vieques, the Puerto Rico House of Representatives, 

the Senate, and the Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. 

Last February of 1994, we delivered over 4,000 postcards to the 

White House signed by residents of Vieques asking President Clinton for the closure of all Naval bases on the island. 

We feel that we are in the right moment to start a new era in 

Vieques. The many Viequeans living in the island and the thousands of other brothers and sisters that had to migrate to mainland, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the United States are eagerly awaiting for the moment in which we can say, all Vieques belongs to us, from Punta Arenas to Salinas. I look forward to living 

peacefully in the most beautiful island in the Caribbean. We endorse H.R. 3831 and strongly recommend its approval by 

this subcommittee and eventually by the United States Congress. 

Thank you. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Thank you very much, Mr. RiveraCastano. [Prepared statement of Dr. Rivera-Castano follows:] 
118 

,,. 

BtatemeDt on BBaa,l 

by 1be Committee forb 

Reecue azu1 DevelopJDellt ar~ 

On behalf of the Committee for the Rescue an~ D~~OP!D8Jlt of 

Vieques, I am pleased to present thia afternoon c:iur point of view 

reiarding HR3831, a Bill also referred to u thct Viequea Land 

Transfer Act ofl994, introduced in the House Of&preaentativea by 

Mr. Romero Barcel6 and other distinguished :congresamen. 

This Bill authorizes and directs the tranfier of certain lands on the 

island ofVieques, owned by the U.S. Navy to the municipality of · Vieques. These lands comprise approltimately, 8,000 acres located in 

the western part of the Island of Viequea deaiinated by the Navy u a 

Naval Ammunition Depot <NAD). 

We rel{l'et that these public hearings were not Jleld in Puerto Rico, 

since there are many fellow Puerto Ricana that would have liked to 

express themselves on the benefit.l of thia Bill. Jn lieu of' thia 

personal presentation, we are deliverinl a letttr with aeveral 

aignatures from reaidents of Viequea endoram, the apptQval of Bill 

HR3831. · 

The Committee feels that this Act does justice to the residents -of 

Vieques and marks the initial step for the reco!erY Of' land in Viequea 

and, therefore, the initiation of the socioeconomic r6Cuperation of our Island. However, we believe that aub-aec:tiona (b) and (c) of Section 2 

should be amended to introduce specific 1~ regarding the time 

needed to prepare the plan for the usa of the recovend -Ianda and to - clarify the procaaa for the approval by Concr~ of sUch plan. We 

feel, however, that when these lands are tianat,rrad to the 

Municipality ofViequas, under no c:ircumatanOel. ~uld they be 

returned to the U.S. Navy since thia will only d6.feat 'the purpoae of 

this Bill. Therefore, Section II (b) should refl~ thiJ purp.,.e. With 

these comments the Committee wholeheartedly recommends the :, 

approval of HR 3831. ' 

In order to back up out position, I would like ~6 a brief 

atat.ement on our reasons to recommend the approval of this Act. 

During the early part of the 40's, the U.S. Navy:acq$-ed by 

condemnation all the western part of Viequea, that this Act pretenda 

to return to the municipality ofViequea now. With this acquisition, 

Vieques lost the last of its sugar cane factoriea .~d the ialand was thrown into a severe eoonomic situation. It alsO loafthe shortest 

route of transportation to the main island of Puerto Rico, aggravatilll 

the already serious socioeconomic depresaion. ~Y the mid-40's, the 

Navy acquir~d also by condemnation all the eaitem part of the island 
119 

in order to establish an area tor bombing and landing maneuvers. The result of all these land acquisitions was t.bat the CiVilian · 

population ofVieques waa left with only 1/3 Of ita Ialaud. 

Throughout these years the people ofViequel.have been •ti'Uirlinl to 

survive. The population has dropped from ai-Qlind 12,000 inhabitants 

in 1940 to around 8,000 in 1990. All these peo~e uv.e in a amiill part in 

the center of the island producing a populatto~ dedaity Of around 500 

persons per square ~ile, about half of the popidation den.ity for the 

whole Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, which ~ !)jle of the bigheat 

densities of all the world. The urban area of iaabel II, the capital of 

the island, has approXimately 5,600 persons Jler square mile. 

11WI high population density is one of the fa~re fcir severe health 

problema on the island: a high infant ~o.n..!M...~te .. (U.G .deatba-P!i.t'·· · ·1;000 Jive births), a high incidence of aleolic»~; ·c~tur abuae and HIV 

infections. It also contributes to a high envirdmilenta1 .. · 

contamination, which, added to the con~~ii J;roduced by the 

bombing and Iandin( maneuvers in the eaatenl pUt of tba Ialand, iB 

probably the main factor for the high caucer rate fot .the .ialand: 279 

cases per 100,000 popUlation, higher tb8n all Pu8rto Rico. · op •• ' •• 

. There:ia no question in our minds that the onl)'. way that~ 

socioeeonomic indues in Vieques will improviia wltb tli8 .return: of 

All land occupied by the U.S. Navy to the people bf\Tiequea. The Act 

under consideration by this sub-committee is the first step 'toward · this socioeconomic recovery. : · 

luJ I aa1d before, fbr the past 50 years, 213 ofth~ lap~ ofY.ieques have 

been under the eo.ntrol of the US Navy. Throughollt all ~ese yeara, . 

the people ofViequea have been struggline to iiurvty~ ~dhave been 

demanifinc the return of these Ianda by the US}Javy. Several 

political and civic groups have started actiona ~ effS:ct. In the .. , earl ears ofthe 80's U.S. Na re ared E vironmental ·' :: 

Impa ent in res "t the Puerto 'can 

Government &Jainst the Navy. In this statement, e a:vy admitted 

thlfenatence 1n Vtequea of hundreds Of areas of cultural, .historical 

and archaeological interest. Moat of them in ~~ la,nda under federal 

jurisdiction. It also refers to the many areu ~at are au);)Jected to .. 

ecological danger due to naval activities in the iilland. . This 

statement alao considered the transfer ofNAD .ctivitiea to ~ero 

Island, near the coast of the main Roosevelt Roads Base. -.a a 

favorable alternative for the closure of these ac~vitiea in Vieques and 

the return of the land to the Puerto Rican Government. 

In March 1993, with the end of the Cold War andtbe intention of the 

U.S. Government to close several armed forcea ' biiaea in the U.S., 

the Committee for the Rescue ~d. ~evelopm~nt~fVi~eil ~~ E!r of 

formed. Our purpose was to re-mtbatP. t.'h,. f1 ht for t e t 

2 
120 

the Navy land m Puerto Rico and help in the planninr proceaa for the 

socioeconomic developtnent of the island. Ol.ir ;ffc>~ lias received the 

backing of the Mayor and the Municipal Aaaembly ofVieques, the 

Puerto Rico House of Representatives, the S~te and, the .Govemor 

of the Commonwealth of PuertD Rico. Last February 199i we delivered over 4,000 postcards m the White House atcned b.:Y residents 

of Viequea, asking President Clinton for the closure of all Naval bases on the leland. 

We feel that we are in the riCht moment to start a:n&w eta In 

Viequea. The many Viequensea liviD& in the ~)and and the 

thousands of other brothers and sisters that had to cnierate; to 

mainland Puerto Rico, the Virein Islands and ~e United States - are earerly waiting for the moment in which we ca1,1 say: "All 

Vieques belongs tD us, 'from Punta Arenas to Salinaa " ..... and look 

forward tD living peacefully in the moat beautiful island in the 

Caribbean. 

Once again, on behalf of the Committee for the .Reac;ue and 

Development ofVieques, we endorse HR 3831 aJ:ld atl'oJlilY 

reoommend ita approval by thiJ Subcommittee and eventually by the 

United States COD(re&a. . . . 

Thank you. 

September,l994 

3 
121 

STATEMENT OF CARLOS VENTURA MELENDEZ 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Now, before we ask any questions, I am 

going to have Mr. Ventura give his testimony. And we have been 

advised Mr. Ventura is going to give his testimony in Spanish, so 

the stenographer will be handed a translation of his testimony for 

the purposes of the record. Carlos Ventura Melendez. 

[The witness read his statement in Spanish.] 

[Mr. Ventura Melendez' prepared statement and attachments follow:] 
122 

STATEMENT OF 

CARLOS VENTURA MELENDEZ 

COMMITTEE PRO RIGHTS OF VIEQUES FISHERMAN 

BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITIEE ON INSULAR 

AND INSULAR AFFAIRS 

ON H.R. 3831 

OCTOBER 4, 1994 
123 

Crcctingll, 

My name Is Carlos Ventura Melendez. I live on Bromelia Slreet in an 

an:a of Viequos, f>uarto Rica, called llBrrio Esperanza. I am here 

rcpre3cnting th" fi:shennon and as spokesperson tor "Grupo Pro Derechos 

de l<~~t Pt:11cadores Viequenses·• (Vioques l'iahermen's Rights Group). 1 am 

a fillhermau a.111l cume fi'om a family of fishermen, that has fished for its 

livt:lihood for generations. I hold a Hac:helor's Degree on Secondary 

Education In Biology for which I look caunea in zoology, botany, human 

a.nawwy, physical geography, onvironmental st.udiea, etc:. 

lam here today to wtpress our suppor~ ofH.R. Hill No. 3831 which 

couccrns the transfer of lands of Vieques to the people ofViequos, which 

wHs 11ubuutt.od by our Reaident (;ommissioner to the United States 

Congress, Honorallle Carlos Homero Barc:olo. We fishermen, support this 

bill which asks lhe rot.urn of llJ>pro~mntely 8,000 acres to tbo Municipal 

Oovenuucnt of Vleques. These 8,000 acres are now controlled by the 

United States Navy. Wo support this Bill because we realize that it will 

bring great lJ~out:.llt not only t.o the fishenncn, but also to tho reneral 

population of Vicques, as opposed t.o the present situation of negative effects 

from the milituy presence. 

We whermen have suffered those negative effects on two fronts. As 

citizens of Lhi:; island, we are suffering a ruined economy, rampant 

unenlploymt:ul, and an oxodus or our people in search of employment and 

lltoLLer quality of lite elsewhere. AB fishermen we have suffered the worse 

to1·tw·o LhHL any wo1·kcr could imagine • tho destruction of our means of 

livelihood· the fishing industry ofViequcs, which ia on its last leg. The 

United States Navy with their constant bombardment from ships and 

ail·plane11 dt::~truy natural maritin1o resource• such aa fish, coral and 

ret:fll, in great quantities. They also destroy our fishinr gear with their 

ship traffic during amphibious maneuvers that oil.en are conducted without 

notification, or with notification thai. arrives with insufficient advance 

warnin& io Hllow ua to move our gear out of danger; and then .they do not 

hunor our leg1Umate filed c:Iaims for damages. (See Annex #l-Admiral's 

Letter). Thi:s destruction greatly affects the fishing production of both 

fiehetl'u'"" u:sing nets and those that dive for a living. This represent.'! a 

se1·iuu11 threllt to the economic future of our island. Endangered species arc 
124 

not excluded from this destruction cawed by tho United States Navy during 2 

~heir military maneuvers. There arc many turtle nesting areas destroyed 

by heavy amphibious equipment transversing the beach areas during these 

maneuvers. Fishermen have witnossncJ the death of many marine turtles 

and other endangered species . If this hearing wore held in Vieques, many 

of these same fishermen would come to testify to you about the destruction 

cauaed by the military practices of the Navy. 

Because oflow production, fishermen and all others who gain economic 

benefits from this industry are affected, and they are forced to seek public 

assistance · when you eliminate self employment you thereby increase tho 

the intention of tho J.T.P.A. Law (Job Training Partnership Act), which 

tries to create self employment opportunities thereby diminishing high 

rates of dependency on federal assistance programs. 

The military presence also affects land crab fishennen on the west of our 

island, lowering the production of their labors without taking into 

consideration the high unemployment levels on the island. 

We fishermen undernnnd that the military presence also affects all of 

citizens in the island municipality of Vieques and we furthermore 

maintain that tho retw·n of said lands must be done in such a way that 

these benefits come directly ~o the people of Vieques. Among the benefits we 

island, this would reduce the cost of travel and exportation of fish and 

shellfish, thus allowing the fisherman of Vieques to expand marketing to 

Puerto Rico in a cost effective fashion. Developing this land will improve 

the economic situation of the fishermen by developing the fishing industry 

and increasing the demand for our products. Increasing demand will 

create more jobs in tlshin~ and lower Lhc unemployment level. 

Certain areas arc over-fished while other areas are not fished at all 

because of military restrictions. The Department of A~riculturo of Puerto 

Rico, Fishing Secti9n, indicates that one of the principal causes for the loss 

of production of fish is the mangrove and reef destruction which should 

serve as habitats for various marine species. (See Annex lt2-Newspaper 

urticlc ). 

We kno;,.,. that the western part of the island can be developed for 

aquaculture which could increase both the fishin~ production and species 
125 

repopulation. This part of the island 1s ideal for U1e creation of artificial 3 

reefs for species repopulation and to servo as a source of resupply and as 

an example of how to repopulate the eastern end of the island-which is the 

the most affected uy military use. We are working with the PR 

Legislature and the Dept. of Agriculture in the plaiUling of a project to 

repopulate conch in places perfectly suited for this type of project in 

Viuquu11. 

We also plan to coordinate a series of proJects wUll pertinent agencies 

such as the Dept. of Interior (Div. of Fish and Wildlife Service of US ) which 

is responsible for the restoration offish populations that have been reduced. 

(See Annex #3-Rclatod Federal Agencies Literature). 

In the same manner we hope to work with the Office of Aquaculture of 

Dept. of Agriculture since it plays a major role in implementing the 

projects we propose for tho Woster.ri. End ofViequea: 

The Vieques Fishermen's Rights Group has issued an ultimatum (See 

Annex #4 )to the Navy· but not before having exhausted all other 

reasonable alternatives. We have been unable to reach an agreeable 

solution so far. Meanwhile the Navy is reaping propaganda benefits with 

many publicized reports of their rood neighbor policy towards the people of 

Vieques. In the last edition of The Viequea Timea the Navy speaks of eight 

projects in the plaiUling stage. ( See Annex #5). We must point out that not 

one job has been created nor have any of Ulose projects become a reality. It 

is not only the Navy • The Secretary of Defense (See Annex 4t6), the 

Preaident"s Economic Adjualmont Program (Seo Annex fl7), and the U.S. 

Congress have all publicized super projects for Vieques in fl.heriea and 

aquaculture (Sec Annex "8). 

If the Con;ross of tho United Statca has been misled into believing that 

Ulere are, or ever were, 400 jobs in a crub farm in Vieques - now i.8 the time 

to get these facts straight because there are none and never were any. In 

fact, tho Crab Farm Projocl never got orr tho cround in Vieques although 

funds were committed. The Job Training Partnership Act (JTPAl 

authorized $413,000 to train bioloj;ists and farmers for the Vieques Project in 

May, 1986. ( See Annex #9). 

The U~ Agency for International Development authorized $1.6 million 

dollars for the Crab Tl·aining Programs but put them in place in four 

foreign flag .islands of ~ho Caribbean, namely Grenada, Antigua, 

85-315 95-5 
126 

Dominican Republic and Turks-Ca1cr>s. That's great for Grenada • but 4 

whaL auout Vieques? (See Annex #lUI 

Not one job has ueen created . then came talk of shrimp and conch in 

other Navy supplied coastal zones. None of these have passed the planning 

litage or provided a single jo!J. So the aquaculture projects never got off the 

gnJwld !Jut the areas which were supposed to be for our benefit still remain 

restricted and off-limits Lo fishennen although the Navy had already 

declared them available for aquaculture. 

Of the total fish and seafood consumed in PuorLo Hico, l:I6'7D is imported, 

only thu rumaining 4'1& is caught or cultivated on the island (Sea Grant 

UPR). Economic development in Vieques has for many years been 

hampered by t.he scarcity of Lwo basic natural resources (I) land (for obvious 

tltt~onll) ~:~nd (2) fresh water in agro-indust.rial quantities. Add to this a 

l't!ttl wuunployment rate of some 50% (City Hall-Vodco,UoU) and a grim 

picture11 emer,;ca. 

'fhe Island of Vieques does have, how over, an unlimited abundance of 

out! p1:1runnial, practlcally inexhaustiule resource on all sides: sea water. It 

i11 in thia sea water that development must begin. 

Su IICllrce has the ilah population become in Vieques that our conch I 

lobster divers and spear fishermen are bein~t killed and crippled by being 

forced fUrther o(Tshore into deeper and more dangerous waters in search of 

their livelihood. The log book at Roosevelt Uoads Decompression Chamber 

will bear w ituelSll Lu Lhia. 

Viequea originally aa:epted 1J1e military presence to defend the world 

ttgl:linat the regimen of Hitler and we could understand that Lhia was a 

legitlmate need consldertng the t.hreat against humanity. Then we further 

sacrificed for the Korean War effort, followed by the VietNam War effort, 

tho Cold War, tho Grenada Invasion,- then came the Gulf War, the Somalia 

humanitarian effort, recently the Iiaiti invasion- and now thoy're talking 

the .War ~ainst Drugs. 'l'hese may all be honorable cauaea, in their own 

rtght, but as tho basis for original acceptance changes continually, tho 

pt!uplu ufVieques can no longer undcrlltand the legitimate necessity of their 

prolonged sacrifice. It must. bll remembered lllat as well as sacrificing 

their land11, the people of Vieques, as all American citizenB, have also mado 

the ultimate sacrifice. It has been over ::JO yoars of (Pving our share, enough 

ab·t!acly · you have taken our past, give us back our future . 
127 

Since you can see your way to support just causes in the name of 5 

demoe1·acy in foreign places around ~he world, we expect you to support us 

in our just cHuse of reclaiming our lands in Vieques, Puerto Rico, USA. 

We al10u expl.lct you to ensure that all government agencies honor their 

commitlnenta fo1· ecuuumic development projects already promised for 

VicquoR. 

Thank you for taking the time to listen to this humble fisherman. 
128 

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY COMMANDER FLEET AIR, CARIBBEAN 

PSC 1008 

FPC AA 34051·8000 

. .:1. 

5890 

Ser N02L/022 

11 Jan 94 

Mr. Carlos R. Ventura Melendez 

Bromelias Street #393 

Bo. Esperanza 

Vieques, Puerto Rico 00765 

Dear Mr. Melendez: 

This is in response to your letter of 3 December 1993 regarding 

the .status of your claim for loss of fish traps. 

The review of your claim should :)e completed soon. Several 

claims filed contemporaneously with yours have been reviewed and 

settlement offers sent out. The time lag in the processlng of 

your claim is due to the large number received at one time and 

the necessity of translating the documents, validating receipts, 

and valuing the lost traps. 

Inquiry into the issue you raised concerni~g the :ack of ~otice 

regarding naval activities during the period of 22 Nove~ber 

through 2 December 1993 indicates that, although notices were 

issued, they ~ere not posted as req~ired. This omission is 

regrettable and action has been taken to ensure the timely 

posting of the notices in the future. The United States Navy 

will continue to make every effort to provide notice to those 

effected by its activities and to ensure :hat :he i~conve~ience 

caused thereby to Viequenses is minimal. 

In closing, however, I would like to state ~ha: : e~co~=age 

anyone with valid cause to file a claim agai~s: the Navy ~o a~y 

inadvertent damage which may be ca~sed by au~ ac:iv:ties. ~at 

said, I would also ask you in t~e future net :c i~c:ude wit -·· 

such claims either yoGr political philosorhy cY c:~eY 

disin~~n~o~s, p00~:y ~~itten ~~d,~~ ~~~:a~:~a=~~~- ---~ 

Sincerely, 

-f.~~~~ ~dmiral, U.S. Navy 

Commander 
129 

Sumergida en aguas 

Los 

recursos que 

habitan Ia 

plataforma 

de Puerto 

Rico son 

escasos 

Por MILI>R.:D RIVERA MA"RRio:RO 

ESI'ECJAL PARA EL NUEVO DIA 

LA INDlls·rRIA de Ia pesca local sOlo produce el 10% 

del pescado y mariscos que se consume en Ia Isla y los 

IX'Sl'adorcs rcsponsabili1an al Gohicmo de que no haya 

lTl't'imicntu. micntras funcionarios pUhlicos diccn que los 

n:cursos marinos del lirt.>a son cscasos. 

En d 1992 los pucrtorriqucT)os consumieron 498,685 

qumtalcs de pcscado y mariS('O (fresco y congclado). S('t,un 

las cstadisticas mas recientes del Departamento de Agricultura. De cso. 39,837 quinlalcs fueron de producci6n local. micntras Ia importaci6n ascendi6 a 458,848 quintales. [sus datos podrian scr maynres -porque algunos pescadorcs nn in forman sus estadistit,:as-. aunque Ia proporriOn se 

mantcndria. segUn el director del Programa de Pesca del 

Departamento de Agricultura. Jaime Gonzalez Azar. 

l.as razone~ para que Ia pesca local no sea mayor varian 

Jepcndicndo del set:tor que lo cxprcsc. Varios pescadort~ 

t•nuc\·i.;tadns dijcron que <iii tuvieran embarcacionrs mas 

!!randcs y mejor equip, JlC"':arian en alta mary aumcntarlan 

~u produn·iOn E!iO sOlo scria posiblc cnn ayuda gutll:rnamcntal. dijcron 

I os JlC<ii(:adore<ii mcncionamn a algunas personas que ILc 

ttnt emhan·acionc~ grande\ (de mas de 50 pies). ES!os ohtic 

1Wn hasta 10,000 lihr.t<ii de pcscadn l'n una salida, cuando 

pt•rmancccn varios dias en alia mar, scgUn GonzAlez. 

SIN •:MBARGO. "hly que tener claro que los recur'SO\ 
profundas Ia industria pesquera pu

~ohrt• b plataforma de Puc-rto Rico son C!><:asos", dijo por su 

parte. C'l direclor del Lahoralnrio de ln vcs li~a ioncs Pcsquc· 

' "'· dl•l £X-panamento de RC'nnsos Naturot lrs. Walter Pad ilL• l.a plataforma ~:s Ia p:utc de Ia Isla sumcrgida en cl mar. 

Fl dircl·tor sci'laiO que en alta m a r sc CIH.:Ucntran Ins 

h.lftt o~ de pcn·s que \·;nl migrando. " c,()uC tipo de nresi<"m podna ~guantar eSt' rC'rtH'-P., (como para que los pc adorc" 

tid ".w. dt·pt·nd •n ck dJ 1w lo sahcmos" . dijo. 

! khtdo " t•s;t ·~c -.t. . ( t~ t: •l l'l dijo qut·. :111nquc un mt·-

\l ll t'qui(Hl :llllllt·nt:Jci.• l.1 JH"ItdiJ·t-i<.lll . ~·s t;~ nunl·a llq.:;•n:t ni 

:tl '\0'~, tid nni'.Uillll tnt;tl en d P:u \ 

I I nu\sumo dl.' pcst-;.H.Jo\ y rnari-.ul'>. pot otro ladu. ha 

;HIIIlt'Utado l·11 lu\ UltinHl\ arlos. St'glm d vin·prc~ idc ntl' 

q~ n1li\o dr Pa r kcr!\ Provision , RaUl l 'a rhoncl. Anlrs. cl 

l!•w.:~o dt· Ia vt•nla de pcsc.·ado St.' hada duranlt' Ia Sefnana 

Santa . pcm <ll'tualmcnh.· t''it' producto sc vcndr durante todo 

d arin. ~· rlal(l. 

H tipo de pc~cado qul· Ilia'> SL' vcndc en Cuart"sma es Ia 

stcrra . mientras que e l rcsto del a flo cl d e mayor dctnanda cs 

d d u\11 ). l..t'l!tlll cl Jircr 1111 dl'l f)l·r a rtamcnto de Carnes de 

l'u ~· hl\• lntnn;tti,Hul . \\"rlfr n t •• Ri vn;1. 

I I ~~· ~. 1k h ... H· n t. l' •k pn, ;tdn tk Pm:hlo ~.:s lo~:a . 1"\·ro 

11< • t"\ ull l l\lll p•H qur .1,1 1t1dn' hi\ Jl\'\radorrs d<.'l p;ti\ 

\t"l•,h: n a rc\I.IUr:ll\1\'\ ' l"lllltlt"hlos.o 

I ·\SIERRA l"OiliUillllt'!llt" \t" 1111po1t;~ lk Ia India. 1111111 

11.1 ·· tllr,l\ c\p\'lll'\ t "t! ll lol c l rnnn. lll't San 1\.·dro. atun ~ 

t lullo '-4." lr<H"U tk Suda111n il·;1. nlint"idicron Rivcr3 y cl 

thft'dur tit: mt• u.:;ttkn t.k Supt.: rnH ~t ados l:nmo, Vklur Sals. 

[n las agu<l\ que rodcan I<~ Isla hay rnuL·has cspccics. pcro 

rocos imlividuos de c.·ada una, comcnt(, GonzAie7 .. Jarca, 

l·hilln. l·nhrruhia. rayatlo. ITil'ro y ~halo son algunn!i de las 

L'\(XYil'"' tiUl' m[l\ \l' l'nnu·ntran en cl ~rca Norte. Peru, las 

C'\pt.·dc:s y ... u cantid;1tl \ llll d ili.:rt•nlc$ en <.:ada punlo de Ia 

l\la · 

1.1 :'lfl'O\ duruk m ;l' 'l' ll\'\1.:a l'S d UC\h:. \C@u ida dd sur. del 

nnnl·) linalml'llh.: d ~. stt·._scgUn cl l...ahoratorin. Lshl c~ 1-x:>r 

l;1' nmtlinom'\ l·hmatoh"•l!•cas que impcran en cada .trca. Ln 

t·l !Writ', por l..'jl·mplo. st,ln ~ay scis o sictl' mcsc~ dr hucna 

l)l a pmqm· c:n in\ h'rno. "s1 d vicnto cs del norll'. t'l mar st' 

1""-11\l' hr wo" un ( ;,q orio Mt•dina . rx.·sc ldor de San 

Juan. 

L1 at"(lvid;.u..l pc qun .1 1111 li ~.: un 1 prodUl"\.'U.III lija p\n4 

que \t.. tlq)l•ndt• dl' Ia na1Urolc1a. Alguno~ tlias d fl\'s{·;lllnr 

pul·dr ollll' Ul'l 100 lihrao:; dc IM:SC.:ado o m~-.. en ti4.. 11ll~' 

hucno. ·· Pcro. hay vcc.·c~ que tU vas y no cogcs ni l·inr u 

lihf3s", cxplirO Mc.•dina. Fl pc.·scador cxplic6 que co tiempo 

hurno sc puedc pcscar todos los dia!li. pcro sino tl promL•tlio 

son tres dias stmanalcs. 

ScftUn los pcscactorts cntrcvist:uto~ . d ingrcso que sc gene· 

r;t. no lc\ d:t tlara vivir. pm lt1 que l;t mayorta lic.·nt• olra 

fut·ntc dL· ingrcsos CUIIl(l Ius euponcs de asislcncia social o 

sc.·~uro ~ol'ial. en algunos casos. 

••TJt:NEN Qllt: dcJar Ia pesca de antailo. olvidar.c d< lu folkl6rico y antiguo·· y utililar Ia trcnnlogla. dijo Gon,alcl. 

Fl rum·inn<lriu dijo 4Ul' los rcscadOI"l'S que tiCilCO grandl'S 

l'mharl·at·imw"i y ;tll<t produn·iim cmpctarnn c.·on una "ynlil:t .. Rl-rako que Ins j"k:~·;u.Jorc s t.lUt son huc.·nos admimo.;tril· 

dorc•o:; <k ~US in~fl"SOS flUCdC'n flTO~J("S<Jr 

H u

fk.:.,r:td

m..-ntl' 

dd pai

tn. Adr

La Uni

· 

'ttL Fl t

'f aguas (

cr11rc o

nuaks

I a l

·-rn S

nono •

d1t1 M
131 
132 

u .S. DEPARTMENT OF HEAL Tl1 AND HUMAN SERVlCES 

Food and Drug Administration Center tor Velerln11ry Medictne 

The Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) Is responsible for the regulation 

of animal drugs, animal teeds, and veterinary medical devices. The 

Cenrer's involvement in aquaculture consists of four main areas: 

Approval of Animal Orugt and Feeda-Under the provisions of the 

Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, animal drugs must ordinarily be 

approved before distribution and use. Manufacture of medicated teeds may 

require separate approval. Nondrug f~ additives also fall under FDA 

regulation and ordinarily require approval prior to use. Additionally, CVM 

supports the IR-4 program relating to the development of new drugs for 

aquacultural uses. 

Oversight of Drug Dtstrlbulton ond Uso-CVM conducts surveitance ond 

compliance programs relating to animal drugs, animal teeds. and other 

veterinary medical maners, and coordinates the veterinary me<Jical aspects 

of FDA inspections. 

Research--CVM conducts basic drug metabolism and phamutcokinetics 

research needed to support the development of analytical methods for 

detection of dtug residues in aquawhure species. 

Educallonallnitialives--CVM works with the industry to develop qua~ty 

assurance programs and educational materials to assist producers in using 

drugs and chemicals safely in aquaculture production systems. 

For Further Information Contact: 

Center lor Veterinary Medicine 

Food and Drug Administration 

U.S. Department of Health 

and Human Services 

756K> Standish Place 

Rockvi"e. MD 20855 

(301) 295-87~1 - FAX (301) 295-8807 

New Animal Drug Approvai ... OffiC8 of New Animal Drug Evaluation 

(HFV-100) (301) 295-8620 - FAX (301) 295·8297 

Oversight of Drug Use ........... Office of Surveillance and Compliance 

(HFV-200) . (301) 295-8761 -FAX (301) 295-8807 

Approval of Animal Foed1..._. Division ol Animal Feeds (HFV-220) (301) 295-8724 -FAX (301) 295-8807 

Research .......................... Office ot Science 

(HFV-500) (30f) 295·8702 -FAX (301) 295-8298 

Edueatlonallnltlatlves ........... tndustry Programs Branch 

(HFV-244) (301) 295·8769 - FAX (301) 295-8807 
133 

.~. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

U.S . Fish ond WlkiUie Service 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Setvice (FWS). Depanment of the Interior, has 

responsibilities tOr restoring depleted fjsh oooulations. preserving endan· 

gered species, mitigating the 1mpacts of Federal"'Wirer developments on 

fish populations, managing fish resources on Federal lands, and providing 

scientffic ~adership in fishery resource management. A nationwide system 

of fish hatcheries, fisheries assistance offices, !ish health centers, fish 

technology centers, fisheries research centers, and a training facility are 

operated to carry out these responsibilities. The Service's fisheries activities 

invotve research, management, and culture of freshwater, anadromous, 

estuarine, and exotic ftshes o1 recreational. ecological, and commercial 

importance. The Servioe has established an aquaculture mission consisting 

of two broad functions: 1) encourage the development of private aquacul· 

ture in a manner that Is compatible with responsible natural resource 

stewardship. and 2) make SeN ice exper1ise, knowledge, and technicaV 

scienlirlc capabitit'es in fish cuhure and related disciplines available to the 

private aquaculture oommunity. 

For Further Information Contact 

NatK>nal Aquaculture Coordinator 

ARLS0820 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife SaNtee 

U.S. Department of the Interior 

Maij Stop Ill. Attington uare 

Washington. DC 20240 

(703) 358·1715 

FAX (703) 358·2210 

For Exp~ess or Courier Delivery: 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ' • • 

4401 North Falrlax Drive · .,~"\. . 

Arl;ngton,VA22203 

11~ 

~-~ . ,~ ~ 
134 

~====·===- Tho National Sea Grant Coilego Program ollhtl National Oooanlc and 

Atmospheric Adminilllration (NOAA) conducls resaarch, extension, and 

educational progrwns with unlversiMaln all coaat.l and Greet Lakes 

States. Sea Gram aquaculture research is conducted In many areas: 

genetics, biotochnology, endocrinology, physiology, pathology, engineering, 

nutrition, policy, ec:onomb, and others. The Program chooses researdl 

projocts on tho bells of lldonllfic merit, - revlow, and the p<osenl nooda 

of tho llqiJaCIA!urwlndullly. h ~~ priorily 10 projoclllhal fit both tho 

National Aquaculon and Sea Gront Aquaarllurw Development Plena. Tho 

extension aspect, caled Mattn. Advisory SeMel, utiUzes a corps of area 

agents lind opodallatolo pnMdo p!bllc education, IO<:hnology transfer, and 

demonalnltion projeda In aquaculture. Tho Program develope information 

generated by Sea Grant and other research for use by groups in the private 

sectOf' to devek)p marine aquaculture. The Program ia operated through 30 

Sea Grant Programs in the coastal and Great Lakes States. Investigators 

interested in research suppor1 shoukt contad the State Sea Grant Olrect~ 

of their respective Slates. 

For Fur1her Information Contact 

Associate Program Director, Aquaculture 

National Sea Grant CoUege Program 

U.S. Department of Commerce 

1335 East-West Highway, Room 5492 

Silver Spring, MD 20910 

(30t) 7t3·245t 

FAX (30t) 7t3-0799 

Of 

Prt'gram Director, Marine Advisory ServicG' 

N~tional Sea Grant College Program 

U.S. Department of Commerce 

1335 East·West Highway 

Sitver Spring, MD 20910 

(30t) 713·2431 

FAX (30t) 7t3·0799 

20 
135 

U.S. DEP• "'TMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Technical Information Service 

The National Technicallnfonnation Service (NTIS), an agency of the U 

Department of Commerce, is the central sourc. for the ardllve and pub 

sale of U.S. Government-sponsored research and development reports 

all subjects, Including those related to aquacuJture, and for salea of fore 

technical reports and other analyses prepared by national and local 

govemment agencies and their contractors or grantees. 

For Further lnfonnation Contact: 

National Technicallnfonnation Service 

U.S. Department of Commerce 

5285 Port Royal Road 

Springfield. VA 22161 

(703) 487-4850 

FAX (703) 321·8547 

For a FREE copy of the NTIS PrOducts and Services Catalog, 

please write or call (703) 487-4650 and ask for PA-827. 
136 

.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

ational Environmental Satellite, Data, and •formation S.rvlcetNaUonal Oceanic and 

tmospherlc Admlnlttrallon 

here are lour informational programs sponsored by the National Environl&ntal Satellite. Data. and Information Servk:e (NESDIS) of the National 

ceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that have appltcations to 

e held of aquaculture. These programs provide services and products to a 

ide range of c~entele . They are briefly described below. 

I 

1e Aquallc Sciences and Flahtriet Information Syatem (ASFIS) is a 

>mputer-oriented system operated and maintained by several United 

ations agencies and a network of '"formation centers in member counes. A principal module ot ASFIS ls the AquaUc Sc'-ncu and ReheriM 

bstrects (ASFA) database. This database COYers international equac:ulre and olhef topics in the marine and freshwaiEK enWonmeolallciences. 

is available commercially as an online fiWt and on compact disc. ASFA 

mtains over 3SO.OOO literature citations with abstracts. The printed 

1unterpart on aquaculture is "ASFA AquacultUI"e Abstracts: 

1e Natlonel Environmental Dlle REferral S.rvlce (NEORES) is 

railable commercially as an online database containing over 22,000 

!scriptions and locations of data files on the environmental sciences, held 

• people and organizations in the United States and Canada. 

18 NOAA Earth System Data Directory (NESDO) is an online guide to 

oout 700 environmental data sets held by NOAA. Two major functions are: 

1 provide NOAA with a common system for documenting data held in 

)AA data centers and other organizational components; and (2) provide 

~research community with the means to kxate NOAA data 5els. 

18 NOAA Llbrery and information Netwon consists of a central Library 

RockviNe, Maryland, m~ branches 6n Miami and Seattle, and '-boratcxy 

d inlormatton center~ thrOughout thli United States. Thetr colectiorti • ~ 

compass ffiOfl than one millton volumes on marine .nd .unospheric. · 

iences. aquBOJiture, and envitonmenlal disciplines. 

r Further lnlonnation Contact: 

1tional Oceanographic Data Canter 

JAAINESDIS (EIOCx7) 

er Services Division 

S. Department of Commerce 

25 Connectiwt Avenue, N·.w. 1shington, DC 20235 

l2) 606-4549 

X (202) 606·4566 
137 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE I 

National Marine Asheriea S.rvlce/Natlonlll 

Oceanic and Atmoaphertc ~lnlstratlon 

The National Marine Flshorioa SeNtco (NMFS) of the National Oceanic ond 

Atmospheric Adminlstnttlon (NOAA) directs Ita oquoculture efforts toward 

and 

managing 

protection 

convnon 

of endangered 

property Atsources 

species of 

and 

st~ 

c:ontributing 

h accomplishes 

to fle ~ 

this 

-primarltflhrough ln-hOUSi researcti at several NMFS laboratories in the 

United States. In addition, NMFS disseminatea aquacutture-relaled 

information and technoaogical Mfvanoes gained from its fisheries researdl. 

NMFS cooperates with Federal and State agencies, international bodies 

and foreign governments, and university and private interwsts, lnd promotes the development and expansion of domestic and International 

markets for products produced by the U.S. aquawhure industry. 

For Fur1her lnfonnation Contact: 

Aquaculture Specialist 

Office of Research and Environmental Information 

National Marine Fasheries S.I'Vice 

U.S. Department of Commerce 

1335 East-West Highway, Room 6314 

Silver Spring, MD 20910 

(30t) 7t3-2363 

FAX (30t) 588-<853 

~ ~~~ ~-..:;-~ 

~ 
138 

National Agrlcultur•l Statistics Service 

The National Agricultural Statistics Service of the U.S. Department of 

Agriculture prepares and publishes reports from monthly surveys of catfish 

processors' round weight processed, end-of·the-month inventories, prices 

paid to catfish producers, and prices received by processors by methods of 

sales. 

The 16 major catfish-producing States collect and publish producer 

inventory and sales data. The four largest catfish-producing States 

(Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana , and Mississippi) collect data quarterly 

while the other 12 States collect dath twice, annually. 

T ro~o~t producer sales and losses data are collected and published for the 15 

major producing States. Survey results are published each year in 

September. 

For Further Information Contact: 

Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Branch 

National Agricultural Statistics Service 

U.S. Department of Agriculture 

Room 5906, South Buik:ling 

Washington. DC 20250-2000 

(202) 720-6147 

FAX (202) 690-0675 

12 
139 

v.~ . i.Jtt"AtiiMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Olflce of AqWtwfture 

The Office of AquacuJiure, U.S. Oepartmen1 of Agriculture, Is the ooordinat· 

klg unit tor Deper1ment-wide aquaculture activities and providn leadership 

for the Federal-wide Joint Subcomminee on Aquaculture. The Offtce of 

Aquacutlure also coordinates the operations and activities of the five USDA 

Regional Aqu80Jiture Centers. 

For Further Information Contact: 

Director, Otfioe of Aquacullure ---

U.S. [)epaJ1men1 o1 Agricu11Ute __.--

14th and lndependenol Avenue, S.W 

Aerospaoo Building. Suite 342 

Washington. DC 20250·2200 

(202) 401 .. 929 

FAX (202) 401·5179 
140 

Ultimatum de los Pescadores Viequenses a Ia 

Marina de Guerra de Estados Unidos 

Luego de haber agotado todos los medics de dialogo y gestiones 

razonables para solucionar el grave problema que representa el uso 

militar de Ia Isla Municipio de Vieques por parte de Ia Marina de Guerra 

de los Estados Unidos, los pescadores declaramos: 

Nuestra mas firma determinaci6n a no desaparecer como 

pescadores y trabajadores del mar. 

El derecho a proteger nuestros recursos·pesqueros amenazados 

por las practicas militares. 

Proteger nuestro ambiente, nuestra salud, nuestro bienestar 

social y econ6mico. 

Proteger nuestras artes de pesca y embarcaciones. 

Continuar pescando en nuestras aguas sin limitaciones de areas, 

dias y horas. · 

Proteger las especies en peligro de extinci6n. 

Garantizarle a nuestros hijos viequenses el disfrute plene de sus 

tierras y playas, sin exclusion alguna. 

Oeclaramos: 

A Ia Marina como enemigo de los Pescadores y del pueblo 

viequense. 

Tener derecho a vivir.en paz y tranquilidad, lo cual por mas de 

medic siglo nos ha sido negado. 

Este ultin:uitum a Ia Marina de Guerra para que se retire de 

nuestra isla y CE'"e su destrucci6n. 

Tener derecho a ejercer cualquier acci6n futura que garantice Ia 

protecci6n de nuestra isla, nuestras artes de pesca, el sustento 

de nuestras familias y nuestro derecho como trabajadores del 

mar. 
141 

Ulllmatum de los Pescadores de Vleques 

a Ia Marina de Guerra de los Estados Unldos 
142 

Volume 7R THE VIEQLTES TIMES August. 1994 

Economic Development Update "B11t" 1n a V1c 1ucs factory. The Agnculturc 

qy Lt. Cmdr. Michael K. McCloskey, USN Extenston Servtee on Y1eques IS a pnmc supporter 

In my last aruclc in TVT, I promised you an update un my economic t.kvclopmcnl pro)C1.:Ls fur 

\'iC4UCS. Before r do that. I'd like ltl ask for a favor 

I n..::cd assistance m the promotion of Vicqucs to 

potential clients (called "prospects") and would like 

the support of public groups of Vicquenses to help 

m th1s elTon. If you or your group IS interested, 

please write to me at the address given at the end of 

th1s article with what you can do to help promote 

JOhson Vieques. 

Smce amving m Puerto Rico two years ago, I 

have worked nearly non-stop on the economic 

development of Vieques. Carrying forth the projects 

begun by Fab1an Martinez, I have promoted those 

and begun promotions of my own. But in your 

v1cws, I'm sure, not much has changed over those 

two years. Well that's the process of econom1c 

development. We're playing with other people's 

money i' this game, and things happen on thetr 

schedule, not yours or mine 

One <'f the biggest detractors in the development. 

h< wever, has been a feeling of uneasiness on the 

~,,land. When those feelings arc displayed publicly, 

m"ny of the potential investors that I've taken to the 

tSI"nd have left with the feeling of, "Why should I 

I 

put my money where there is such uneasiness and 

st11fc" We all have concerns about the future of the 

Jsl..wJ. but thusc need w be retlect~d in a positive 

f~l,hiOr., crcaung an cm.-Jronmcntthat portrays an 

1:-,l.1nd that IS willing to 'ill what it takes to have 

husmess plant their roots there. I mvite each of you 

to JOin me tn creating that atmosphere. Now. for what's cooking in my pot right now. 

AGRO VIEQUES is still struggling wHit some 

Commonwealth agenc1es for h1s plans. It has been 

l)VCr one year now smce we entered into the lease 

"grcemcnt with th1s cattle and hay proJeCt, but we 

look forward to this being one of our most 

productive efforts once these hurdles arc cleared. 

VIEQUES MARINE LABORATORIES is also 

strugglm,s w1th DNRE and the PR Planning Board 

lnr Ius pcrm1ts. The Navy haS"iJeen most supportive 

ot th1s proJeCt, offenng Mr. Connelly property next to Puerto Ferro for his facility should he obta1n all 

the necessary pe'mlls for h1s shnmp farm 

Hu\vcver. he re~cntly received a shootdown from 

the I'' ,nmng Board, sighting an obJeCtion from 

DNRE. Th1s should be a conttnutng story. for :vir. 

Connelly IS appealing that deuston. 

BILl VIEQUENSE is a new proJW w1th has 

tremendous potenttal and may be the ftrst ihtng 

gumg m the shurt term. The Navy will be kasing 

.111-50 acres of land to thts company ror the growmg 

,.[ yucncpa trees whnse fruit wtll he processed mto 

and factlttator of th1s proJect. 

ALOE VERA FARM is a proJeCt that1s 

progressing well. Land on the SAF v. tll be h::ascLl tur 

the culllvaung of this plant and then extracted in a V1cques plant facduy for use by vanous U.S and 

fore1gn compamcs. The potential for th1s project1s 

extremely h1gh 

MULTI-TENANT PRIDCO BUILDING for use by smaller companies is a project that I p1ckcd up 

from Fab1an Martinez, who fought very hard during 

h1s time to have this tmplemented. Accordmg to sources at PRIDCO, they are nearly ready to stan the 

diVISIOn of the old "Ana1s" building 1nto four smaller unns. LIVING MACHINE WATER RECLAMATION 

feas1bility study done by Dr. John Todd several 

months ago at Navy expense is nearly completed. 

The mitlal report IS that the Vieques sewage treatment 

plant outputs water into the ocean that is nearly 1deal 

for use m agnculturai fields. Th1s water has the 

capability or betng "recaptured" and used to liTigate 

fields. The method of recovery and transportation was what Dr. Todd stud1ed while on Vieques in 

Fehruary. Dr. Todd commended the Y1eques plant, 

stating that tt IS one of the best run treatment factlities 

he has ever been wttness to. Congratulations. 

TOURISM PROJECTS. The "Casa de Playa" 

hotel proJect on the north shore property near the 

atrport IS about to begm. Th1s proJect. as reponed hy 

the San Juan Star. IS endorsed by the W1lliams 

Hosp1taltty group wh1ch now manages the 

Conquistador hotel m FaJardo and several of the !Jrgc 

hotels m San Juan. Great and wonderful thtngs 

should come from th1s proJect, mcludmg many JOhs 

FISH AGGREGATING DEVICES (FADS) arc buoys placed below lhe water to atlract "ban fl-;h" 

thllsc smaller fish that bigger fish eat for lun~.-.~_ The 

~;,t\: has bcl.!n working with DNRE for several 

months now un the development of FADs to be 

placed around Y1eques. This wtll be a ptlot study 

wh1ch if successful, may help the fishtng populatton 

of all of Puerto Rtco by placing FADs at other 

locations as well 

That's 1t for nght now. There actually are more prujects. hutl'm running out of space to explain them 

here. It you d l1ke to pan1c1pate tn the development 

of these pmJeCts wh1ch Will prov1de JObs for you or your ne1ghbor. please let me know I may be reached at LCDR M.K :v!cCioskey, V1c~ues Econom1c 

Development, L S. Navy Compound. -IUS Ponce De 

Leon Ave., Box I. San Ju"n. P R. 00905 

~ La Casa ae[ 'Estuaiantg 

~ scH·aiot Asu"P'PLJes Calle Carlos LeBrun 741-0017 

P~Ol' '\ 
143 

THE: SECRETARY OF' DEF'ENSE 

WMHINGTOH, THE OtsT"ICT OF COLUfoeiA 

ltln:lr8ble Rafael Htmande;z Colon 

liiDvunDr or Pl.vtD Rico 

La f'ortalau 

San .lien, PUerto Rico IXW36 

Our liiDvunDr Hmandlz: 

11 APR 1986 

I .. writing to ask for your permnal attention to a very ~rUnt 

- · project that 11 being dltwloped aa put of our cooperative errort to J.l'prove 

u. _._,or v....._. 

Laat year rrry Offiat or Ec..-ie Adjustllent (lEA) rlllCied tlw Od eo I ll 

~tiOII"w""Mirb ~ttMa LaOorltw.Y (HSLJ to eondu:t a reuibillty atudy ror ~ king crab •raming" in Via""''• using recent llr•ktl'lr'cu;11s in 

Mriculture tec:rnalogy. The atudy identified one auitable site, located on U,S, NIIY)' jnpert)', 

The Novy dltt.erml.ned that uee or the site would not interfere with ita 

cpentions. As a leading proponent or thl Vie""'s dltvelopn8nt program, 1t 

~ekly ortertid ruu ~ort for a crab Nrieulture project. I lrlderstand 

that the project waa llilt\llg,ted in COIII!ll\1cations to you rran MOM Diego E. 

Htmandll;z juat befon hi left Ilia position as Cannandltr, u.s, Nllval Forces 

Caribbean, last ~ and that it is being actively pranoted by Ills auc:asaor, MOM lilllM J, O'Corroclr, 

During the last r .. IO'Iti'ls, a private 110r1-9rot1t organization, The __.qa • .._·JNUwta, wu created to tacilltate the carmercial application or .-.•a t.ecmology. It has joined with the ~t.La\ rw ~llw kts anc1 

~. a PUerto Rican r'IOn-9l'Orit organiUHcn; 'to dltvelop a Mricult.uH 

pzoJKt ln Vielps thlt Wlou1d crNta ~ to 100 joba. 

Altl'loug, the project 1s !Jp)rUtlt tor IIIIIPlOYftl!llt generation and ICOnOI:Iic 

divarsificaticn in Vi~s, ttaa aa ame- =m•Ct"""- ....__The ,.!'~~logy 

haa attracted intlnae intereat fl:'llll governnent and lalsireaa ii&n:l the wor~ Oernonstrat.La\ projects are being Cllnli.c:ted by thl MSL in srterel Caribbean 

l

locatione. The ~ project will 1ncludlt R&D to ~rove the tectrclogy and 

teat ita IIPPlleatiiiiW to -. 100 Mrllw opec:iaa, P\arto lUcan Mrina 

biologiata will be-the rJ.rat in thl world to be trsired in thl new tac:trclogy .. autaide or the MSL, This ehDuld perlllit Puerto RJ.co to exerciM a lNderohl.p 

poait.La\ in training and tectnical aasistenoa in the Caribbean and worldwide. 

-:--- The Vi'""'' project will laiUd en Pl.erto Rico'a atrong l'ellllbltion in 

Mrine aci.,..,..s. [..,tually it cwld reoul t in the dltvel~t or new a1 tea, 

11111 akills, and new prodUcts; 1n lhort, an entirely new industry thlt would 

t.wf'1t~. 
144 

To date the cnb -.r1culture project hu received a•cepUCI'I&l a~rt 

fi'OIII your R11ttt to llork Adml.nistreUon, and fran your Departooent of Natural 

Re100.1rces, incluiiJ.ng the Corporation for Hlr1ne Resource Develepoent. Full 

Jlllpl-ntation and long-tam ouc:cess will re~lre top level invol_,t , expeditious attention, lnd close coordinotlon fran a broad -ctl'\111 or 

"'-rto lUcan gowrrNnt lnd business organiz.a tlons. 

I .,. sure yru ~l'recilte the ~rtance or this project, an:l I ask that 

you ensure it receivu the strong SLql()rt it deserves. You ny rely on our continued 1111ltence 1n gaining a1111J.lar attention rran goverrrrent and 

buaineaa on the u.s • .Wand. 

Pleaae accept 111)1 kindest regards, 11 well as 11)1 thanks for the wry 

entn.laiaaUc lnd arracuve help that the Yieq.es progr&m Ills received rran eVIZ')'ona in the GIDve~t or PUerto R1co. ' 

cc: J, GoodriCh, 1.1-der Sacntary or the Navy 

J, Fuater, Reliellnt Comlli11ioner, Puerto IUco 

M. SenUago, Mayon .. or Vi.,._, 
145 

ECONOMIC 

ADJU-STMENT 

PROGRAM 

FOR 

VIEQUES, PUERTO RICO 

President's Economic M~ Committee 

Office of the Secretlwy of Defense 

The Pentagon, Washilgton, D.C. 20301 

February 1986 
146 

OCT 84 - Navy contracts for update of Vieques environmental impact 

atudiea and preparation of a land management plan for ita properties. 

($485 ,ooo). 

NOV 84 - Layout is completed for first Vieques promotional brochure for 

industrial and tourism devlelopment. 

DEC 84 - Dandie Corporation makes presentation to DLA. Requests support 

for a $1.6 million project under the Defense Department's Industrial 

Modernization and Imoprovement Program (IMIP). 

FEB 85 - CLIE Farms contracts with local farmer to conduct test 

plantings of herbs. Tenneco Corporation technician visits Vieques to 

conduct aqil samples for planned GLIE Farms herb farm. 

MAR 85 -At OEA request, Smithsonian Marine Research Laboratory submits 

proposal for mariculture feasibility study. 

MAR 85 - U.S. Geological Survey technicians provide results of aquifer 

etudy to VEDC. 

HAR 85 - VEDC and PRIDCO inspect PRIDCO properties in La Esperanza. 

Deficiencies in current use under lease are identified. 

HAR 85- VEDC and Puerto Rico Economic Development Administration 

conduct extensive labor availability survey. Confirms at leat 750 people 

lookina for joba. 

APR 85- OEA contracts with Smithsonian Institution for mariculture 

feaaibility study ($6000). 

APR 85 - Navy procurement team from Charleston Naval Supply Center 

visits Vieques to explore contracting possibilities. 

APR 85 - Smithsonian research vessel in Vieques. Study conducted. 

JUN 85 - Smithsonian submits report to OEA. A site is identified which 

is suitable for a mariculture demonstration using Caribbean King Crab . 

JUN 85 - Economic Analysis Division of the Puerto Rico Economic 

Administration releases report, "Characteristics of Unemployment in 

Viequea," baaed on the survey work. 

JUN 85- Puerto Rico Economic Development Administration completes 

preliminary plans and environmental assessment for jewelry industrial 

park. 

B-5 
147 

MAY 85 -Application for HUD UDAG funds _is submitted for Puerto Real 

hotel and convention center project. 

JUN 85 - Puerto Rico Industrial Development Corporation (PRIDCO) 

provides 11,500 sq.ft. of industrial space under lease to Vieques 

'Graphic a. 

JUN 85- Ceremony held in Vieques to formally announce Sparatec contract 

with General Dynamics. 

JUN 85 -OEA, Navy and Smithsonian representatives meet with Puerto 

Rico's Secretary of Natural Resources. He agrees to fund a Caribbean 

crab mariculture project in Vieques. -_, 

JUN 85 - ~ederal Aviation Agency (FAA) shuts down Vieques Air Link. 

JUL 85- VEDC Director visits Washington to promote projects with 

federal agencies. high level meetings are arranged by OEA in its role as 

staff to the President's Economic Adjustment Committee. (EAC). 

AUG 85 -Municipality of Vieques submits application to HUD for $2.5 

million UDAG grant for waste treatment plant essential for jewelry 

manufacturers' industrial park. 

AUG 85 Crown Air initiates commuter service to Vieques. 

AUG 85 -Puerto Rico Land Admi~istration makes 200 acres available for 

lease to GLIE Farms for aromatic herb project. 

AUG 85 - VEDC solicits technical assistance from an independent New 

England fisherman who has achieved netic~ for bringing in high catches 

with modern boat and state-of-the-art electronic gear. 

AUG 85 Institute for Fishing opens 

SEP 85 Newport .News Shipbuilding and GLIE Farms enter formal joint 

venture for Vieques herb farm. 

SEP 85 -Newport News Shipbuilding agrees to JOtnt venture with GLIE 

Farms of Bronx, N.Y. to create a 200-acre herb farm and packaging ~;c;llse 

in Vieques. The project is a result of the "Top Ten" program. It wtll. 

create 40 jobs to start, growing to 75. It could reach 200 jobs, il 

fully successful. 

B-9 
148 

Integrated Renewable ~esource ~anagernent for 

U.S. Insular Areas 

'. . .. ~ 

.... __....- ... -· 

~-~~·••w ~<looe.,.,fo 

• • CONGFIES$ OF THE UNITED STAT£S 

\ ·· I Otlk:• ot Technology Ass•ument 

"'o .~ WUI\riQI()I'I, OC 20510·8025 

·~ .. ., .... 0011 •• .; • • 
149 

378 • Integrated Renewable Resource Management for U.S. Insular Areas 

the United States rights to convert certain welldefined areas in Palau into bases ur training 

areas. Implementation of such plans presumably depends on the evol vin g situation in the 

Philippines and/or the pace and level of Soviet 

military activities in the area . 

2. A major air base for dispersed operations may 

be constructed on Tinian as a backup to Andersen AFB on Guam. However, there are no 

indications of any serious moves by DOD to do 

this over the next several years. 

3. KMR might be expanded or an alternative 

range developed to allow testing of the MX missile. Preliminary surveys during the late 1970s 

identified the CNMI as a possible site for a 

"mini-K MR." As yet there is no evidence that 

DOD plans either action. 

Ecological and Economic Effects of 

the Military Presence 

Views regarding the effects of the U.S. military 

on th e isl ands are mixed. Many islanders welcome 

the economic and job benefits derived from the 

presence of military bases. Others cite the loss of 

valuabl e lan ds, negative cultural impacts (e.g., underminin g of traditional values). attraction of uncles ira· 

ble elements, inflatiOn. overcrowding of schools. 

degradation of water quality. and restrictions on 

economic growth . 

Pacific 

Guam's local government concedes the critical 

importance of bases there to U.S. security interests. 

but contends that much of the land presently occupied is redundant to principal missions. U.S. military authorities strongly disagree . citing the need 

to be prepared for several major contingencies, in· 

elud ing the phasing down or replacemen t of key 

fac ilities in the Phi lippines. DOD currently is reassessing its la nd requ irements on Guam, but is unlikelv to recommend a reduction of these require· 

ments. However. some lands held for military 

purposes contain large areas of natural habitat, for 

which DOD ownership has provid ed de facto protectiOn to w ildlife populations. 

The operations ar K\:fR han~ a profound effec:T 

on loca l in habitanrs and ecology. Water availab ility. quality, and wastewater disposal all pose problems. The concentration of 8,000 Micronesians on 

the 66-acre island of Ebeye is an extreme example 

of the t..: .S. military's 1m pact. Ebeye IS severely overcrowded: acute socioeconomic problems and substandard housing, medical facilities, schools. and 

related amenities have resulted. 

Most of the residents of Ebeye migrated there 

from the "outer" Marshall islands. draw n by wellpaying jobs at KMR or because relatives work there. 

Most are denied access to base facilities, although 

these restrictions have been relaxed over the past 

several years. Ebeye has been the recipient of anum· 

ber of U.S. programs and funds, most of which have 

been funneled into infrastructure such as a desalint· 

zation plant and a sewage treatment facility . 

Carllltbecuo 

:'-laval forces in Pu erto Rico have been extremely 

helpful to local authorities during and after major 

storms and flooding by providing transport, medical assistance, and earth-moving equipment. Naval 

forces at Roosevelt Roads also conduct a number 

of c1vic action proj ects locally. DOD also increaser. 

defense co ntracting in Puerto Rico from $187 million in fiscal year 1983 to $417 million for the first 

11 months of 1985. 

Under a memorandum of understanding betwee n 

the U.S. Navy (USN) and the Government of Puerto 

Rico. DOD has undertaken a number of measures 

to improve the welfare of the people of Vieques 

through the provision of medical equipment. sup· 

plies for local hospitals. assistance in public work s 

construction, and a concerted effort to attract American industries to the island resulting thus far in 

366 new jobs. In addition, it contracted witb the 

Smithsonian Institution to provide a major study 

of the mariculture potential of that island. This has 

led to the creation of some 400 jobs. 

Most enviromrlental problems resulting from U.S 

military activities on U.S.-affiliated islands appear 

to have resulted from the lack of understanding or 

awareness of procedures. or from insensitivity on 

the part of individual military officers. rather tha n· 

from the absence of relevant policies or directives 

~filitary officers generally lack the time, staff. anc 

traini ng to handle resource protection responsibil· 

iti es. and the military has been slow to comply with 

some local environmenta l regulations. 

Procedures To Cottslder Envlronlftefttal 

and Lanci-U- Issues In Extant Military 

Installations and Activities 

The U.S. military has a variety of procedures to 

co nsider environmental an d land-use issues in its 

island operations. including the National Environ· 

mental Policy A;t of 1969 (NEPAl and three DOD 
150 

PROPUESTA DE ADIESTRAMIENTO EN 

MARICULTURA Y DESARROLLO COMERCIAL VEL 

CANGREJO GIGANTE DEL CARISE 

(CARIBBEAN KING CRAB) 

INSTITUTO OE LAS ARTES Y CIENCIAS MARINAS VE 

PUERTO RICO, INC. 

MARINE SYSTEMS LABORATORY 

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 
151 

RESUMEN EJECUTIVO 

PROPUESTA: 

Adiestramiento para la Crianza y Desarrollo Comercial del Cangrejo 

Gigante del Caribe (Caribbean King Crab). 

OESCRIPCION: 

El Departamento de la Oefensa de los Estados Unidos, a traves de la 

Oficina de Ajuste Econ6mico, auspicio el Laboratorio de Sistemas Marinos 

del Smithsonian Institution en Washington D.C., para realizar estudios de 

las aguas que .rodean la Isla de V1eques. 

Se determin6 que la bahfa conocida como Ensenada Honda, en la costa 

Sureste de Vieques, es el sitio ideal para el cultivo y desarrollo del 

Cangrejo Gigante del Caribe y las turba~ de algas marinas, como su alimente principal. Se comprob6 que el peso, saber, tamailo Y, calidad del 

Cangrejo, compara muy favorablemente con el "Alaskan King Crab" . 

A estes efectos el Sr. Dennis Farrier, Director Ejecutivo del lnstituto de Maricultura y Consejero Especial del Laboratorio de Sistemas Marinos 

del Smithsonian, coordin6 con el lcdo. Roberto Alonso, Director del Institute 

de las Artes y Ciencias Marinas de P.R., el adiestramiento de cinco (5) 

Bi6logos y veinte (20) Maricultores. 

Edificto Metro C.ntar/C.IIe Mey.., .. E~q. Calle Cid,./H•to Rey, Pu.,to Rico 00811n'el . 75 ... 61111 

Apanado .w&Z, S.n Juan, P'uerto Rico 00131 
Resumen Ejecutivo 

Plgfna -2-

152 

Este proyecto contribuira enormemente a la producci6n de mariscos 

para el mercado local generando una producci6n anual promedio de 1. 5 millones de cangrejos que producirSn ventas anuales de seis (6) millones de 

d6lares. 

Se crearan ademas cien (lOO) nuevas empleos d-irectos que contribuiran 

a) desarrollo econ6mico de Puerto Rico. 

PROPONENTE: 

Institute de las Artes y Ciencias Marinas de Puerto Rico 

LOCALIZACION DEL CENTRO -DE AOIESTRAMIENTO: 

Facilidades Smithsonian Institution 

a) Republica Dominican• 

b) Grand Turk 

c) V1eques 

Cet!PRCt!ISO DE AIJTOEHPLEO: 

60% de los partfcipantes quedaran establecidos en autoempleo. (los cinco bi61ogos quedarin empleados por el Institute) . 

~: 

a) Bi61ogos - 18 meses 

b) Haricultores - 6 meses (incluido en el perlodo de los 

18 meses de adiestramiento) 
Resumen Ejecutivo 

Plglna -3-

DESGLDSE DE COSTOS: 

Partida 

Matrfcula 

Personal Docente 

Coordinador y Asesores 

F~cilidades Ffsicas 

Dietas 

Haspedaje a Participantes 

Transpartaci6n Aerea 

Mantenimienta de Estructura 

Ffsicas 

Materiales a Participantes 

Equipo 

Casto total 

Casto por participantes 

Gran total 

153 

Costo Adiestramiento Costo Adiestra5 816logos (18 meses) mien to 20 Tecni- cos ( 6 meses) 

s 34,500.00 s 94,500.00 

67,293.00 7,500.00 

35,748.00 17,874.00 

9,456.00 5,400.00 

16,920.00 15,600.00 

6,000.00 3 ,385. 00 

17,815.00 2,385.00 

1,800.00 1,800.00 

1,415.00 20,550.00 

1,415.00 38,000.00 

.2031511.00 209,909.00 

40,702.00 101495.00 

$4131420.00 

La A.D.T. proveerl los fandos para el Pago par Necesidades de 

Servicio (N8P) a los participantes de acuerdo a lo establecido por 

~~/ . c:-· ./ L~ ' / '7 , 7 / :;. d / .. t'Z:!ut •0////").cte't~ 

F1nna TecnlCO 

ec a 7 ' 

Firma p1 rector de 1 Area 
154 

Volume One nil! VJI!QUI!S TIMI!S May 1987. 

IC I Nil CRHB, HL I UE RND WELL 

It: I hili CRRB PRD6RRM, COMHTOSE 

The King Crab pictured abo"" ve~hed four 

pound~ and had a clav·,pan of tvo feet, nine 

inches. It V1l;l caught off l!speran::a and VM 

eaten in a 'alad by the Times staff. Delil:ious ! As 

V8$ the Stone Crab, or Juey~. 

And tt.ere 's more vhere they came from. 

Checlle kno~ vhere . Cheil:l knovs vt.ere and 

so does Tofun and ~o do . 

L&3t yo:ar Dr. Walter Adie of the SmithsolUilii 

Institution and Jus crev of scumtisl3 aboard the 

resean:t. ve"'el M=ys Re~olute determined that 

Vieq ues V1l;l a sm1able location for King Crab 

mariculture . Not surpming , really, vhen one 

considers the fact that the Cartbbean Kirag Crab 

(or Mythrax spinosissimus a:~ the biologists 

prefer) is a year-round re:lident and alvays has 

been, eoren before food stamps and grant 

moneys. 

Artyvay the Smithsonian's Maline Systems 

Laboratory came up vith vhai appeared to be ttte 

perfect progmn. Utilize tt~~:ir Algal Turf 

technology to rai3e the big crabs in ca)71tivity 

Create a hatthery, train local biologisTS and 

fishennen. Parcel out sections of a huge creb 

ranch in Ensenada Honda vhich the Na vas 

Caribbean K1ng Crab Overshadow 

Adult West lnd1un S-tone Crab 

v1lling to.relinq\Wh. Provide 100 jobs and train 

" coo re to expon tt~~: l!:chnology to the hungry 

natiortS arul conven Vieq ues infO the Caribbean 

center for Maline Studies. Not to mention 

making avallable a great suflply of delil:ious, orge.ruc seafood for local conswnption and for 

expon. 

Everybody loved it. It made sense . Corporatioro vere formed , foundations 

contacted, clout letters cuculated, scientl3ted ucators recrmted, proposals pnnted and the 

overnment as;enc1es JOckeyed ior pos1tio1.. It 

v~ so good everybody vanted in. 

Classes vere to begin last August. 

TI.en,make 1t September or Oc!Ober, ett. Nov 

the vhole thing's "on hold . " There is no official 

commentary. One outfit blames the " delay", on 

ur<Scrupulous consul1lllll'l, ar10ther says the crabs 

von' t eat enough here, someone else says there' 

a hassle over vho st.oub:l pay vho' s airline 

llCI<..er.s. l'leanvhile tttere's no projectforVieques 

althougt, over orli: m.llion W. S. dollars have been 

pwnped mfrl crab proJeCts' in !our fore~gn-tlag 

i3larul3 in the Canb bed!\ 
155 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. As far as the signatures that were included by the Committee for the Rescue and Development of 

Vieques, they will also be made part of the record with the testimony. 

First of all, I would like to talk to Dr. Rivera Castano. In your 

testimony, you talked about the needs for the future. Now, do you 

perceive this reclamation of land only as a first step towards getting the other land? 

Dr. RIVERA-CASTANO. Yes, sir. We feel that this is the first step 

in order to get the whole island for the Viequeans. We need this 

right now to start the development, because once we start the developing of the island, once we start the recuperation of the socioeconomic indices of Vieques, we will also be in a good position to 

develop the rest of the island and eventually we will have the 

whole island for us. Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. Let me suggest that the reason I--<me of 

the first reasons I filed the bill only regarding the 8,000 acres in 

the west, first of all, because it is the closest to Puerto Rico and 

the use of it is much more difficult to justify national defense, national interests, much more difficult, and so we have seen today, 

the Navy was unable to prove that they need it for national defense. Dr. RIVERA-CASTANO. Right. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. So I am not so sure that it will help our 

cause for the time being to be talking about getting all the lands. When it comes down to a vote, if we get this bill passed in the next 

year or the next two-year term, if it comes down to a vote, I am 

not so sure that talking about this being a first step to getting the 

rest will help in getting the votes we need. 

I just want you to keep that in mind. The reason now, the best 

way to get this land is because it is very difficult for the Navy to 

establish that it is in the national interest, and once we get that, 

from then on, we see what happens. Just as a comment. 

Are there any other comments that you wish to make for the 

record besides your testimony? 

Dr. RIVERA-CASTANO. No. I hope that-as you mentioned before, this bill will be reintroduced in January and we will keep in touch 

with your office and all the Congressmen that sponsored this bill, 

because we really would like to help in any way possible to help 

this bill to be approved by Congress and eventually signed by the 

President before the term this year-next Congress adjourns. 

We will be-the committee is-we have a lot of-many experts 

and we have many consultants in the area of the development and 

planning and economic development, and we are willing to use and 

help both your office and the office of the mayor in order to prepare 

the plan that is required by the bill in order to develop the area. 

So we, the committee, are ready and most interested in helping 

this bill. 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. We appreciate your offer to help and I 

think it is important that we take into consideration the interest 

and the desires of the people of Vieques and their suggestions, and 

you certainly should be consulted and taken into consideration and 

asked to contribute to the study and to the report. 

[Carlos Ventura speaking Spanish.] 
156 

Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO. If there are no more witnesses, I want to 

thank all of you here for your testimony, for all the help you have 

given us in giving us the facts and evidence and information for 

this record. Thank you very much. 

[Whereupon, at 5:40 p.m., the subcommittee was adjourned.] 
APPENDIX 

OCTOBER 4, 1994 

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL SUBMI'ITED FOR THE HEARING RECORD 

The Honor~ble Ron de Luqo Chairman, · Subcommittee on Inaular 

and International Affaira 

u.s. Houae of Repreaentativea Committee on Natural Reaourcea 

Waahington, D.C. 20515-6201 

»ear xr. Chairman: 

October 5, 1994 

Thank ~u for your invitation to teatify at the Subcommittee 

public hearir,g acheduled for October 4, on H.R. 3831. Aa you know, 

unfortunately I vaa unable to travel to Waahington on that 

oecaaion. However, I prepared the written teati1110ny accompanying this letter, which I am nov filing at your office and asking that 

it be made part of the printed record of aa.l.d hearir,g • 

. '1'hank yfi,.· a'lain tor your keen interelt in Puerto Rica~ affairs 

and for all that you have done to further the . beata intereats of our people. 

85-315 95-6 
158 

Vieques, and promised to play an active role in the 

creation of jobs for its residents. 

In spite of this agreement, economic hardship for 

the people of Vieques has become endemic. While the 

1990 U.S. Census fixes the per capita income of residents 

of Puerto Rico at $4,185 a year, the equivalent figure for 

Vleques is $2,605: only 62% of the Island-wide totals. The 

median level of Income per household In Puerto Rico In 

1990 was $8,895; in Vleques, the equivalent figure was 

$5,864: 66% of the Island-wide median. Those same Census 

figures state that the average Income per household in 

Puerto Rico was $13,777; in Vleques the average income 

per household was only $8,335: only 60% of the Island-wide 

figures. 

As a result of the ~epresslng reality these 

statistics describe, whereas In Puerto Rico 55% of all 

families live under the poverty level, In Vleques the 

equivalent figure is 70%: seven out of ten Vleques families 

live under the poverty Ieveii 

These figures clearly demonstrate that the 1983 

agreement between the Navy and the Commonwealth 

government did not meet the expectations that the 

agreement had created. By signing It, the Navy recognized 

that Its presence in Vieques limits the growth of the 

Island's economy. Now It Is tima for all parties Involved to 

recognize that a new development plan Is needed, and that 

the transfer of land from the Navy to the municipal 

government must be part of any Initiative seeking to ;~~'. 

create jobs and a better quality of life for the people of 

Vleques. 

The Navy's occupation of two-thirds (68%) of the 

Island's surface area during the 1940's dealt a fatal blow to 

the sugar cane Industry, then the mainstay of Vleques' as 

well as of Puerto Rico's economy. At first, the Navy 

employed laborers who used to work in the cane fields to 

build the military Installations. However, once the 

2 
159 

installations ware built, the workers were left unemployed. 

This brought about the migration of unemployed 

"viequenses" to the islands · of St. Croix and Puerto Rico, as 

well as to the U.S. mainland. 

However, the circumstances that moved the Navy 

to occupy two-thirds of Vieques during the 1940's are not 

present today. Gone are the days of the Second World War 

and the German threat; gone also are the days of the Cold 

War and the communist threat. With the collapse of the 

Soviet empire and the easing of east-west tensions, the 

United States has reduced its military operations, and is 

closing military bases in the U.S. and abroad. It Is In the 

light of these developments that we must evaluate this 

bill. 

We Puerto Rl~;;e:ms recognize ana support tne 

Important role the U.S. Navy ·plays in the protection of our 

country and of our democratic system. Committed to the 

principle of common defens:e, one of the pillars of the 

Commonwealth relationship between Puerto Rico and the 

United States, thousands of puerto Ricans have served and 

continue to:serve as members of the U.S. Armed Forces. 

Thousands of our countrymen have fought gallantly In all of 

the armed conflicts In which the United States has 

participated since World War I, offering their lives In the 

defense of the values and the interests that bind both our 

peoples together. 

H.R. 3831 does not propose to transfer all the 

land the Navy possesses in . Vleques to the municipal 

government. It would only transfer 8,000 acres In the 

western part of the island, where the Navy has built an 

ammunitions depot. The Navy would retain the eastern 

part of the Island, where military maneuvers are 

performed. Moreover, this bill has no effect whatsoever on 

the Roosevelt Roads base in. Celba. 

The proposed transfer would allow the 

Inhabitants of Vleques to develop their own economy, 

3 
160 

without having to leave the island in search of jobs and a 

better quality of life. Part of the 8,000 acres could be used 

to grow crops and raise cattle needed for local 

consumption. The fishing Industry would also benefit from 

having better land access to the sea and to areas and 

fisheries now reserved for the exclusive use of the Navy. 

Furthermore, contrary to the eastern side of the 

island, used extensively for military exercises, the Navy 

has · used the western side mainly to house an ammunitions 

depot. As a result, the land to be transferred continues to 

possess Its natural beauty, making it an excellent location 

for the development of tourism. The municipal government 

could join forces with the Commonwealth government and 

the ·private sector to develop eco-tourism projects on the 

Island. · 

Finally, by building a new port in the western side 

of the Island, the travel time to and from Puerto Rico would 

be shortened. As a result of lower transportation costs, 

residents of Vieques would benefit from a lower general 

pric~ index, and lower production costs could serve as an 

Incentive for business Investment. The new port would 

also · benefit tourism, making Vieques more acceslbie to 

visitors. 

But the proposed transfer is not only about 

economic growth and jobs. It is also about improving the 

living standards and the quality of life of the people of 

Vleques. The positive economic impact of the land 

transfer should reduce the Intolerably high number of 

families living below the poverty line. Moreover, the 

transferred land would be available to provide residents 

with basic services which are now inadequate or 

nonexistent: housing, schools, hospitals, libraries, child 

care centers, parks and recreation facilities, to mention 

only some of the possible uses Identified in the bill. 

Because it would bring about long-awaited 

justice and hope for the people of Vleques, I strongly urge 
161 

this Subcommittee to vote favorably on this bill. Due to 

the fact that this 1 03rd. Congress is about to expire, I 

strongly urge Resident Commissioner Romero Barcelo to 

resubmit this bill early enough In the next Congress, so 

that it may have a better chance than H.R. 3831 to become 

law. 

Once again, we commend Subcommittee Chairman 

De Lugo for his life-long efforts devoted to helping my 

fellow countrymen obtain the justice we, as a people, 

deserve. Please receive the very best wishes for 

continued happiness and success from a grateful Puerto 

Rico. 

### 
162 

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON 

NATURALRESOURCES · 

SUBCOMMITTEE ON INSULAR~INT.ERNATIONAL. AFFAIRS .· 

.. HEARJNG 'ON: PUERTO ;RJCOUND TRANSFER :·: -:- ---': 

I I !H;R;:3831 · . . . . . .. . 

.. pCT.OBER 1994 .~. 

QUESTION FOR "THE RECORD 

I .QUESilON NUMBER--ONE 

I ! 

Mr. De Lugo; In 1973 after years of protest by the people of Culebra and:·the 

Puerto Rican government as well [as] members of the House and Senate, the NAVY 

agreed to cease its operations in Culebra. The Secretary of Defense directed the NAVY 

·to relocate Its range facilities to an uninhabited islands of Monito anct Desecheo in .the 

Western part of· Puerto Rico. The Military Construction Appropr1ations· for ·FY 74 

contained 12 million dollars to facilitate the move. . 

Why was this plan not carried out? What-happened to .the appropriation? 

·Rear:;.AdmiraJ:Chr.istensan: The Navy wasrequir.ed:to cease-:alfJargetoperaucii ~ 

on · the ··lsland·;of Culebra in-1975. ·.·. A..:eoi'lCiition · imposed·:by Corigrils ~s thafitlii 

Commonwaalth,;of-·Puerto": Rico ::Would :;p~~~· .:.suitab e;~ltemawa ~e ':utilizi~g 

Co~ml?I)'N~alth:~~ry ;~e:oQ.Jectlye:~as.tet ~~pl~ce . Culet•ra q.~t Cul~bl%-andVieques 

;(\¥~'cb~a~i31'1'8.dhl.._~e~oelitlo~~~1hattime) :T.o,•:1ate ;n~o;surtable:altematives 

fo ..I:ulebra bav.e!:bean;. otfered:or identlfiad:by the•Commonwealttf~H,uerto 'Rico .. 'The 

~"i'i"iY,Jaliernative$ 8ver:proposed ti:i· replace~Culebra '· have een ·. un·aceeptable"for· many $13S6i:1S;~ =~~-:~ ~-~;~ .. ~ .. L-· · .. -~~~ ·- ; i ... i~;.:~_ .• ::; •• 7-:_ ··: : · · ··· ~.,§+¥~·':':",;.:.;.;.:: ::- i:::;~ .i~::t~ .;. :~..:;;~:-, _ .. _- . : .. ~ -~.: _ ..... ~; _ :·. . . . . o/ ---

~ ~ -· · · ::oneiitematrve wa~iWO is a'ni!S:{ii :th t;,oiia· fiassage:between Puerto· Rico'i"rid 

::thetcoasiJiiie:otttie·:oomlnlcan Republic,:theislands of Monito:and:Deseeheo.lhese:ai-e 

.. totally_ unsuitable because they anillocated.near major oeaan .shipping ·and air tr.affic 

: corr1dors, .and .because of their proximity to:Borinquen Airport in addition, the topogrilphy 

and:size of the islands make.them unfitfor.usv;as:target ·complexes, andboth·islands=are 

160 .miles distant from Roosevelt ·Roads - too far away for ~ubstantlal air .exercise 

capabilities because of increased fuel consumption and reduced time on target, thus 

making it unsuitable as a target complex. 

-Another alternative offered .was Dog Island, 10 miles from Anguilla. Dog .Island 

is a .possession·.of Great Br1tain, not Commonwealth land .as Congress -direded, and is 

doser to the islands of three other· nations' than Vieques .is to Puerto Rico. Dog· Island 

is·140 miles from Roosevelt Roads, and as the case of Manito and Desecheo, would be 

too far away for air exercises. 

We are still researctilng the disposition of the FY i'4 .$12 million .appropriation. 

Upon our conclusion of this investigation, we will forward that information to the 

Subcommittee. 
163 

HOUSE COMMiTTEE ON 

NATURAL:RESOURCES . . . 

cSUBCOMMIT:rEE ON'INSUI.All'&:INT.ERNATIONALAFFAIRS. 

;~ .. · .HEARING ON: PUERTO;lRICO,LAND TRA:NSEER .... 

· .: lt~831' ':'· · ·· 

.. 4-::0CTOBER 1i94: 

QUESTION FOR THE RECORD . 

QUEsi10N·.'NUMBER'lWO .. 

Mr •. Da Lugo: After: President· Nixon terminated the NAVY's use of Culebra:.by 

exeeutlve.orderin 1974 ajointooo. and Commonwealth ofPuerto Rico Committee was 

formed.(as:.the.Armed.Forces.Comrriittee Reportof'Februar')' of 1981 ·states).tofind and· 

altematlve.- site forCulebra.. · .. 

:Tills joint Committee was reconstituted in 1977~ . Were any recommendations made· for 

amaltematl.ve: site? · . .. . · . · 

:lfis::cla·ar-lhat Vleques was not:supposer:tto:be:an::altematJve site;fcrCulebra; ·.Under 

.·.what:atlihor.ity--did·:lh•:NAVY, .. In;;effect;;:relocate::Culebra:op<aratlons: ta;;VIeques?.· ~"';" .-~· .. ::::· ·.;: .... ..:.:.~. .!. ..:..~:. ~~~ ·:. .. '!:-::·.· ·. •.. . . . . . . ...... ::.--····::7: -·~ - . 

;'J:'~ .! RI~tar:t,Ac1mllr.al chriS1tenserr: ·.' I :do::not:have· at·my .. clisposal ·rrilnutes::ofthe· joint 

!\vE~I~trc:~irrrri!~i~ !!:!:at )fOUI:r&lfer:to;;ur.tle rtgli,ct ve in 19n. ·As:such; I am 

....... ,.... . . . . to VieqiUis, t .do not believe 

- Vleques 

cJf c~osina:Jhc~ r.arnae.: o'n Culebra. 
164 

HOUSE.COMMITTEE ON 

NATURAL'RESOURCES . '·:: 

:suacoMMITTEEoNJN'suL:IliR!.&:INTERNATIONAL. AFF.AIRS 

\~~7,; .. HEARIN~ DN: P4~RTOlRICO '::A~~ TRANSFER;· ·- ~ : .. 

---:-C" . ;. i~ ih~~i~1·;;4 : ·-·-·-' ~: "·· · -·'-... - .QUESTION-'FOR'THE'RECORD.· . . 

QUESTION'·NUMBER'THREE 

h •• •• ~ • • - - . .. _ •••••••• 

·Mr; :De-Lugo: In his 1979· First Circuit Court Appeal then Governor Canes 

Romero Barcalo-:argued:that the NAVY violated:acts- of Congress by transferring-military 

activities from Culebra. to Vleques-: To avoid the. lawsuit the NAVY signed · a 

Memorandum·ofUnderstanding.(MOU) In 1983. 

Rear:ACSmlrai ;.Chri~ensen-: In· that a copy o-f:thtim .Govemor· Carlos:;Roinero 

Barcel~argument:beforw:the-"First·Cira.rit.Coutt:o-f.Appaals~is~notav.ailable·; :andiin:tb'at 

1he·5ultwaS:setUed:bfvirtUe:of:the'MOU;~slgnll'ylnif.:tbatbotti.:Patllaril:i:this":MOU::8gtee• 

to -:settle .=and ;drop :their-suitS :through this document, ·the· arguing: of:this::polntis;ra1her 

·moot_ ~- :-- . _ :\;\ · - ... .. 
165 

·Mr • ."Oa .Lugo: Under-Section I on .Community Assis::ance of thiS"Memorandum 

the NAVY agreed: to continue-•an . ongoing:. effort· to seek out and.-enccur.age,dvilian 

lnc1usttyto locate,_their.op•rations or'r.tha:island." · - : :::· - :.'::~:~ '7~ .: -': 

Can you ten-this•: Subcommittee now ·many Industries-has ·the NAVY'-:beerr=.able, to 

establish in Vieques since the slgning.of this Memor11nc1um? _ , ___ ~"::;~: -_ ::-::; 

·_ ·. _. ·_ .:: .. :_:_ --~ ·-· _; · .- ~- -·: .- . . .. ~··:r;>.-..::. ::: :::~~~~tj ~f:~t~~ Rear Admirai.~Citriat!nserr4.SinCIEthe:.;sjgnlng,otdhe ;.1:9S~lMP.!::!~~~~!Y,:~d: 

tha Office-~of'Economlc-,Adjastrilent:of;:th8.'llepm:tment!of'Il8fensettawmeenactiY.ely< 

'engaged·in:-:attemptln9::tei=:reJoCiiteiiridcstiiiir.to::tb~Eislaii'tL~'i.Viiiqtl8i~~efcim±th& 

MOU, the'Navy:.was active ih:seal<ingnew employmentoppctrtUnitierlorrthe tesidents:of 

IJiequaa,,especial~inihe ~ppareri!ridc:istry ;' ' :::. .. ; · :-

. ·: · . . -- ;--:-~- ~· ::.-J . ~ ._:.;;, ·.· .. ;·. .. -. . h _· .:._1.'3. , __ : .. .... ·:. . . . 

'The.foUowlng. is:allsti.of.somerof· .ttta:ccmpanias. the 1~avy Hati;a: role-in ·attracting 

.t:t:!:_·--... -~ ..S.h~~~ ~~:- ·-- ·:.: "' . --: ___ __ ~.-- ____ -_, -...--Navv~MlllMAiQBfii~::;r+ "'"' - - ---- ·--=-···-··""""·- .. 

-:~S~R$ettir(gi~j~~-~·,::~~ia~;~ ~nn~~P~~~ 6; .: _~-~-~~: ":. ~~~;:~ .:. 7':" • .. ~~ -..- ·· · ·-:-::.:_ ... -- ... ··- . . :; ___ .. '::-"': 7" :~ ----... -

~,;;::,Vieques~Gr.aphics . -"' !A.printing,operation :sat: up :by :Sperry . :: :::.Er · · __ '·Cof-por.tition. - _ - - :-__ .... ::: .- ~ · ___ , ___ 

::1£;'Sparatec= - -- · -;- ~=, ~/c1"~i~n1g:b6ri~;;t~~}:i-~~ :-.c.;c;;1;;~ ::~~--"-_~~~t~ 

SBG 

Artais Industries 

Grumman. · 

"South Bronx Greenhouse," a producer ·of 

h:::~~~P ~~~tiam~~ ~m,~~~~d~~;ii ~,,~ ... _ .manufacturer-:ofcautomaHe:weather;repor,ting,. 

-devices; · · - -- ---
166 

HOUSEcCOMMITT.EE ON .. 

NATURAL'RESOURC.ES ::; ·. · .;. ·,.· ~;.:~, . ::·:'jZ::.:. 

:SUBCOMMITT.EE.ON :JN'SlJ.L.AR. &.:INTERNriiONAi.:AF.FAiRs=::.; 

·HEARING ON: ·: PU.ERT.OiRICO lAND;;TRANSFER"';.,~-" 

... .. ~: .. '~ ~~~;::;~~~:~1~7?:~::~~; .QUES.TION:FQ.R.J'HE:RECORD ;;;::. , , .. ·; .:... ·· 

QUESTIONfNUMBER'F.OUR:(CON't:) . . · · ' --· . ' -... .. -~---·.:. . . . . ... 

NAYY/OE'A In-support 

role--

Seamstress- Cooperative 

Vieques Bee:Farm 

,A local amtract sewin~1 company. 

·'Producer otccmmerclaL-worl<er .and .. queen 

honey•llee$, :and: honey. . :: . . . 

·shanklyn Farm 

• 'L , ·,,,•-4 

. Producer.offr.uits.and:faim:productS::: .. :: ' : 

... _ ., . fPI"C1d1J?c:e..!£~~~od fU~~J.:!~?",l ~~!~~~~~~; 

Bili Vlequanse. 

Hotel development 

Blo•·Lumlnscent Bay 

Preservation 

.·..•.• . . .:·- . 

tadlity in1own"Cf Vlecjues. · ··· ·· · 

:A -so -aae "c:anepa" orchard ·on Navy .lands~ 

"Canepa• (or honayben:y)'to·.be processed in 

an :industrial fadlity.·:ln:t.he·town .of Vleques: ·: 

:Navy racently:brokered ·a·hotel... .. . . 

development·.projectln:tha south·VIeques ' · .. : 

town-of Esperanuwitl1~1he commonwealth 

Tourtsm~Oapartment.and .Land · . · 

Administration. . . 

·Navy leading:the-effc•rt-with Puerto 'Rico 

:Department.of··Natural,and Environments~ 

Reso.urces over· the long-tenn preservation· o1 

the Vieques·.bio lumin•~scent .bay. 
167 

l HOUSE" COMMITI.EE·.ON 

.... ! . :·NAT.URAL'RE·S.OURCES · . .. . .··.:: ;:.: :~: ~: ·-

S.UBCOMMITT£E-:QN INSU.LAR.:& INTERNATJONACA1;EAIRS :;; 

~Jh-:; :ft:f ~R.J~;jiti;~~~~~r ;j~_~i~~~~ -~ . :" QU.ESTION FOR~THE RECORD ·.· ;·.-, . 

QU~STtoN NUMBER l'OUR (CO~T.) 

The following: tabl& lists-why some of the larger of the companies noted· above: havll' not 

survived: 

RIB! . ,_ ..... -.-· ~~= ·.· .- ·-~.c: .--::':'::::: : :·' 

ii~~~~;; ~.i .• ~, ··'':'.:·: ;:~¥ P~ren~riJb~~rm sP"~m. ;;~icriii'~9:ii', ,;ici ;:::.:·" .· 

Sparatac 

. Unisys. Ne.w-•parent Company man~gemimt dosed 

fadlity~ Loss of 1'2 jobs. · 

. t . 

· · Firmed·suffered severe damage following- .. . . 

-Hunicane•Hugoi n-1989 ·and·•was,never:able:to ';·---

make:a :comebac:k... Also; t1'1e· Grumman 

Cor:poratlon'.designatecla: n•aw ftrm·to replace them, 

·"Vieques -Electrcnics, ".:but it ·never: got ·off the: 

._ground:due'to ·non-c:ompetitJve-:prices: .Loss. of 38 

jobs.·.; 
168 

, HOUSE .COMMITTEE ON 

. i NATURAL.RESOURCES .. . . -~

SUBCOMMITTEE ON- INSULAR;& JNT.ERNA'JlONALAF.FAIRS ::. . 

SBG 

Artais 

Codremar 

:HEARING:. ON::PtiERTO RJC01.:AND TRANSFER +..:, ~;-::-::-

.; · 

·.! :~ ~:-.·-~: t~~~;::;~~;:~~ ~:_il~ .;:.: :. ~ .• :,_ "· ..... . QUESTION :F.OR THE•RECORD 

QuESTIONoiNUMBER:FOUR:(CONT:) ,_ . I . -· . I . 

lntemal .management.problams resulted In their 

filing for Chapter 11 banki'Upc.y. Loss of so· fUlltime: and 75 .part-time jobs. 

With the FAA turndown of'.Artals' automated 

weather· reporting;systam, thEt start•up~rm never 

matertaliz:ad:.orr ,Viiiques;. .Lo:;s·of 11 jobs~ · 

, ~i~;h~ci;: (jiiif~tty ~ecuring fishermeniorttielr · 

! :opcratlo.n; .L;oss·:of15'jobs. .· .;. a:...- ""o . - - - -

L.; ~~ ~ ~;~.: . .._ _· : . 

~ -~ ~j~~~r~~j~~~~i~~~~~i~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~:~~~~ non-eet:~nomlcaliy nor.wm\8ver.be 7.competitive lack li~~~~~?t~ ~~3~~W~ej~u er.too'FUc:;an Infrastructure. ·_ · · :· · · · · 

$iiiilp Y'i$tatledi iHs viry llirrioult io establish:and then hope to keep business on 

~~~~~~~~;~~:!:r~~~~!~!~~~;~, ~e~s:p~e:a~a~ll~ly~~i~f;:trar sportation-intensive are ust 1i productsto-and~from Vieques 

vi::a :thoa·.·P•u•.,rtn ,: J:lft~n ferry ~stem is·:not consistent wi!h·.thenstof Puerto ·Rico. ihere 

.. ,,.u "'"'"""problems with·.the C05ts ofelectricity. fresh water supply. limited phone service 

and ·high· phone·tolls, lack of ·on-island' support-facilities (necessitating :trips to . the ·main 

island>for the· HtUest necessity). These are all very negative' factors which directly 

-lnfluene&. business~ decision to locate. on Vleques. 
169 

HOUSE;COMMilTEE. ON 

·NATURAL."RES6URCES · .. .. . ........... ~::7. 

'.SUBCOMMITTEE:.ON .ItlSULiAlU.JN-T:ERNATIONAL.A'FF.AIRS·:: 

· ... . >HEARING .ON: P.IJ.ERT.O~CO :t;AND:TRANSF.ER '~<~Y~ 

. : ··· · :;":: :; HJR:~83:1E"~ : >:: ,,c·;: .:: .. . ··''';.' 

:: 0CT.OSER 199:4 . ... ~. 

QUESTION:'fORTHE'·"RECORD 

i 'QUEsi'JON ·NUMBER FIVE . i . ! 

Mr •. :Oe Lugo: The ~.O.U . also ·provides it was agreed that "the NAVYwill·work 

with .commonwealth agencies· and groups to"seek grants, start up funds and:financial 

•assistance from other· federal. departments tor use on Vieques:. :and· · makei·••very· 

meaningful -effort· within ita power to ·obtain full . employment. on the Island."· .. . • 

VVhat federal agencies has NAVY worked with to .ensure the "full' employment· on the 

island."? · .. · ... 

. VVhy. is unemployment .still at.SO .. per:cent? 

:' Rear.Admlral"Christense~~~ av•;;t.ie:ya~r.5:otth~MOU, ~t!k;~~~~na~~s;· · as·well -as .:agencies ·from :tho--.Commo!1Wealth '=Of;:puarto Rico, :haV&-~been involvect:in 

Vieques economic;~evelopment >MOstinqtatlle;.ofuthese has~beerr.tb&"<'"Fanne~Home 

.Admir.Jistratlon;:whotcontinues:to. a~st~Vieques.:to:date; .:other.zag,'!l ~cies::involy.e¢ln:the 

-effort. include -- .1h~ Smaii::: Buslness ;·Administrlltion (SBA),-;:th•£~1c.Davelopment 

0

Administratlon (EDA),: the .Departrrientot Hoasin9<.and .Urb:3n"Developmant (HUD). cmd 

:the Department: of Transportatlon thr.ou_9t:rith&;Federal .-Aviation -Administration;.: ,In 

::i~t~~~~ri:r~t;~~=!i~e~:~g'~r.:~;oJfC:~~~at~· W'irt.iire~ystems.:Command (COMSPAW~YscoM), :afld· the ·coo;· Navy ;.-.and:Ariny 

'omCis:.et·snian-:3nd· orsadV;Intag.edlausinessC ··· · . . 

:; : Z ·-.-;:·::::·:::. · ..: • ::::··:: · f· · .:A~ ··. . · .. ..: --· ~:.~:::~,:;.;#s~C:an ;tie·;seen;. lh&re :has~tieen ~ ~'.very ·:.:concartad:~ettort .. on ·:the:;part::;ot;:tt1e 

Depaitineatof'Defense.to.aulst the Jslancteconcmy .. otVieques. However~..the·one thing. 

-We,could:not do was to ·manlag'e the t\usin••• units-whlch·wa.helped establlsh·:there. -We 

also could not change the rules for govemment contracting and awarding, rior-could we 

lnfluence:the outcome· of grant proposals .or otheriorms c1f govemment.assistanca . .. 

.•. _.:. . - ~ -~ . :_ ... :.. .:...;~ . 

·Many·times Individuals: or .firms:oper.atlng::on Vieques .would not:-quarlfy-:for:grants, 

and many times·the ~prosped firm" .whldl . .we. .. were. attempling .. . to ·locate··there:-ne.ver 

became a full.:tledged' "elienl .. Many ·flrms ... would.:not-·follow-up to our requests ·for a Commitment or .atbusiness ;plan. and .with' :C:onstant:protests .and anti"Navy sentiments. 

ronnlng:throughout thtt-lsland, .our:.pr.ospec:ts>were- skeptical of investing in ·• ·:place·with 

:such political. unrest. ·· · · ... . 

Overall; however; our unemployment figures from t~e Puerto Rico Department. of 
170 

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON 

··• ; ~- ·NA:rl.iRAL.'RESOURCES ,~;;,.:_;r~:._:.:.; .. ,;. .. . 

~~~·~~~~~:;~~;~~lfo~~=o~~As~~~~~~ :,~ 

~i~1~: ~:- ~:: ~~~::;:~ -~'i E~~}tf ~ .. .-~::~ . ' -7·, ·· ~ ··:!':-.·:QUESTION .;FO.R:THE:RECORD :,,_ . . . 

. . . 'QUESTION 'NUMSER:'FIVE' (CONT.)- ·:- _;, ·- ~ -- -:'"7 ~-: .. :- ··-·-,·.···· ......... . 

Labor indicate that Vlequas Is on par, or for our latestfiguru of June, 1994, even better 

otr·than_tha. rest of Puerto Rico, on ·average (unemployment-rate of 14~7%). Altllough, 

aa.stated..at.the.-4-0ct 9.¢hearing, the validity of.tbasanumbtrs:may be questioned;:they 

are. derived ·from the same a1teri~. applied.· Puerto 'Rico-wide. anct: thus -have .some 

proportionality to the-·rest of 'Puerto lRico. ~n "unofftcial . unemployment-rate" .Is not> a 

reliable • mean~ ot-determining.the-laveJ.-of a ·problem and ill that It ts· derivec±in -a nonscientific: manner, should not .be used as•.thtrdetermlnant figure . for·. the dls!iosttlon· of 

government policy. · · · · · · · 
171 

1 HOUSE COMMlT.T:EE:ON 

. j NATURAL 'RESOURCES · . " : :.': . . 

. :SUBCOMMITTEE;:ONJNS.ULAR:.>&INJERNATI'ONAL AFFAIRS ~;., 

:~ :;_c;;.o:. ~: HEARING ON:.~ PtiERTO:JRJCo ~HD"TMNSF.ER ·;:,·-::··. '~ :'' 

· z; -~·.:: :' ~- .· --· ~: ::.~~~~ ~~ iH:&~u, :;.;.;~;:f: ;:: . .::~:~f~0; 7;; ~ · · · -· ·c ... : ·: : :4:0CT.OBER':t51114 ...... .. · . 

oues:rr6N FOR~HEJREcoiut · _, 

i . QUEsTION. NUMBER 'SIX _! _:- ~·'!' -: ·' -:""":""':"'.:~ :" ~ ··•·· 

Mr. De Lugo: In his testimony, Carlos. Ventura Melendez of the Vleques 

Fishermen Committee, states· that .although tha.Job Training Partnership Act: authorized. 

[$)413,000. to .. train biologist and farmera-fortheNieques.Projact in· May, 1.987,. th~ money 

never reached Vieques but instead it was diverted:. to Granz.da··and other Islands-in· the 

Caribbean. _ _ _ . . .. L __ How could this. happen if the NAVY was• working. with Federal agencies. to:-.assist 

Vieques? · - · · ·: ;:::;;.:·· ··: ... 

. ~ .. -;::· .. : .. :.; .. ~~ :. ~:::s:.~~:~. 

·Rear-Admiral· Christensen: [ {{ We.'rrchecking •with 1he··oepar:tnlent-ot L:acot-JJE ! . • . • "' • 

- · .,, ... 
172 

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON 

NATURAL RESOURCES 

.SUBCOMMITtEEcON INSULAR.:&-:JNT:ERN:ATICtNAL:AffAIRS 

· :: ·:.:::<,"'·HEJ\'RING<:ON:'PUERT.O'RICO ~.LANDIR.~NSFER~:::.- . ::;;_.:' . - ' . ..l ,H:R..::313.1 ... 

4 OCTOBER'1994 

QUESTION ... FOR·.:rHE:!RECOR.c ·-· ... 

! QUESTION NUMBER:SEVEN 

I 

i 

Mr •. De· Lugo: Section I on .Community Assistance [says] the Navy. agreed~that 

"the dose working relationship. begun during .the negotiation of this memorandum-of. 

understandingwill:be::contiliued thrdugh a.strcnger liaison prcgram.ft . ·· · · 

Has this: happened? · · 

WJ:Iat· is the ·status of this liaison program? 

Rear: .. AdmlnaL.:Chrlatenscn: The ,uaiscn .. prcgram :.~·. si:S:tilb'ongolirjg;;;bi 

-evolved:several<stages:::sirn:e.its::flrst.fnceptlon."•OUir;ccJmm~•llal~l1 

through,an,activii'C!uty Ueutenant'r.ilomrmo••dlltra.~lho.-h::!•s':.:IS!I,Ilinnrm 

ilalson.~and theJmpiementation ;:S!leC:iitli:aUSr;~hr~ll 

· ·: ~~~~~_,Prtor:to :1hlso;effort;·.'s~veroi ;efforts were.~ underWay. The· most-previo6s~~s:.the Vlaques·Task::Foi:ce, ·which~existed·-from 1989 :until 1992. This organizatlon·was:made 

· up:.of:the:Navy,•.the:Municip8Jity·oPJi~ques;1hecCommonwaaith·.EconomiC:Develc)iiment 

· A~T.'!'I!~.~~-~;;ri;'OMEN!O"),<. th&, :?co .Offtca :of .Economi~::~dju:;;_tment; .. and..:_l!!,.'af!Y.;: 

Commonwealth' Cabinet members :and .agency· heads. Meetings wer.e·heid~on Vleques;· 

in San Juan, and In washington to discuss the ongoing ·efforts of·the group, ·who'.s 

objectiVe was to creal& new'jobs for Vieques following the devistation of Hurrican&-Hugo. 

The Vieques Task·Force.was dismantled after Its last meeting in Washington in August, 

1 gg2,:at the requestof the Maycrof V.eques-fcllcwing her: rf!-alection in November', :1.992. 

The. Navy continues. to have very des• relations with FOMENTO, who.'s lead. we 

'follow in·the. pursultofeconomic.development projects·forthe isiand~of'Vieques. 
173 

HOUSECOMMmEE ON 

NATURAL RESOURCES 

·SUBCOMMITTEE'ON;JNSUL:AR.'IUNT£RNATIONAL-AFFAIRS 

-HEARING ON: PUERTO::RJCO.UNDTRANSFER 

:;;· .. j-:H:R..-:383.1 

.. .. . . _.~OCTOBER 1994 

· QUESnON:FOR'THE:·RECOR[) . 

• QUESTiON:.NUMBER'EIGHT 

·.Mr:..De .. Lugo: The· Memorandum states, "It is anticipated-that the Management 

Advisory Committee. herein .C:reatGd Win· serve.as~afocal. point for land. use/environmental 

concerns and cooperative working·relationswill be developed· among NAVY officlal!rand 

their Commonwealth: counterparts~ • : . · '· 

Can-you report-on·.th&-status-.of this Committee? 

Where are•.the.:report$7· :. . . . 

Where. are, the recommendations made.by .the Management Advisory Committee? . 

. : ··;:::_ . . . . -· :~ ... -.. -~-:·<~~:::r~-.: 

Rear •Admlrai"'Chrlstans•rr:' lh&.··:ManageiT'ient· .. Advlsory ·· Committea<~(M'P>C) 

commenced itsfunctions in January :1984 .. Th~MAC.initiatedlts:oparatlons:byidentifying 

th•:boundaries·.ot~e.consarva~on:Zones:-.anct.assistlng~'thlrNavy.in·the,davalopment·of 

a fOrestry :programiltthe· Naval Ammunition-Support Detachment (NAS.D), .The MAC 

has-met:at least onca.:·per.year :since ·1.984. Navy~personnel· Cdiilec:t:MAC:: members 

regularlythroughoutthe yeartofollow-up·on:parilcular:projecb( e.g. forestry program,: sea 

turtle:conservatlon·.project);· The·reports:are·containeci in·!he minutes of eaCh meeting. :...~-=-~-.-~--- - .. . .. . .: 

· • ·:.-T". '·ihe-recomrilerid~tio'~~·mad~:b;.u;~'~AC. are·contairi~d in the minutes bt U,e 

meetings:and::subsequentletters.:,"The'.l::and:.Use·Manage•ment :Plan• (LUMP) for naval 

facilities"at VieqiJes· lsland~c:Ompiled the recommendatlonsirom 1984·through·1986_ This 

Plan·is~aing:currently updated:andWlll:be,~ubmitted.to the MAC for review and·approval. 

Ih&.'-!'~·WMP:,Will.be r.ea~y by.June 1995. c · -~· :. · •.•. :.. • ..•. ,. . 
174 

. HOUSE COMMITTEE.:ON 

: ·NATURAL RESOURC.ES . . . . 

. :SUBCOMMJTT..EE:ON·.JNSUI.A'R~&:JNT:ERNATIO,NAi.:..AFFAIRS.: 

. ~' HEP<RING:ON: PUERTO'.:RJCO'l:AND':flt!tNSFER .. .. ·.. ! . _. HX."i31!1 ~~~:.~ ·:· ~· .-: ~. . 

. •.0CTOBEit.:t994:. ·_-·· · :-~.·: 

QUESTION ·FOR'THE~R£coRo .... 

'I QUEsTlON 'NUMBER'NINE .J • ~· 

M.-•. De .Lugo: lrr Section II on .Land Use under the Memorandum .. of 

Understanding, "tha NAVY.agrees to develop-and .provide. financial · supportfor·a:forastry 

program on itS Vleques land~."· · 

VVhat Is: the· status:[of].this program and has it had any impact [on] the:eC:oriomy:of . 

Vieques? · ·~t:.:.:'2.t:: ,. .. -~ . 't·:: '. • . . . . . __ _ .... . "': .' . _.:·- :~:r.!·~- ~~-::i~~f: ~: · 

·. . , •. ·ReatiA'dmlmt:Chrlstansen: '· rollowing;the recommandations;:ottha!Man~ement : 

Advisory commlttee';the·Na~lnltiat~d2'for-a5t(Yprogr:arrrin'October1 985irreoo·~lnatlrirr · 

wfth· th&'Puer.to>RJc:o-,Department .of.Natm:atResour.cea:and:tba..U.'S: ;f'orast:Service-"·.A: 

1 OO:aa:a~lota~Martineilu.1rackWar.;iJantad~pm:dmateJy.20;ooo:se8dlin!jS;"of. 

two: spedesr. orm~any-tlees. Jni1991; ·:an0ther:50>atnt;,ilatw857planted:·with 'OVer 

'5.000:matiagany :seedlings] In the. Playa Granda trade, ·' · · : -: · · . - . . :. : . -· .· .... . 

.. .. . , . The.impacton.the-eecnomy ~ustarhaS:been:orrthe peoplw.employed to·pJantthe 

~;:seedlings';;an~r:c.Vide~-malntenance. • The:.camulative ~cost::of;".th!S<:pr.oject to ..data";is· 

::: ~appiQXi~eiY~3sg 847. · ... -· · · · · .. · · ·_ ~:- · · : ·::':"'::::· ·: .:..- ._ __ ....,!: . • :"-:-··- · •. :0 

--~ ·- ·- ... ....._.,..~"· .. .. .. . ..... ······ . . · csin!=&-:cthe 1Tiahogany trees will ·take ·approldmataly '.:20 years to reach a 

.. ·· meichantable·!Size, the Navy requested·the U:S. Forest·Servic:S·to prepare :a For.estry 

.., ;Miiilagam·ant;iP.Ian · .to .. detennlne ·the possfbility-ohusing~sting .• trae~ands,.tor . 

......... comm&r.aaiii'itlcri. ihe Forest service conduct'ed ·a tree siJ..Vay .and ·prepared- itie:: F>iaii:~ · The·Piiin.identifies areas containing exiSting trees within the Navai ·Ammunition .support 

Detachment which can be harvested. This Plan will ·be integrated to the new.Land .Use 

Management Plan (LUMP) for naval:facilitles at Vieques. The new LUMP wlll.be ready 

.by .. June "1995. ·· 
175 

HOUSE COMMJTrEE ON · ·· 

'NATURAL RESOURCES ... _ 

SUBCOMMITTEE-ON INSULAR::&: INTERNA"TIONAL iO:FF.AJRS . ,~: :,:. 

· HEA"RING:ON:· liERT.O~CO .LA"ND"TR:ANSF.ER ·. .. . ~~~ . i .. -~ H1R::383.1 . ·· -:.;· .. .. ... ·. 

. ·4 ·ocTCBER·1S94 ClUESTlON-~0R"THE..;RECORI:I . · ... , .. --

! QUESTION NUMBER TEN . I I . I 

Mr.:De..Lugo: The Memorandum also states that ''The NAVY will.contihue;to take 

necessary. steps for the. protection of the .. people of Vleques from mlshaps:jnvolving.the. 

use. of live ordnance and hlgh·pow11red aircratt'f!yingadjace.nt to the populated:areas:of 

Vieques-." ... 

However; on Oc:tober24; 1993, an FA~18 Hemet combat plane.dropped:four:soo,ound· 

bombs just one·mue•trom .. a:_residentlal area during.a..training exercise. ·· ,-..:::,-:-.. " 

· · ... -O:-;i Rear:;o.dml~~~?c£i1~~.nsen: On 24- October ·1993, an ·FIA 18 Homet ~~~:drop _ -:bombs:;outsida;of.•the·:IJve: lmpad :area. A ·thorough Investigation •was pertormed: by~the 

·· · •·the •. incident. The · findings:·_ of this 

·--··== ·resuH't1f human ·error:by·the;pilot.. 

. ~; ~!~!!!~~~~:tpa~c~n:t:he Jo'iectue:; "Eastetm:lw1anleu,rerirlg Area• (EMA) 

orhetelr3!.1irom .pOJ)ul;tted,arl!as .. The-:EMA Js;about 12 
176 

HOUSE COMMmEE ON 

NATURAL RESOURCES 

.SUBCOMMITT.EE ON IN$U.LAR:&INURNAIIONAL AFFAIRS . 

··.: . :.:HEARING ON: :pU.E·RTO.:RICO J..A'ND TIU~NSFER. ··· 

. :HX::3831. 

-4 OCTOBER 1994 

QUESTION FOR THE. RECORD 

QUESTION NUMBER E~EVEN 

Mr. De .. Lugo: Could you provide this Subcommittee with more specifics· on the 

cost of relocation from Vieques to Roosevelt Roads and how the 300 million dollars was 

calculated? · 

. Rear Admiral Christensen: Costs associated. with moving the magazine area.at 

the Naval Ammunition Support .D atcjchment (NASD) to the. Eastern Maneuvers -Area 

lEMA) were estimated to be .$300 million. lt-should:be em!JitasiZed.that thls:cost was 

associated. with moving ·frOm weste'm Viequ~s ·to. eastern Vleques Jsiand;and .:not ·to 

· Roosavelt·'Roads: · It wouldi not •be-feasible to·mov• the-magazine= to :Roosevelt'Roads 

because·there .Is. not enough real -estate .available· without .closing down Air Operations 

(the .airfield) .or ·th!. family. housing :area. ILthe magazines W!.re moved to Roosevelt 

Roads, additional (significant) cost would beassociated:due to:the purchasing .. ofacreage 

from the residents of Ceiba, plus costs for relocating htJndredi!i.~f residents. The 

estimated cost.to·move theNASD facilities to Roosevelt Roads·is·doserto··$600-million. 

·: :;. ., ,.:.'/··~~ .. The~300 million dollar.:c:ost estimate .for:the . intra .. Vteques:relocation :w.as:taken 

:lir~~-=:t~e..:~:;1 ~~hich ts ·an·Official 'detailed:iiiVentary-of:NavaJ:sti'o'ri· Facilities;:·p~blished 

:.~y$H;!etNavalU5acilities- Engineering· Command· Headquartel·s<and updated -::annually. It 

;i<ShoW.S::the•CuiTent'Plant Valve (CF''I{) .of-att-Navai-Staticn·facllitles. 'The CF'V·is·;derived 

l:Efromillla:&C:tUaEconStn.!ctiori cost$ otifacilities:at the time of construction, appreciated·to 

~odiV!ifdouar.s:=.:These cost$ do not ilndude real estate value. · · · •. . . ,: :;;:...;._::.~ ...:.. . ;::~ ?'TW'·~= ,. . . . : . ... . .... ·:·: :-:t ::.: : 

· .... ·The estimate does ii'1dude .bullding an ammunition off-load pier, causeway, and 

breakWater adjacent to the new ammunition depot since cross-town ammunition 

movements from the eJClstlng pl!!r would not be possible. The distance from the new 

·magazines, safety factors, security. and .. Exploslva.Safety Quantity Dlstance.(ESOD) :arcs 

would not. permit the existing piertd be used:adjacent to a .populated -area. This pier 

would also be· required if the magazines were to be rnoved to Roosevelt Roads. 

However, sufficient land space would have to be purchased to ·have a sufficient ESQD 

at Roosevelt Roads as welL 
177 

: HOUSE . .COMMITTEE.ON . i ·NATURAL RESOURCES . · 

SU.B.C. OMMITT.~E •. ONJN:S~LlA1UdNTERNA710NAL -AFFAIRS .·.·: 

;" ;.;."':.'H~RING ON: PUERT.OiRJCO l.AND"T-R:A:NSFER .. .. ·. · ... 

:~;, ... ..;'; ~;'J~,, . . I. ·. ;.;:.J:iK;UI3t';t.:.· .. :.~·:,· : :: .. .. ~ ·. :-·:-- : ·-·----··:-·.. . . I '",.t ~CT.QBER 1.994 .' ,_.· -·. . 

.; ... ... .. .QUESTION 'FORTHE'RECORlO 

QUESTJON ~UMBER~L"EVEN (CClNT~) . 

The $300 million dollars is broken down as- follows: 

(a) Site preparation;. utilities, 

and: earth•work 

(b) Fadlltias:· 

(barracks;. galle.y; .shops, 

utilities;: SeCUritY~~ · . 

ma~rie.-;tcitllca.'BPace; ; 

lightlng;;;and ~eapons .: i 

handllng.;area) I ! i ~ 

-.. . ~ . ... . . 

(c) -AmmunmDrT'Pier.·causew.ay, 

$ 1S,•JOO,OOO 

$178,000,000 

$100;000,000 

and~breakYiater· · · · : .. , Sub~total: 

(d).:Misc:· and J~~~.r;;~;,. ' 

Total 

· $293;·::lOO,OOO 

S7;0()J;ooo · 

:$300.000,000 

.. , 

. . . .. .: :·· · . . . . .. : .. ~-~~;~ ~':7:::::~ ;.· 

-- · '· This:estlmate:does·not include1he environmental assessment, Testoratlon; 

dean-up·(if requi111d). and.elosure/tur:n-over. costs-associated with excessing .. the-exJsting 

NASO. These costs could not.be estimated until .an 'Environmental Assessment (EA) ·is 

performed. Typically, an EAofthis·magnltude.costs.$200,000. Also, .an EA would:have 

to· .. becperformed·forthe location of:the:new NASO:slte. · 
178 

HOUSE COMMITTEE'ON 

NATURAL RESOURCES 

SUBCOMMllTEE ON .JNSUL.AR:&.:JNT.ERNA:TIONAL.·AFFAIRS . 

-·· .. ·''·: .. ·:HEARING ON: ·PUERTO;RJCO.:.UND TRA.NSF.ER •. . :.,,~:~\·. · 1:: .::... I' 'H'R."3831 ' · 

,. :· · 1 ~·::.4'hcioaER'1S94: · QUESTION 'F.OR THE'RECORD 

QUESTI0N NUMBER.TWELVE 

: ! 

Mr; De Lugo: During questioning by Resident Commissioner Carlos Romero 

Barcelo itwas:ascertained'that only 60 ofthe·130 magazines would have-to.b&:ralocated: 

to Roosevelt Roads in order to. meet·national security requirements. \Nhatwoulct.be:the 

cost of the- relocation? .·: · 

Rear Admiral:: Christensen: .• There . is: ·not . sufficiant ,acreage •. to·· mO.ve:.::SO 

ma.gazlnes· to· Roosevelt Roadsc,wlthout closlng·;the-.airfiefd,or,.the,lhousing<<irreas;;or 

.purchasing:substantlal.acreage:fr.oni1the::celba::or:Naguabo,.citizens·;.~;provfded::_saNtce 

130 : magazlnes·.were · move1Lto :.the;:EMA · of·VIeques.: lslana:the-·costs ·:assodatect·.:are 

estimated. at: rougiJ.!y.$265. million •. ~WhUe:tha·number:of ma,Jazines would.deciease:.by 

halt;•the. costs wouli:£not.see:a propol:tionate.decreiise~ lhis:ir.due, to·the.:pler relocation 

and:the'sameinfra'-structure.would:be~niquired:as:Presentfy·rlead~:supportSO-active 

magazines. ; ·· · •· • · 
179 

HOUSE COMMITTEE: ON 

N~TURAt. RESOURCES 

·suBCOMMIT-Tl:E ONi.INSUL:ARJ&JNT:ERNATIO~AL AFFAIRS .". 

'"'·HEARING- ON: PUER.TO.:RICO :LAND "TRP(NSFER · ' . . , .:H.:R;.::3831 "· 

····::= .... :·:.:: -~:~~":;::·::..:..·· ' 

···~· ........ -·--···- -· ·•·•··· 

. :.4-.0CTOBER-199'4· 

QUESTIQN.:FOR._THE-'RECORD 

QUESTION: NUMBER THIRTEEN 

. . 

Mr~ De· Lugo. VVhen could this .acreage be turned over to the municipality .of 

Vleques? ' · ··:;; ::-.':''-::~:' 

Rear Admiral· Christensen: :At present; the vast majority of' lands· oUiSii:I_&~U\ez:;­

EQSD arcs on· the· NASD ate conseliVatlon zones maintainectas· part:of'the::t983:MO.U:c'-''' 

Other:parcels.are- being us~d: for agHcultur.al development~projects: or:!or:othe.~2~~!t~[y? 

.purposes.. . . . . . . ·?.~~·<·:-'-· '-· ~~-rz.,r: .. '~~~-~::~ 

·In: regard to the- conservatlon:zones; ,access-to~these-:propartie$~n·:be1'nade·by · 

elther::boat'.orto .. their.land.ward:perimeters·through the:nor.them·NASD;gate;and magazine 

·roadway.s;'Na~ll:ofthe·roads:leadiog.along:tbe:perimeters:,af:the.:consarvation:zonas. 

_ -wera•either-wast:isld}.away,_or:destiOY,ed.by:Hurrican• Hug~: in '1989 • .', 

.. . __ •Public access· to -ttiase;zones.- has :b•an. restricted. ·for~boQl:! Conservation ·and 

-- ··security,1-aasons:£F.'irst,.only .• dirt·roads:could.:be~carv.ectlnto·conservaiion:zcina lands.and 

... ,;onJr~v,h~i:!'i!er;:r:cads\Inay·have,i!xisted; -:Butsloce-:many:of.:the .br:idges and:culverts 

~::Siorig:tt.i~y;Me;nC:r.rarigedhere;-:ar.substarrtiaJ,-etfort;would'have:to ,bem~ade:1o·· 

I.-EQpenjifiesesaeiesses-::Qiice~;agaln;:::· Becauiit~or.ir-'-·8ffort :•hasc:beeri :.·'on~ conserVing 

.:.1endaij_!;ferid:speaes1iabitatS:and ·neSting:grounds,,-the·decision wasmadenot' to:parform 

• ·. :thiSieeonstr.uction;· but rather·allow nature to·slmply·tollow its course without thtHntrusicn 

:··::o(=fii&n:::~_- 1 f · 

,~.,;~~pc_nd,.rcadway .a~es.t~. the.·per.imater.s of the conservatlo~zon~~.!li!~.::..a_r.~"­

.:-;tbrough:magazine :stor.age :areas whlch.are .not· now fenced. These. magazine;areas:are 

. now.:cffJimlts to the. publlc·for security -and .safety reasons. Entry and·-exJts by .the public · 

are in violation of regulations and are ·not permitted. 

lf:it.ware determinad!that a. better steward of.thesa lands could be-appointed, thefollowing. would :be necessary prier to· thair·.tieing- excessad or transferr.ad: · 

• .:;:,; .. ·..... ' . ··-~ .-<..,. 

·(a) A geographic: survey would need· to be-performed . 

. (b) An Environmental Baseline. Study would:··need to be performed. 

(c) A security fencaline and perimeter road were built for the:new·property line. 
180 

I . 

1 HOUSE COMMITTEE'ON .. 

I NATURAL:RESOURCES --> . . SUBCOMMI~EONJNSiJLAR-: &.:INl".ERNATIC NAi:-A"FFAIRS . 

. . . . ; ;·,;::: " HEARING··.ON: 'PIJERT01RICO"J.AND 'TR.,NSF.ER .• ··-':' .. ·:.: :·_::·.~.; ,.:. · -. :::) . !;;iH ~~3831 .:: · . · .. :.. · ···· · . . ...... ·. _., .... •'·'·'-··· .. . ...... T . ~OCTOBER1994 . 

~= . :;:;:.:·. ~ .· ;QUESTJON-'FORTHE:RECORD . . . . . 

~ "" ·· QUESTION ~~r.1BER THIRTEEN . (CONT.) .~:. _.: :;~;.~ ; ~~ : ... 

The ·fencaline and per1meter road are estimated at .$850,000. using. 'Naval 

Construction ·Fore&. assets. lhis cost would,be in .excess of the Navy'scauthorized.:cost 

limits for new.- <:Cnstructlon work. and would, therefore, :be- .a Military: ::Coasb:uction.· 

(Mil..CONJ Project. The·MILCON apprcpriated-fundfng. pl't)Q!ss would ·requil'e'approval 

by Congress. lhe·land could be excessed· in the-year 20Cl'J. · · · 
181 

C.i!a'. ,..,UUDI' u• --·---------

~mmitttt on Jlatnral hound 

llubtnpan, JaC: 20515-6201 

Mr. Carlos Ventura 

Committee Pro Rights of 

Vieques Fishermen 

Calle Bromelias 393 

Barrio Esperanza 

October 6, 1994 

Vieques, Puerto Rico 00765 

Dear Mr. Ventura: 

Attached are the questions on H.R. 3831 addressed to you as the representative of the vieques Fishermen before the 

Subcommittee on Insular and International Affairs, one of which was addressed to you by the Resident commissioner and the others 

which are questions from the Chair. Please send your response to 

these questions in English to the Subcommittee before October 

18th for the record. · 

We appreciate you travelling a long distance to participate 

in this important hearing and thank you for your cooperation. 

J.rman 

Subcommittee on Insular and 

International Affairs 
182 

Questi ons for the spokesperson of the Committee Pro Rights of 

Yieques Fishermen for the record of the Subcommittee on Insular 

and International Affairs hearing to authorize and direct the 

transfer of certai n lands on the Island of Vieques. Puerto Rico 

to the Municipality of viegues, 

1. Are the crabs you are referring to in the crab Farm program 

what we know as "jueyes" [a type of crab]? Because this type of 

crab takes a long time to grow. 

2. Have any NAVY officials met with you or your group to discuss 

your problems and any possible solutions? Could you describe 

those meetings? 

3. I am concerned that in your statement you cite the destruction 

of turtles and their nesting areas, while the Navy points with 

pride to all their efforts to protect the turtles. Could you 

please give us more details? · 

4. Could you please give this committee more details about the 

crab Farm project which you state never materialized? 
183 

COMMITTEE PRO RIGHTS of VIEQUES FISHERMEN 

catle Bromelias 393 

Barrio Esperanza 

Vieques, Puerto Rico 00765 

Hon. RON DE LUGO 

Chainnan 

Subcommittee on Insular and 

International Affairs 

Dear Mr. De Lugo: 

This is answer to your query of October 6, 1994. 

10/15/94 

1.) Crabs- The crab of reference is the sea crab Mithrax spinossisimus, commonly 

called the West Indian Spider Crab, but most recently promoted as the Caribbean King 

Crab. It is not known here as "jueyes", which we understand to be land crabs ( Cardisona 

quanhimi). 

Mithrax could take three years in the wild to reach a weight of eight pounds with a 

leg span of six feet, but this would be an unwieldy blue plate special. West Indies 

Mariculture King Crab Farm harvests these animals at about seven months in their soft 

shell phase. At this age, one batter-fried (tempura) crab constitutes a luncheon entree at a 

first class hotel. 

2 ) Navy meetin~:s - For years, the fishermen have made approaches to the military 

officials in relation to the effects of maneuvers on the marine ecology, the fishing gear, the 

economy of both fishermen and other residents of Vieques. To name a few: Lt. Alec De La 

Serda, Lt. Villareal (whom we took aboard during fishing trips), and more recently Lt. 

Robert Lagos, Lt. Richardson Rodriguez, Lt. Cmdr. Leyda Hilera and we even wrote to 

Admiral Ernest Christensen. During these meetings, we explained negative effects, they 

said they understood and expressed interest in helping us. No such promise has been 

carried out. We have also written recommendations for solutions to existing problems but 

we have never received a positive answer. (See attached letters) 

Claims flied against the Navy for destroyed gear have proven more time-consuming and 

costly than building new equipment- and without benefit of just compensation. At a 

press conference in August, 1994 we published an ultimatum to the Navy in which we hold 

them responsible for whatever action we may be forced to take in defence of our livelihood. 

(See attached Ultimatum) Immediately, Admiral Christensen contacted City Hall to arrange. 

a meeting. At this meeting he said he would provide real solutions to the fishermen's 

problems with maneuver operations. 

Our committee accepted the meeting on the condition that we would bring our legal 

counsel and that the meeting should be open to the local press. That way we could have a 

guarantee of whatever agreements might be reached, since in the past, promises have been 

broken. 

The meeting never materialized because, according to the Admiral's secretary, if the 

press were present the meeting would not be an honest one. Since then we have been out 

of touch, although Navy activities continue to threaten the very existence of both trap and 

line fishermen and divers. 
184 

3 l Turties- In the first place, I have seen dead turtles, both on Navy land and floating 

in the water (during and after maneuvers). So have many other fishermen. Several, 

including myself are willing to testify under oath. 

Navy efforts can never be completely successful as long as nesting beaches are used 

as targets and for amphibious invasions. Furthermore a tank can crush the buried eggs 

which were not visible to observer patrols particularly if the eggs were laid at night. It is 

also impossible for a ship captain to change course in time to avoid collision with a floating 

turtle or manatee. Some of those vessels require-a mile to stop or tum. 

4 l King Crab Project. -This was referred to in Appendix 8 of my statement to your 

committee on October 4, 1994. A 400-page report by the Congressional Office of 

Technology Assessment (OTA) titled "Integrated Renewable Resource Management for 

U.S. Insular Areas" states that the 1983 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) resulted 

in the creation of some 400 jobs in mariculture in Vieques. Unfortunately this is not true, 

not a single job was created . 

. (See attached documents: Economic Adjustment Program on Crab Project and letters to 

OT A from Vieques Marine Labs) 

Worse still, the crab project was not the only no-show project. Where is the shrimp 

farm, the shark factory, the automatic electronic fishboat and OTEC? 

Mr. De Lugo will remember OTEC: Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion. It was 

scoped for Vieques in the 1970's but installed instead in St. Croix. Vieques never gets the 

projects. 

Thanks for your attention, and at your service if you need any further information .. . 

iZk 

Carlos Ventura 

Spokesman 
185 

Lefler~ 

/~ e (q fe J -+v O.YI St-(J ~-1" 2 
Tnte. Richardson Rodriguez N.A. V. Y. 

Vieques, Puerto Rico 

186 

28 de enero de 1993 

Dlstinguido Tenicnte Richardson: 

In propos! to para el cual nosot.ros los pescadores de na.zas del sur de Vieques le soliei tamos una reunion es para dialOf~ar y J legar a un acuerdo jus to, debJdo a que hcmos estado ten .tendo grandcs perdidas de artes de pesca cada v·ez que hay una maniobra en e!ltas areas. 

It:stas artes de nazas representan c 1 pan de cad a uno de los pese<Jdon~s y ~Jus ayudant;es. r,a J.Dayoria de nosotros ha tcnirl0 que :i.ncnrr:ix en ileudas eomo preBt.amos l>ancarlos y ot.ros par ., h<wer .los 

a.t·t.e;; 'i .I.U•)go de las w:~nancins de la pe~Je<J es qve sc ~r1ea p.'Jrl'l. t.odos Jos comp.t"omlsos que teuemo:_; como je:f~« rle far~ilia {corni<la, 

agua, lux, gas, teleforio, pago de banco, etc.). 

El que el area este restringida y ,~>or otro lado, el art.e de nazas e:TI:-6 destruido, sJ.gnlfica la .nUda de unos inp;reso!l totalJoent;e nccesarios y J.a poslbili ad de ver!lc el c.redi to 

afectado. 

Uemos hccho muchas reelamaciones ant.eriormente y las mJsmas 

han tl.i.do infruc tuosas; nunc a fueron contes tacln!L 

For otro laclo, J.a maniobra actual fue no1:ificada un dia 

de,Jpues de haber comenzado, haciendo imposible que nosotro~3 los 

pescadores 1.omiisemos rnedidas preventivas y asi evitar en lo ponjble .La perdlda de .lo:'l arteu. Tan es asi, que clvUes que est;ab:w en las i.i.reas de ,Playa eon aut.orizaci6n tuvleron que ser evacuados pc.r e.L personal de seguridad. 

A pesar de que en ocasiones ant.erioref< hemos mantenido el arte 

de nazas fucra de las areas dest;inadas a las priicticas militares, 

ip;ualrncnt.e hemos sufrido perdidas debido a que las embarcaclorres 

h::111 n<.wer;ado fucra del area des t;.i.nada a l:m mllni.obras, destruyendo <wi cl arl.e de pcsca. Vicnen navegando pegado a la costa desde la 

parte oe~Jl.e de La .i.~JJ.;l hasta llegar al. area. 

Confddcramos que las deroarcaciones de las --li.t"eas restringidas son exage.t".'lrl~s e J.uelu:Jo re!lt.>:-ingeu area e.l.vU.. Nogotros sue-ex·1mos 

que lt1s eml>n.>:-0aei.one~: naveguen fuera de la platnformn y 1 uego a.l Lle~ar a.l. ;1~·ea a scr uti U.zada entren a la" p l.ay;,!J. De os t.~ forml'! no dest.ru.tr:tan los art.es de pe,<"'a. 
TN'fE. RICHARDSON RODRIGUEZ 

28 DE ENERO DK 1993 

PAGINA 2 

187 

Preferimos evi tar el dai'lo a los artel", aunque la Mar 1 na acepta:3c p:.~gar cadn vez quQ destruyera alguno, ya que el ~cner que volvc.r a hacer nuevo arte significa el cese de unos Ing.rP-soR y perdi<la de ~inmpo mientras se construye el mismo. • 

Debido a lo que rcpresenta est.e asunto para nosotros, los 

pescadores do nazas del sur de Viequcs neces1tamos que Sfl tome 

acci6n a la mayor brevedad posible. 

De nuestros reclamos no ser a~endict.os eon la serieda.<l y prontl ;.,Hl que mer..,ce, no::< veremos obl igados a acudir con los mtsmos 11 otros medios donde sean escu<.;hados y at·~ndidos. 

Espcramos 5u cooperaci6n en e5te asunt.o. . . 

AliiJ M. Ventura 

Portavoces Grupo de Pescadores 
188 

Navy Drops Napalm on Vleques 

R. Rabin 

In October of 1992, on the Island of Vieques, Puerto Rico, U.S. Navy pilots 

conducted large scale bombing practice including the use of live napalm. 

Napalm is an incendiary material of gelatinous phosphorous that burns 

everything around it and adheres to skin. Between 1963 and 1968, the United 

States dropped nearly one hundred thousand tons of napalm on Vietnam. Just 

one ton of this explosive will burn all the vegetation in an area equivalent to one 

and a half football fields, in seconds. Puerto Rican scientists and 

environmentalists are trying to determine the ecological impact of the napalm 

bombing on Vieques. 

During a period of two weeks of practice the Navy, besides napalm, dropped 

twenty tons of live bombs over the target area of Vieques. The island of 

Vieques is 33,000 acres large of which 26,000 are occupied by the Navy. 

According to the newspaper, El Navegante, published by the Navy at the 

Roosevelt Roads base, seven "Intruder" bombers attacked targets in Vieques. A 

spokesman for the Navy indicated that it "costs the squadron only half as much 

to fly to Puerto Rico as to travel to the West Coast (California) to bomb", saving 

money on gas. It also said that there is "no need to wait on line for access to the 

bombing area" and that "two weeks (of practice in ·vieques) is the equivalent of 

two months of training at the Cherry Point, North Carolina base. 

The people of Vieques have suffered more than half a century of abuse under 

the US Navy, which expropriated three quarters of the island in the 1940's. 

Since then Vieques has been a victim of both economic as well as physical 

destruction. 

For over fifty years the Navy has carried out bombings and other military 

practices on the eastern part of Vieques, a zone which before the military 

presence provided the means of survival for thousands of families. Large 

stretches of coconut, mangroves with rich supplies of crabs and other fish , salt 

mines for local use and export, large and small sugar farms like those at 

Campana, Ensenada Honda and Campo Asilo made the eastern part of the 

island crucial for the economic and social life of the people. 

During the 1970's Vieques' fishermen, with the support of a large sector of the 

people on the island as well as on the main island of Puerto Rico, mounted a 

strong and well organized offensive to end the bombing and began the process 

of rescuing lands from ihe Navy's grasp. That struggle of men and women 

"fishing for their dignity," bore important fruits. This heroic gesture broke the veil 

of silence and fear that the Navy and their "stooges" had tried - and are still 

trying today - to impose on the people of Vieques. 

The militant protest on water and land against the Navy's presence that were 

organized between 1978 and 1980 attracted world attention to this small island. 

The theme of Vieques was discussed in local and world press and was heard in 

the White House (in Washington and San Juan) and in the United Nations. 

The pressure by the Viequense/Puerto Rican people forced the U.S. Congress 

to carry out a series of public hearings in 1980 to investigate the Navy's 

activities in Vieques. Alter much testimony by prominent Navy and US 

government officials, functionaries of the Puerto Rican government, - including 

then governor, Carlos Romero Barcelo - and members of the Vieques 

community both for and against the Navy's presence, the U.S. Congressional 

Committee delivered its opinion that the Navy should abandon the island of 

Vieques and look for another place to carry out its maneuvers. 

The Cold War has ended, and according to President Bush, we live in a·'"new 

world order." Nevertheless, the Navy has not left Vieques, but rather continues 

to control three-quarters of the island, strangling any possibility for real growth, 

and continues massive ecological destruction of the island. For Bush, a "new 

world order." For Vieques, the same old bombings. How long? 

(Published in CLARIDAD, November 1992) 
<X> 

(11 

~ (11 

CD 

(11 

I 

-.j 

4 :::vr:e~"~~ --1992 ~-

Marine aviators train lo<::ally 

Br LanCe Cpl. ll1lnid Holik wenr very smoothly.· _ · 

_ Once the missions began, 12 ord-· 

The •eengals• of Marine AII-Wea- nance technicians from Marine Aviather Aaack Squadron 224, took to lhe · tion Logistics Squadron 14 (MAU: ~

skies at Naval Station Roosevelt 14) set up a bomb construction facility 

Roads, "Puerto Rico, on Oct. IS, for near the airtield. MALS 14 Marines 

Rum Runner "92, a IW<>-wee.lc heovy· built MK82 S()().pound and MK83 ·-

weapons deployment for hands-on 1,000-pound live bombs, as well b . 

trainine: with live ordnance. · napalm bombs and practice Sbriki and 

The deployment was refresher Sidewind~r missiles. After each load 

rraining for combat-proven A-6E In- . of bombs was assembled and traftSportruder veterans, and afforded youn&;er ted to the flightl ine, '224 ordnance 

pilots the cxperie::nce to train with technicians loaded them onto the 

weapons mey nonnaJly can't use fly- wings of the aircraft and det the annin& from their home base at Cherry · ing devices. 

Point, N.C. · · Besides precision bombing, lhe deThe mission began with a long- --ployment aJso gave the Intruder pilots 

range suike on Vieques Island, aerial dogfighting practice. The·senapproximately 8 miles south of the gals· flew combat maneuvers against 

naval swion. Seven Intruders l.l.l.lnch- the ·Redtails· of Fletr Composite 

ed from Oleny Point for the 1,100. Squadron EIGHT (VC 8). the-A-4 Visilin 

mile JOurney and aeml-refueled from Skyhawk aggressor squadron a.t S uad g 2

KC-130 tanKers from Cherry Poinfs Roosevelt Roads. q ron 

Marine Aerial Refueler Transpon· Lt. Col. Harry Spies •• 224 squad- weapons de

Squadron 252 and New York-based ron commander, said VC 8 provided Lance Cpl. 

Marine reserve squadron. VMGR452. invaluable training 10 his squadron as the site f

Upon arrival. the aircrews.hit simula- throughout the missions. even though for its cost 

ted surface-to-air missile sites located the ·aengals· will phase out their A- tempo live 

at the Vieques range with MK82 26- 6E Intruders by t 993 to receive the _ •tt costs 

pound pra~cebombs. · new F/A-180 Hornet aircraft. From · to fly ~e re 

Maintenance and. flightline Crews there, the squadron will be redesienat- traVel to the 

set uP· makeshift shops in tents near·· ed as an all-weather fighter attack ranges, so w

-the maio runway,·where they inspec-'" squadron and will relocate to MCAS fuel,· said S

ted aircraft frames after the initial ·' Beaufon. S.C. .... . bave to wait 

flights . . ~. :-- ' · ~ ....... . ---·Thesamet.acticsofaerialcombat times. Intw

. ·we tried to anticip~ ~«f ::.. ·! ' aild bombing carry over to any air- equivalent o

emeraency that coul4 come up. then craft, • said Spies. ·vc 8 flies a dif- training at C

made sure we brought enough equip- ferent aircraft. but can simulate any . The •sen

me::nt to handle those situations. • said _ type of threat we·re likely to encD!JD---tons of live 

Cpl. Patrick Lombardi, "224 fire con- · ter, allowing us to maintain our squad- range, includ

trol technician. ·Fommar.cJy, there ron readiness." _ - . ~ · er missile sh

.:-were no emergencies. and the exercise-

: . .. ]'he .. Bengals• chose Pueno ~~j~,.:_,and conducte
190 

~PARTMENT OF THE NAVY 

ATLANTIC FLEET WEAPONS TRAINING FACILITY 

7': / I i t !'PO MI. AMI 34051 /{.)( C0 UC,Q.~ <1. 

rw../.;~,' cc.CIO';., tJ Y'I J/« c..4s ("'-'~"" e\.Q ~c: ,,~c.u~~l" ~~~~:ENi~~N~E 1993 

\~ r,NA;v.'sL't'{!'> ~\ :;,cJ<\· 1- \ Lv'';''-\i•v ~g~Ro DE SERrE : o~o 

NOTil'ICACION A PESCAOORES 'i OTRAS .. PERSONAS QUE NAVEGAN EN LAS AGUAS 

COSTANERAS A~D~OOR DE VIEQUES. 

POR ESTE MEDIO SE IN!'ORMA A LOS PESCAC•JRES Y OTRAS PERSONAS INTERESADAS 

QUE LA MARINA DE LOS ESTAOOS UNIOOs LLZVARA A CABO EJERCICIOS NAVALES 

EN VIEQUES SEGUN AREAS INDICADAS ¥ LOS MISMOS PODRIAN SER PELIGROSOS 

A PERSONAS 0 EQUIPO DE PESCA. 

EL MAPA ADJUNTO INDICA LAS AREAS DE OPERACION SEGUN EL ITINERARIO 

Y.sE CONSIDERAN P!LIGROSAS PARA PERSONAS 0 EQUIPO . DE PESCA. 

EL ITINERARIO QUE SIGUE CUBRE EL PERIODO DESDE EL DIA 

25 DE ENERO AL 31 DE !NERO 1993 

DIA AREA DE PELIGRO HORAS DE OPERACION 

--------------- ------------------ LONES , 2!i DE !NERO A,B,C,D DES DE LAS 7 :00 DE LA MANANA 

HAST A LAs 11:00 DE LA NOCHE 

MARTES, 26 DE ENERO A,B,C ,D DES DE LAS 9:00 DE LA MANANA 

!lAST A LAS 11:00 DE LA NOCHt: 

MIERCOLES, 27 DE ENERO A,B,C,D DEs DE LAS 7:00 DE LA MANANA 

HAST A LAS 11:00 DE LA NOCHE 

JUEVES, 28 DE ENERO A,B,C ,O DES DE LAS 7:00 DE LA MANANA 

HAST A LAS 11 : 00 DE LA NOCHE 

VIERNES, 29 DE ENERO A,B,C,D DEs DE LAS· 9:00 DE LA MANANA 

HAST A LAS 11:00 01:: LA NOCHE 

SABADO , 30 DE ENERO A,B,C , D DES DE LAS 7:00 DE LA MANANA 

HAST A LAS 11:00 DE LA NOCHE 

DOMINGO, 31 DE ENERO A,B,C ,D DES DE LAS 11:30 DE LA MANANA 

Hl\:STA LAS 12:30 DE LA MANANA 

DIA AREA RESTRINGIDA HORAS DE OPERACION 

---------------- ------------------ LONES, ~ OE !!!NERO 1 DESDE LAS 12 DE LA MEDIANOCHE 

HASTA LAS 12 DE LA MEDIANOCHE (~ERIODO DE 24 HORAS) 

MARTES, 2.6 DE ENERO 1 DESDE LAS 12 DE LA MEDIANOCHE 

HASTA LAS 12 DE LA MEDIANOCHE 

(PERIODO. DE 24 HORAS ) 

MIERCOLES, 27 DE ENERO DESDE LAS 12 DE LA MEDIANOCHE 

HASTA LAS 12 DE LA MEDIANOCHE 

(PERIODO DE 24 HORAS) 

JUEVES, 28 DE ENERO DESDE LAS 12 DE LA MEDIANOCHE 

HASTA LAS 12 DE LA MEDIANOCHE 

(PERIODO DE 24 HORAS) 

VIERNES, 29 DE ENERO DESDE LAS 12 DE LA MEDIANOCHE 

HASTA LAS 12 DE LA MEDIANOCHE 

(PERIODO DE 24 HORAS ) 

SABAOO, 30 DE ENERO 1 DESDE LAS 12 DE LA MEDIANOCHE 

HASTA LAS 12 DE LA McDIANOCHE 

(PERIODO DE 24 HORAS) 

:OMINGO, 31 DE ENERO NINGUNA NINGUNA 

·sTA NOTI!'ICACION PODRA LEERSE EN : . IEQUES _ TA8LON DE ANUNCIOS DEL CORREO : LA ALCALDIA ; ENTRADA CAl1PAMEllTO 

GARCI:A; CUARTEL DE ISABEL SEG1JNDA Y ESPERA!IZA: ASSOCIAC:ON DE 

pESCADORES DE I. SEGUNDA; LORIMAR MARKET(ESPERANZA ); 

EL FlDIECOM!SO DE ; CONSii:RVAC!ON E H:STORIA DE V!EQL"ES ( ESPERANZ,'.) . 

;.,T ARDO - AUTORIDA'? . . "'E LOS PUERTO.~ 
191 

DEPARTMENT OF rHE NAVY 

ATLANTIC FLEET WEAPONS TRAINING FACILITY 

FPO MIAMI 34051 

~7 DE ENERO DE 1993 

AFWTF; J5;NA 3531 

NUMERO DE SERlE: 06~ 

NOT!F!CACION A PESCAOORES Y OTRAS PERSONAS QUE NAVEGAN EN LAS AGUAS 

.COSTANERAS ALREDEOOR DE VIEQUES. POR ESTE MEOIO SE INFORMA A LOS PESCADORES Y OTRAS PERSONAS INT!!!RESAOAS 

QUE LA MARINA DE LOS ESTADOS UNIOOS LLE/ARA A CABO EJERCICIOS NAVALES ~ VIEQUES SEGUN AREAS INOICADAS Y LOS MISMOS POORIAN SER PELIGROSOS 

A PERSONAS 0 EQUIPO DE PESCA. - EL MAPA AOJUNTO INDICA LAS AREAS DE OPERACION SEGUN EL ITINERARIO 

Y SE CONSIOERAN PELIGROSAS PARA PERSONAS 0 EQUIPO DE PESCA. 

BL ITINERARIO QUE SIGUE CUBRE EL PERIODO DEBOE EL DIA 

01 DE FEBRERO AL 07 DE FEBRBRO 1993 

CIA 

LUNES, 01 DE FEBRERO 

LUNES, 01 DE FEBRERO 

MARTES, 02 DE FEBRERO 

MIERCOLES, 03 DE PEBRERO 

JUEVES, 04 DE FEBRERO 

VIERNES, 05 DE FEBRERO 

SABAOO, 06 DE FEBRERO 

DOMINGO, 07 DE FEBRERO 

DIA 

LUNES, 01 DE FEBRERO 

MARTES, 02 DE FEBRERO 

MIERCOLES, 03 DE FEBRERO 

JUEVES, 04 DE FEBRERO 

VIERNES, 05 DE FEBRERO 

AREA DE PELIGRO 

-------------- B,.C 

E',H 

E,H 

E,H 

E,H 

E,H 

E,H 

E,H 

HORAS DE OPERACION 

DESDE LAS 12:00 DEL MEDIO DIA 

HASTA LAS 9:00 DE LA NOCHE 

DESDE LAS 12 DE LA MEDIANOCHE 

HASTA LAS 12 DE LA MEDIANOCHE 

(PERIODO DE 24 HORAS) 

DESDE LAS 12 DE LA MEDIANOCHE 

HASTA LAS 12 DE LA MEDIANOCHE 

(PERIOCO DE 24 HORAS) DESDE LAS 12 DE LA MEDIAllOCHE 

HASTA LAS 12 DE LA MEDIANOCHE 

(PERIOOO DE 24 HORAS) DESDE LAS 12 DE LA MEDIANOCHE 

HASTA LAS 12 DE LA MEDIANOCFE 

(PERIODO DE 24 HORAS) DESDE LAS 12 DE LA MEDIANOCHE 

HASTA LAS 12 DE LA MEDIANOCHE 

(PERIOOO DE ~4 HORAS) 

DESDE LAS 12 DE LA MEDIANOCHf 

HASTA LAS 12 DE LA MEO!ANOCH: 

(PERIOOO DE 24 HORAS) DESDE LAS 12 DE LA MEDIANOCH. 

HASTA LAS 12 DE LA MEDIANOCP. 

(PERIOOO DE 24 HORAS) 

AREA REST~INGIDA HORAS DE OPERACION 

1 

1 

1 

1 

DESDE LAS 12 DE LA MEDIANOC 

HASTA LAS 12 DE LA MEDIANOC 

(PERIODO DE 24 HORAS) DESDE LAS 12 DE LA MEDIANO< HASTA LAS 12 DE LA MEDIANO· (PERIODO DE 24 HORAS) DESDE LAS 12 DE LA MEDIANC 

HASTA LAS 12 DE LA MEDIANC 

(PERIODO DE 24 HORAS) DESDE LAS 12 DE LA MEDIAN< HASTA LAS 12 DE LA MEDIAN 

(PERIODO DE 24 HORAS) DESDE LAS 12 DE LA MEDIA~· 
192 

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193 

CLAIM FOR DAMAGE, I :STOUCTIONSo ,.... ,..., c•eluHy""' ~"ruclions on lho "'"'"- ond IFM APPROVE'1 supply inlonnetion requested on both sides ot 1-. lonn. Use additional shMt(sJ it 1 ~ I 

INJURY OR DEATH nece&alf'y. See reverse Side IOJ 8dditional n siJ\ICiions. EXPIRES 4-30-88 

1. Sotwnit To Appropn.te Fedetlll Agency: 2. twne. Aoci'na of c:~Mna'lt lnd cllimlnt'• peBOnll rapr~. if IW!y. 

(SHIn~ on ,.v«se.} (~r. sttftt, C#y, .$We Md Z., Code} 

3. TYPE OF EMPLOYMENT 14. DATE OF BIRTH 15. MARITAL STATUS j 6. DATE AND OAY OF ACCIDENT 

O lolf.JTM't C CM...I/.H · 

j 7 . TIME (A.M. OR P.M.} 

8 . Basl6 ol Oalm {State in detU the known /acts and circum.SlMCe.s 11tteltdltto tlte d.m~e. injury, or dtJat/1. id&ntifying persOrJs and PIOIJ•ITY invoiY«<, the 

,wee o1 oc:curence wK1 the c~se ther.af} (Use .odllionM p~s H neceUMy.J 

.. ,..OPERTY DAMAOE 

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OWNER. iF OTHER THAN Cl.AtMANT (M.Imt»>, strHt. city, St-'e. Mid Zip Code} 

BRJEFLY OESCFUEIE THE PROPERTY, NATURE AND EXTENT OF DAMAGE AND THE LOCATION WHERE PROP€RTY MAY BE INSPECTED. (S.e inattiiClJons 

on~..-,.eiJde J 

10. PERSONAL INJURYIWRONOFUL DEATH 

STATE NATURE AND EXTENT OF EACH INJURY OR CAUSE OF OEATH. WHICH FOAMS THE BASIS OF THE CLAIM. IF OTHER THAN CVJMANT, STATE 

NAME OF INJURED PERSON OR DECEDENT. 

11 . WITNESSES 

NAME ADDRESS (Number, st,..r, city, St•t•. W'ld lip Cot») 

12. (S•• klstrucllon$ on reverse) AMOUNT OF CLAIM (in ~rs} 

1 28. PROPERTY DAMAGE 1120. PERSONAL INJURY 112c. WRONGFUL DEATH 11 2d. TOTAL (Foll<"o •• •P• <Ny -r • ..,.. 

foMitur• of your rlf1hl~ ) 

I CERTIFY THAT THE AMOUNT OF ClAIM COVERS ONL'f' DAMAGES AND tHJURIES CAUSED BY THE ACCIOEHT AB,OYE AND AQREE TO ACCEPT SAfO 

AMOUNT IN FULL SATISFACTION AND FINAL S!!!LEMENT OF THIS CLAtM 

13a. SIGNATURE. OF CLAIMANT (S .. instructions on rev•rs• sJC;, 1o I t3b. Phone numDer ol stQnatortl 14 . DATE OF CLAIM 

CIVIl PENALTY FOO PRES(HT .. Q I< COIMIHAL PENALTY FOO POESENT1NG FRAUDUlEHT 

FRAUDULENT CLAIM CLAIM OA MAKING FALSE STATEMENTS 

1M c~t snaJI forfeit and pay to the United St8tes the sum or $2.000 Fine ol not more tharl $10.000 Ot imprisonment tOt not more~ s yews 

plus~ tho amount ol damagos sustained by the United States 01 both (SH 18 U.S. C. 231, 1001.} 

(S.. 31 u.s.c. 372g.J ~ 

"' 107 Prevlou$ ~mons not uuble. 

NSN 7540·00 63 4·404 ~ STANDARD FORAI 8:1 (R•II. 1·8:1} 

PRESCRIBED BY DEPT. OF JUSncE 

2B CFR 14.2 
194 

'lilY ACT ACT NOTICE I Thil Notlel ill prcMded in «:tord.nct~ '"'""'the Pnvecy Act S U.S.C 5S2a{eU3J. I B P~ " PuttxJ$1: T~ intormsroon teouutect ''to be UNO •n e'41uetong eluT!s . 

.,d conc:etns the InformatiOn r~sted '" 11'11 letter ro .... tuc:h this Notice I& 1nac ntoe~ , C """~~~'~ ' Un SH tM Notc u ol Systems ot Reeo1e11 lor tne -o-ncr to wnom you j A Auth(ll'lfy: 1ll1 t i QU .. IM iniQ<mllhOn •1 solo<:•led curauwllto one or II'IOfl o4 the all lkltlmitbn" tllis form 101 thiS ""IOtmltooro • 

to~o¥o.ng: 5 U.S .C. 301.28 U.S .C SOl et MQ . 28 U S.C 2671 el pq . 28 1 0 Etr.et of Fllfll#e ro RupomJ: OoKio-• .. ¥01t.>nlwy, Howe-. l.,.utl to supply 

C F R Par1 14 j tt.e ~eountl'd lniOrm.rion or 10 lll«:llfl IlK tcwm m.,. ret'ldet 'fOiiJJ ~ "'11'1-..fid''. 

INSlltUCTIONS 

Compfete 111 It-a • '""'" th-e - d HOH£ •~• eppNubM 

A CLAIM SHAll BE OEEMEO TO HAVE BEEN PFIESENTEO WHEN A FEDERAL AGENCY 

RECEIVES FROM A CLAIMANT, HIS DULY AUTHORIZED AGt::NT, OR LEGAL REPRESENTATIVE 

AN EXECUTED ~TANOARD FORM 15 OR OTHER WRITT(N NOTIFICATION OF AN tNCIOENT. 

ACCO,..PANIED SY A CL..AJM F'OA ,_.ONEY DAMAGES IN A~..£!.~~ 

FOR INJURY TO OR LOSS OF PROPERTY, PERSONAL INJURY, OR DEATH 

AlLEGED TO HA\It: OCCUARED BY REASON Of THE ~!DENT. 

THE CLAIM MUST BE PRESENTED TO THE APPROPRIATE FEOEFIA.L AGENCY 

wtTH_.. FT ER THE CLAIM ACCRUES. 

Any inltNCIIOtla OJf Wllomlt1\on ,..eeUMy.., .,_ .,..,..,IN)n ol yovr deoln will M t (OJ In ..,pport o• cla;d'ls lor a.ma;e- 10 I)(OIMtfly wllocr> ,..., c.-n or c.., oe I lumieMCI. IICIOI" re~st. by.,.,. othce- 1nocar.o .n llt'ft'l t 1 on .,. ra....-sa s.oo. ' .conornoca~ry ·~eo. tr>e c...,...,. ~ ..on.• 11 ~.,, Two lle,.z.o "01\t'd I' 

Cprnpiete I~TIOnl IMII\IIni"'QIO C~S UWf'l~ una.t lht F'ecMI' .. TO't Ci&lmt ACt Slai~S 01 est,.,ltt'S by reW!lle, d4t'itt'ftsted Contt'fl'l$, or. 11 oeymer.II'IAS floHn 

~~!e;=~=a!:== =~;:~:..:-.• j m~. the llemndf!QMdfKet;~ts vte»nca'IOC>eY"'ttlt 

atltaMCh~y I The clllm fMY bit !Nd by • Ouly ~trlol'u.O "''ffl or oll'l .. ~ reptaMnlatwe. (CJ In WDPOM ot "'-"' lor d~ to l)fopetly wi'IJCII '' not ~·y <t'p..,. . I prOVIded ~e utitiiC!ory 10 me Gove<I'I!MI'It •S sutMnrtftcl w~h 111111:1 c:llol'n : or It llltl)l'operty '''Oil or ()e l'!o . lht Clelm.,.,t 11101.110 submil tl~ta u IO lht 

tttdalwlg tiO"eu authority To act tor the c"""'anr 14. cte.IITI ~raaent.O tly.., a.gant OJf ; orlglf\tl cast ot tnt pro~ . Th' data ol Pui'Chue l"'clll'le YM.It ol the Ot:>DttTy. bOITI 

It~ rweltf'llttivtl """''be praaanll<l ., lnt' name ottlle c.IMI'1&"1T, " tl'le c:ltm ;1 . belcwt t lld attec Tht aec.id~l . Such ttatements ti"IOVI<I be by cJialf'ltara sta' compateflt 

ll9tlold by tt\t 191'"1 cw 1tQo11 rtOI'astntahva . ,, musr snow'"' tltlt or''""' c:tt~SCny ol : ~10111. Pl'tlarably rei)Utabla ,,. .. ,, o r OIIIC•alt •am•.,. wn11 tna type o! orol)lrty 

the PlfiiOflloiOI'Iin9 and be KC:Ofi"IOIIIO.O ~ evoGt nce o! 1'1\a/,...._ tu!I'IOroly to PltMI'Il • , ~tel, or by two Of O"IIOI"t c:omcetl!i·•a tm:IO~l' . an.: tnOUicl Ot c:arli!IIG U blonQ JUat I 

"*" 011 l:llfWI ollhl ctlotrt.M! a "~~fil l. eu<:IAOI . ..,._tracor. Otrartt. gu.erellln 01' j and .;orrac:t. . I olhefr~~

1 

. .. 

If cllir9t.,_, lnltndt to Nt eltim tor bolt! f*tor\llll"lfU'Y llld proparty dlmiiOI. a.n F · I 14} lilufe to C:OII'I9flltly w«ec:ut• '"'"' ttwm cw to 11.1001'.1 ltlt raoue ll~ ,... • .., 'I tot tlotl'l mutt M tnown 1t1 ittm I 2 ollf\la tonn wl!l'\11'1 two yt•" trom tl"lt data lflt ahg.i.hOI\S tcCJI.IId m.ty randef your claim ··if>VIIkl''. 

I

I A cl¥f! ;, daerr...o OteM!"IItd wnan It'' fiC.,.,.tcl by lilt IOPI'O~I• JOI'f'IC)', not wl'ltn 

Tile wnount Qlmed Jhoult:l 1M' Ju0"'MIItltcl by cornpatant t'II(Jenct u lolows: 

1

, ,

1 Is maitt<l. I f•J ln tuOefOitOI1h41CIIim lor per~ injuryOt ~Mac . 11\ee:r.ir'IW!I tnouiCI tuDI'nil 

J written rti)OI1 by lhl Mta•flcling phytic:.,.,. II'IOwlng 11"11 Mutt Mel a xtllnl ol Injury , 

:oc:::::: :.:-"~ ::;:,:::: ;~= ~::,-;;~s ~ F•Uioll"t to tpotCIIJ• sum certain wiU fllu111nlflrJIICior"'""'lon ol .,_ cltlln 1 

tor ml'doc.ll, hOVN!al. 01' buNI!t-otn5-lt actu&lly II'ICIIfiKI · end ma y '""" In IOI"ft Mwt ol row tlgiUt . 

lfoiSUIIIANc:'l COVf:IIIAOE 

In Ota.t tnM loubrogetoon ~may ce td,u(lo(;ttecl II•S esMI'It>ll tl\attr>t c ._,...,t pro\IICM 11\1 ,~:::-::;n,.,;:;=: ..,:o:,;on= ,.:::,..::;,:="":~~"•""•"'~=~=-:- .,::::=,~::-,.. c-:-:.,"'""="='"'•'"'"'"'"'"-_, ::c::::-

1.5 0o you C..,., tCCOC!enlll'l ... aroc:t? - Ytl 11 yll , QtYI nama llfld acldr aSI OIII'I ... ...C:I c:on'OOitly (Nvmbtr. S/rltl. C:Cy, Sl .. t . Mtlbp COIHJ tn(J pglicy numl)tt. ~ No--

1& H ..... you t;ltO c'-im on yOur .,,.,.Mel Clltlff lfl tl'ws lfiJIII'lCI, lf'd il so. 11 •I llo• CO....,IOt' or cltducllbll? j 17 . II OICiuCIIOie, Sit!& amount---

' ! . . 18 II c:r.m hat Ottn lollcl witl"l yout Clll .. l . "'"'' .CIIOI\ 1'\at )'OUf .,,.,.., , !Mtn 00" Of"OCONI IO ltkt _.., lt!tflnc:il 10 \fOUl clam? (It O.S ntctUV)' llltf r0<1 UC Jtf~ /lltl t-l'""ieiiJ 

SF 95 . 7·85) BACK 
195 

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY COMMANUER FLEET AIR, CARIBBEAN 

PSC 1008 

FPO AA 34051-8000 

I 

Sr. Carlos R. Ventura Melendez 

Bromelias #393 

Bo. Esperanza 

Vieques, P.R. 00765 

Estimado Sr . Melendez : 

5880 

Se r N02L/ 338 

30 Apr 93 

Su reclamacion per perdidas de trampas de pescado y langosta 

(Forma SF-95) , fechada 3 de Febrero de 1993 , fue recibida en esta 

oficina para ser procesada. 

La investigacion de su reclamacion esta por concluir, perc es 

necesario informacion adicional. Por favor, envienos la 

siguiente informacion y documentos: 

- fecha, bora y l ocalizacion exacta donde fueron puestas y 

tiempo (dias, horas, etc.,) dentro del agua; 

- descripcion de las trampas (incluyendo dimensiones , 

material usado, tamafio, largo, tipo de soga, tipo de marcador 

(boya) y tamano); 

- edad y condicion de las trampas (cada una individual, si 

es pos i.ble) 

- si fueron compradas, someta recibo de compra, incluya 

lugar de compra y coste; 

- si fueron hechas por usted, prueba de que usted es el 

dueno y recibos del material usado. 

Por favor diriga su correspondencia a la siguiente direccion: 

Staff Judge Advocate 

Commander Fleet Air Caribbean 

Building 5988 

U. S. Naval Station 

Roosevelt Roads, Ceiba, P . R. 00735 

Esta documentacion es necesaria para poder procesar su 

reclamacion y debe ser provista dentro de los proximos t.reinta 

dias. Si no le e s posible obtener esta informacion dentro del 

tiempo estipulado , favor comu:1i car se a este oficina, telefono 

865-4262 para una extensio n del tiernpo limite . Tan pronto 

recibamos esta inforn1acion y docuJnentos, su reclamacion sera 

completada. 
196 

Muchas gracias por su asistencia en este asunto. 

Atentamente, 

;? If {/)~~tj-LL Lieutenant, U. S. Navy 

Staff Judge Advocate 

By direction of the 

Commander 
197 
Rear Adm. Ernest Christensen 

U.S.M. Commander 

Navy Fleet Air, Caribbean 

Box 3037 

Roosevelt Roads 

Ceiba, P.R. 00635 

198 

3 de diciernbre de 1993 

Estimado Admirante Christensen: 

Por este medic me dirijo a usted como pescador y portavoz de 

los pescadores de nazas del sur de Vieques. 

En enero del afio en curso, el Sr. Richardson Rodriguez, Tnte. 

Comimdante de la N.A.F. en Vieques, acept6 reunirse con los 

pescadores luego de innumerables peticiones hechas a traves del 

Municipio. 

En dicha reun~on se discutieron o ventilaron los problemas y 

las perdidas sufridas por los pescadores de nazas del area sur de 

Vieques a consecuencia de las maniobras que alli realiza la Marina 

de Guerra de los Estados Unidos (Ver Anejo 1). 

Como resultado de dicha reunion, el Tnte. Richardson le pidio 

a los pescadores que cumplimentaran la Forma SF-95 para la 

reclamacion de las perdidas, ya que el entendia la seriedad del 

asunto. Luego de enviar las reclamaciones y esperando fueran 

procesadas con prontitud, se nos hizo esperar tres meses para 

recibir el--4. de mayo de 1993 una carta del Licenciado T.K. Cranfill 

(Ver Anejo 2), donde explicaba que el proceso de investigacion de 

la reclamacion estaba por concluir, pero que era necesaria una 

informacion adicional. Dicha informacion fue sometida y entregada 

en persona en las manes de la Tnte. Leyda Hilera, el 22 de mayo de 

1993 (Ver Anejo 3). La Tnte. Hiler a se mostro muy deseosa de 

ayudarnos y se comprometi6 a entregar personalmente la informacion 

sometida por los pescadores al Licenciado T.K. Cranfill. Desde 

entonces han pasado 6 meses y aun no hemos recibido mas noticia en relacion a nuestras reclamaciones. 

Una vez mas, somos torturados y hechados a menos por parte de 

la Marina de Guerra de los Estados Unidos. Desde la decada de· los 

40 el pueblo de Vieques ha side torturado. La primera tortura lo 

fue la expropiacion y desde entonces seguimos siendo torturados por 

las constantes maniobras, tanto por aire, mar y tierra. El 

bornbardeo de barcos, artilleria y aviacion lo menos que hacen es 

interrumpir la paz, tranquilidad y el sueiio de los ciudadanos 

viequenses. 

Por otro lade, los pescadores somes torturados por partida 

doble, ya que tarnbien dependemos de la pesca para llevar el 

sustento a nuestros hogares y para cumplir con otros compromises 

economicos y de credito, los cuales son afectados al perder las 
REAR ADM. ERNEST CHRISTENSEN 

3 DE DICIEMBRE DE 1993 

PAGINA 2 

199 

artes de pesca. Para anadir mas angustia a nuestros pesares, la 

Marina ha estado restringiendo areas de pesca desde 1975 hasta el 

presente para ser utilizadas para sus maniobras (Ver Anejo 4). 

Pero parece que no es suficiente; tambien se da a la tarea de 

irrumpir de forma negligente, irresponsable y abusiva en areas que 

ella misma determina como no restringida y que representan refugios par~ las artes o nazas durante las maniobras. De esta manera, 

destruyen artes de pesca que nos han costado gran esfuerzo, tanto 

personal como econ6mico, ya que la gran mayoria recurre a prestamos 

personales para poder hacerse de equipo y materiales. Luego se hacen las reclamaciones y no sucede nada. 

Para que la Marina de Guerra de los Estados Unidos nos hace 

perder el tiempo en cumplimentar unas reclamaciones y luego de 

mucho esperar nos vuelven a pedir informaci6n adicional con la 

promesa de que es lo que hace falta para completar las mismas y 

luego todo queda en nada? Una vez mas la Marina miente. Ya 

estamos cansados de tantas mentiras, injusticias y falta de respeto 

a nuestros derechos. lC6mo es posible que la Marina de Guerra de 

los E.U. sea vista a nivel mundial como heroes por la liberaci6n de 

Kuwait, si a nosotros los pescadores nos tienen presos en nuestra 

propia tierra entre areas restringidas y lineas imaginarias que no debemos sobrepasar? Entendemos que las areas restringidas son 

exageradas porque basta restringen areas civiles durante las 

maniobras anfibias. Esta actitud constituye una forma mas de 

tortura para nosotros. 

Par otro lado, la Marina de Guerra de los E.U. particip6 en 

una gesti6n humanitaria en Somalia para garantizar que llegaran 

unos viveres a unos seres humanos humildes y necesitados, por lo 

cual los felicitamos. lPero, que pasa con nosotros? lQuien nos garantiza que llegue el pan a nuest ros hogares? Nadie. Porque esa 

misma Marina que liber6 a Kuwait y llev6 ayuda a Somalia nos 

destruye nuestros instrumentos del trabajo y nQ los repone. 

Ademas, nos amenaza con arrestarnos y llevarnos a la Corte Federal 

y basta encarcelarnos si sobrepasamos esas lineas imaginarias 

puestas par ella. De esto existe evidencia, porque asi ocurri6 en los anos 1978 - 1980. 

Como hemos expuesto antes, no es nuestra intenci6n que la 

Marina nos pague el arte perdido cada vez que hace maniobras. 

Aunque solo lo han hecho una ve z , cuando el Oficial de enlace lo 

era el Tnte. Villareal. Es nuestro interes princi pal el que si se 

demarcan areas, que suelan ser justas, se respeten esas 

demarcaciones y que no se destruyan las artes, ya que no hay dinero 
REAR ADM. ERNEST CHRISTENSEN 

3 DE DICIEMBRE DE 1993 

PAGINA 3 

200 

que pague el tiempo que pierde el pescador en volver a construir 

otro arte; ademas de muchos otros inconvenientes que causa la 

perdida de los mismos. 

Tambien tenemos que tomar en consideraci6n el dafio que causa 

a la ecologia la perdida de los artes, de la cual la Marina es 

responsable. La Marina es responsable de que las nazas destruyan 

un recurso natural tan preciado como lo son los peces y mariscos. 

De esta manera se afecta la producci6n por afios, ya que todas las 

especies marinas que entren a las nazas perdidas moriran y serviran 

de carnada o cebo a otros que corren la misma suerte hasta que la 

naza sea destruida por el tiempo. Y estas nazas son hechas con 

materiales garantizados a durar alrededor de cinco anos. lSe 

imaginan ustedes cuantas especies son destruidas para nada? lSe 

han puesto a pensar de que va a vivir el pescador cuando su arte es 

destruido? lDe que va a vivir mientras construye un nuevo arte? 

lDe d6nde obtendra el dinero para construir otro arte y cumplir con 

sus compromises de credito? lDe que va a vivir mientras se !levan 

a cabo maniobras y no puede salir a pescar? 

En muchas ocasiones tiene que recurrir a realizar trabajos 

temporeros o chiripas para poder lidiar un poco con la amarga 

situaci6n. Incluso algunos desisten de seguir pescando. lSera ese 

el fin que persigue la Marina; eliminarnos como clase trabajadora? 

Todo parece indicar que asi es. Pues hace 9 meses que lleg6 a la 

Oficina del Lie. T.K. Cranfill unas reclamaciones por dafios de 

artes destruidas y al momento no se tienen noticias. Sin embargo, se han llevado a cabo varias maniobras adicionales desde entonces 

al presente. 

Es meritorio sefialar que el dia 22 de noviembre de 1993, a las 

6:30 A.M., un barco tipo porta-helic6ptero cruz6 areas que los 

pescadores utilizan para la pesca destruyendo nazas. Asi tambien, 

el dia 2 de diciembre se llev6 a cabo un desembarco anfibi·o en 

horas de la manana. Esto sin notificaci6n previa, ya que no se han 

colocado en los lugares acostumbrados los itinerarios de las 

actividades a realizarse desde el 22 de noviembre al presente . Al 

preguntar en el Gate del Campamento Garcia se me notific6 que el 

mismo no se ha emitido. 

Una vez mas la Marina es negligente. lHasta cuando va a 

seguir la tortura y la mentira a los pescadores y al pueblo de 

Vieques? BASTA YA. No estamos dispuestos a seguir soport ando esto 

por mas tiempo. 
REAR ADM. ERNEST CHRISTENSEN 

3 DE DICIEMBRE DE 1993 

PAGINA 4 

201 

Esperamos tener una contestacion definitiva a las 

reclamaciones ya hechas a la mayor brevedad posible. No nos dejen un afio mas en espera de unas migajas que muy poco alivian nuestro 

pesar. 

Sin nada mas sabre el particular, queda de usted 

~:C)_\}juu ~(, Carlos 

Pescador 

R. 

y 

Ventura 

Portavoz 

Melendez~ Pescadores de Nazas del Sur 

Calle Bromelias #393 

Bo. Esperanza 

Vieques, Puerto Rico 

CC: Han. Pedro J. Rosello Gonzalez 

Gobernador de Puerto Rico 

La . Fortaleza 

Hon. Augusto Sanchez Fuentes 

Representante Distrito de Carolina 

El Capitolio 

Hon. Manuela Santiago Collazo 

Alcalde sa 

Municipio de Vieques 

Hon. Carlos Romero Barcelo 

Comisionado Residente en Washington 
202 

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY COMMANDER FLEET AIR, CARIBBEAN 

PSC 1003 

FPO AA 34051·8000 

5890 

Secc ;;Q 2L/022 

11 Jan 94 

Mr. Cat· los R. Ventura Melendez 

Bromelias Street #393 

Bo. E.spe:::-anza 

Vi eques , Puerto Rico 007 65 

De3r Mr . Melendez : 

This is in response to your letter o£ 3 Decembec 1993 reg ar~ins 

the status of your claim for l o ss of fis h tca:_Js. 

The review of your claim should be completed scon. Sev eral 

c laims f iled contemporaneously with yours have been revie\·led anC. 

settlement offers sent out. The time lag in t he proces~ing o£ 

your claim is due to the large number r eceived at one tin'e and 

the n e cessity of transla ting the documents, validating re ceipts, 

and valuing the lost traps . 

Inquiry i nto the issue you raised concerning the lack of no ~ce 

regarding naval activities during the period of 22 No·.rember 

through 2 De cember 1993 indicates that, although notices "·e c·c: 

issued, they were not posted as required. This omi ssion is 

regrettable and action has been taken to ensure the time ly 

posting of the not ices in t he future. The United St a tes No.-r:r 

will continue to make every effort to provide notice to t hose 

e ffecte d by its aciivitie s and to ensure that the i nconvenience 

cauGed thereby to Vieque nses is minimal. 

In closing, however, I would l ike to s ta te that I encourage 

anyone wi th v alid cause to file a claim a£'ai:;.st. the Navy fc·: any 

inadvertent damage which may be caused by our activiti es . That 

said, I ~tlould also a si<: you in the futur ~ not to include \v it.J:in 

sucl1 claims either your political philosophy ur any at ~e~ 

di::.in ~cn v..o u.s, pvvl.-ly ·..vri::te.n a,-,d/o:.....- ir-.fl~u-:-.:;-,a.~c:;,_·:; :;:;:,:;:eric. 

Sincere l y, 

-:::-e-··1 ~>¥ r·· ;fl~/1!3,/::;,-::__. --~ ·rc .... .:~ J;' ... r" · l ' ~:::J Q.,. \:: . J'\ o:J A .... l"..,) -o ~'t 

3 r ,'\C.::.i ra l , U. S . ~J .3.v~ · 

Commander 
Sr. Jose Anibal Guerra 

J6 1 ouu:~ letH 

Ho. Esp4::-'r. lr,za 

VlftqUGH, P.R. 00765 

F.stiwado :::enor Guerr a: 

203 

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY ~UMMANuCfl I LlEI 1\IH, f..:;\J1181JLAN 

rsc IOtld 

I t'O 1\A J-IUj I IJOOO 

'JS 90 

S~r N0 2L/ llll 

2')_ De~ 9J 

HAmo s recibiclo su pla.nil la nurne ro 9:,, e n LL c ued u s ted re cla.ma 

cl.1uo :1 par l il pt•rdi da ch ~ las .L 6 tr.-.~mp CIS dH ~;c.J.d o y lan~ vs t,t 

supu~Bt.amen : oca::.;ionudos por .\ ~; opL•rc:t C l O nl;) :--> ~ L.1 Md 1 ..t nu dt:: los 

Est. :tdos Unidos dt~ Alllt-•r_tca operanJo '""'n l a custu ~ur_· ~ ld Islcl dt> 

ViPques dur nn te el periodo del 24 al JO cte 8Il ct·o Je 1093. Esta 

oficiJtil e~_;t.a auto r izaJ.a a proce.s<tr recl d. JII ~; de c1l m1r.:tn r.a.:.-. !)o co ntr<.L 

los ~; ild os Unidos d0 cru~a. envolviewJo p(· r~ n.J ~ d e Li Ha rirt.J y 

su act l virl <lde f: en e l Est ado LiLr ~ Aso d0 d0 f> uer to R1 co. 

Est e asunto ha. sido inve.st igaclo a fon da. Esr.amo.s p J o::: parados a 

ofr ~?cH rle la L·an t id.1 d d2 ;2 0.00 COlllo co mp ens<~c.iun tot.:ll cl e su:,; 

pt!rdidds, debiJo a t tu e us t ed no J1a podi do ~StitLl ct! r positi tllt~rt e 

:->er el duenu dl~ las trautprl s rf~clarnada:..;. ;1 ustt~d Pst .:. l d t:;put:s t.o ~~ 

ctct:pt.ar ~~st a cantidad en sa tisfacior1 tot al y ,lcu,~rcJo t'.i.n .. d dt: toclo::-: 

los rl:'!clan10S que u sted pu\::.da teuer ahor.:l y t.::On un fu t uro como 

result a do de este incid ente, por fav o r f i nttt':'! e l <tCUt-:rdo d~ 

transuc c1on y clc~vu<~l val o a c•sta oficlJl.:.\. Ad ] untCJ t!n c o nlr;u ·a un 

:;obr e pre- ~i igido p~ra s u usa. 

Esta oferta ter1n i nara y s era nul a e inval1da e l dta Jl de c rt ero de 

1994. Al recibir el acue1:do d e transac cion flrtJJ,1do, re c1b1ra su 

pa90 pront ..:-tOI8nte. 

Graci~s par su oop~ raci n. 

Incluso: 

Acuerdo de tr a nsacc ion 

( S~t tlf~lltent tl)re~ttwnt) 

SobrH r)re-dlrlgidO 

Since rctme n te , 

~f. /J1q1Vr!L Ll t~Uf. (•nant CO !tlman d~-! r, U. S . N.1v y 

COI11J lli.ln d er Fl f"~t A.i.r Car l l)bean 

St<tfl dg~-· Advoca te 
Dear S1r: 

Estlmac!o .SPnor: 

204 

SETTLEM~NT AGREEMENT 

ACUE!WO DE TI<ANc:ACC [ON 

---I, Jose An1bal Guerra, unders1gned, hereby agree to----------

---Yo, Jose Antbal Guerta, el aba]o f1rH1.::int~~, por la presente---

accept the sum of Two hundred and f1fty dollars ($250.00} ln----

acucr·clo aceptar la sum~ dP Oos ClAJ1to y C1rtcuer1ta (lOl~tres-------

full sat1sfaction and f1nal settlement of any and all clalms I--

( $2~'0. 00} p;u·.l sat1stac<>r tot,dlllnntc• y como lransacc1on f .tnal de 

now have or 1n the future may have ana1nst the UNITED STATES OFtod.J. y cualqu1er recJ<L!I1·1Clun que: d.hol·.:~ ttJJlQ<..l o ert el iLlturo-------

AMERICA and its agents and ~mployees, ar1s1ng iro"' the alleged--

puted;l tent•r contr . .L los F:':TADO.'; Ut!IDOo:. DE AMI,IiiCA y :>us cl<J'>lltt-.s y 

loss of 16 fishtraps caused by U.S. Navy vessels op<>ratlng off--

f~mple.::Hlo~;, dlegadalllPntP surglL~ncto por ld Pt~rdlda d\:~ lus 16------

the southern coast of the Island of V1eques dur1ng the per1od oftrdmpa:::; Jp pescado y lanqo~;ta por las operdClOnL:S de 1.1 M.Jrina----

January 24 through January 30, 1993.-----------------------------

de los Estados Un1dus de Amer1ca operando en la costa sur de la--

Isla de V1eques durante el periodo de el 24 al 30 de enero de----

1993.----------------------------------··------------- ·-----------

---In consideration for the payment of the o.wn stated above, 1---

---En conslderaclon del p~go de la suJ11a arrlb~ illdlrada,---------

will indemnify and hold harmless the UNJTED STATES OF AMERICA and 

1ndemruzo y relf,VO de r.esponsab1l1dad d los E~·:TADOS UNIDOS DE----

its agents nncl employees from any anci all cla1ms, .J.ctions, o_r ..... _---

AMERICA y su~ ayente~ y eJJtpleado:; d~ totl~t y cu~tlquler reclaJJJ,Jcion 

proceedings wh1ch may hereafter be asserted or brought by or on--

,tcclon, o procPdiil\lento que puedd en lo ,Jclelante ser~s~verada o--

behalf of any person or ent1ty to recover for damages aris1ng out 

llliClilda por o 811 b~neficio de cualctul<!r persorta o ent1Jatt J>ilra---

of or related to the matters alleged tn the clattn filed by-------

Y'L!Cup~rar por clano.s qur· ~>UrtJPfL dt~ o r<~iaclon,ulrls conl(.J:: .~1suntos--
205 

myself.--- ----------------------- ---------------- - ---------: ____ _ 

qu a sc alegan en la reclamac1on rad1cadn por m1 . - ----------------

-- - . - · .. . .. 

(CLAIMANT)(RECLAHANTE) ( DATF.) ( FECHA) 

(WITNESS) (TF.STIGO) 

85-315 95-8 
12 de enero de 1994 

Vieques, Puerto Rico 

T .K. CranfUI 

Lieutenant Commander U.S. Navy 

Commander Fleet Air Caribbean 

Staff Judge Advocate 

Estimado Sr. Cranfill: 

206 

Nuevamente nos dirigimos a usted con el prop6sito de solicitarle una 

reconsideraci6n de Ia oferta hecba por el Navy a traves de usted, en relaci6n 

a Ia reclamaci6n hecba por nosotros por Ia perdida de artes de pesca o 

trampas para pescado y Iangostas (nazas). Consideramos que Ia oferta hecba 

por usted es iojusta ya que Ia misma apenas cubre el costo de una de las 

trampas o nazas. El costo de cada trampa ya rue especificado en Ia forma de 

reclamaci6n. 

Tambien le estamos pidiendo que tome en consideraci6n el lucro cesante 

promedio que ba tenido cada pescador desde el momento de Ia perdida basta 

el presente (alrededor de 50 semanas). El mismo fluctUa entre los $2,800.00 

y $10,400.00 segUn sea el caso de cada pescador. · 

Es por tal motivo que creemos que Ia oferta de $250.00 a cada pescador sin 

importar Ia cantidad de artes perdidas es injusta. 
207 

Esperamos tener una contestacion que beneficie a ambas partes dentro de los 

proximos 30 elias. De no recibir contestacion nos veremos en Ia obligacion de 

acudir a otros foros para que nuestros reclamos sean escucbados, entre los 

cuales no descartamos Ia prensa local e internacional. 

Sin nada mas sobre el particular y agradeciendo de antemano cualquier 

gestion al respecto queda de usted. 

Pescadores de Nazas del Sur de Vieques. 

Carlos R. Ventura 

Portavoz Pescadores 

Jose Ambal Guerra 

Portavoz Pescadores 

Angel M. Ventura 

Portavoz Pescadores 
208 

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY COMMANDER FLEET AIR, CARIBBEAN 

PSC 1008 

Sr. Jose Anibal Guerra 

361 Bromelas 

Bo. Esperanza 

Vieques, P.R . 00765 

Estimado Senor Guerra: 

FPO AA 34051·8000 5890 

Se:r ~02L / 130 

11 Mar 94 

Este comando ha recibido su carta , s1n f ec ha . p 1d 1endc Jna 

reconsidercion de la oferta de transa cc~on he c ha por ia ~arina ti e 

los Estados Unidos de America. 

La cantidad ofrecida como compensacion en s u c ase. e s una 

cantidad firme . Esta basada sobre el heche que a pe sa r que su 

reclamacion indica sus trampas fueron he c has a an o y s o l ame nt a 

tenian 3 meses al tiempo de su perdida , ust e d ~o puede provea:r 

evidencia para comprovar su po ses1on de tr amp as. Las 

reclamaciones per perdida de prop1edad ers Al he c has e~ c o .: tra 

de el Gobierno de los Es tados Unidos no pJe den sar pagad1s s~' 

evidencia que compruebe que es pro p 1edad j e l ecla xan~e ; ~eB ~: 

de que usted no a podido est able c e r c~mpl et ame te ~ ~~a~r !o n 

los Estados Unidos hace e s ta o f er t a de bu ~a vo lun:a~ ?~r~ 

reembo rsar l e $ 250.00 do l a re s pe r la p erd1c a a i agaca . 

Si usted dec ide acep t ar esta ofer t a , FOr favo r r~e ei ac:. e rdt· 

de transaccion ad j unto en l a car t a env 1ada pe r est e com ~do 

anteriorm~~te y devuelvala . 

Sincerament e, 

0 c fJ\tbllli J j ' 

T . K. CRANF ~.~ 

L1eutenant Commander 

JAGC, U.S. Navy 

Commander Fleet Air . Ca r1 b bea n 

Staff Judge Advoc ate 

By direction 
209 

Grupo Pro Derechos Pescadores de Vieques 

Calle Bromelias 393 

Barrio Esperanza 

Vieques, Puerto Rico 00765 

(809) 7 41-2220 

9 de agosto de 1994 

COMUNICADO DE PRENSA 

Nosotros los pescadores viequenses denunciamos publicamente que una vez 

mas hemos sido objeto del abuse y atropello per parte de Ia Marina de Guerra 

de E.U. Durante las mas recientes maniobras militares en Ia Isla, sufrimos gran 

perdida econ6mica como clase trabajadora por Ia destrucci6n de Ia mayor 

parte de los artes de pesca (nazas) y por el grave dane a Ia vida marina en el 

area. 

Durante aiios nos hemos dirigido a los representantes de Ia Marina, hasta el 

propio Almirante Christensen, llegando hasta sugerirles alternatives para 

llegar a un acuerdo, sin resultado. Tambien nos hemos dirigido a personas de 

alto mando en el gobierno para que intervengan en el asunto pero estes han 

hecho caso .. omiso a nuestro pedido. 

Ya nuestra paciencia se acab6 y nos negamos a seguir siendo atropellados. 

Exigimos que se respeten nuestros derechos y per tal raz6n le estamos 

dando un ultimatum a Ia Marina y Ia hacemos responsable de 

cualquler situaci6n que pueda surgir en un futuro lnmediato o a 

largo plazo como consecuencia de su actitud negligente en este 

asunto. Asf como tambien responsabilizamos a las personas en el gobierno a 

quienes nos hemos dirigido para pedirles su intervenci6n en este problema .. · 

Nosotros los pescadores viequenses le decimos a Ia Marina, "iBasta Ya!" y 

exigimos justicia. 

Carlos Ventura 

Jose Anfbal Guerra 

VIctor Melendez 
210 

GRUPO PRO DERECHOS PESCADORES DE VIEQUES 

Calle Bromelias 393 

Barrio Experanza 

Vieques, Puerto Rico 00765 

(809) 741-2220 

( 809) 741-3208 

15 de agosto de 1994 

COMUNICADO DE PRENSA 

Una asarnblea extraordinaria de pescadores la cual hab!a 

sido convocada por el Grupo Pro Derechos de Pescadores de 

Vieques rechazo unanimemente reunirse con representantes de 

la Marina si estos no cumplfan con acuerdos previos. 

La asamblea de pescadores Viequenses fue convocada de 

emergencia para el pasado fin de semana para oir de sus representantes un informe de los gestiones hechas por estos en 

los ultimos tiempos y la posibilidad de asistir a una reuni6n 

convocada por la M3rina. 

En su informe a los pescadores, sus representantes explice~­

ron con lujo de detalles todas las gestiones hechas durante 

los pasados afios ante la Marina de ~uerra de los E.U. Senalan 

los pescadores, que es ahara, cuando ellos se han organizado 

solidamente, cuando le someten un uitimatun a la Marina y .· 

se va a discutir el caso de Vieques !y de la Marina en el Congreso 

de los Estados Unidos que quieren p6r fin oirnos. 

Los pescadores Viequenses exigen la presencia de la prensa 

y representacion de asesores legales como condici6n para llevar 

a cabo la reunion solicitada por la Marina. Los representantes 

de la Marina los cuales originalmente habfan aceptado rechazaron 

que estuviera presente la prensa y acusaron a los pescadores 

de no ser honestos en sus planteamientos. 

"Obviamente, sefial6 uno de los pescadores, la Marina 

quiere hacer nuevamente un entrampamiento, como lo hizo hace 

mas de diez afios al gobierno de Puerto Rico." 

Como punta final en la concurrida asamblea de pescadores 

se le orden6 a su liderato a que implemente cualquier accion 

ya sea en mar o tierra cuando asi lo estimen pertinente. 

Victor Melendez A #'(~ Y 

Anibal Guerra (Fdo.) 

Carlos Ventura (Fdo.) 

Portavoces, CPDPV 
211 
212 

Integrated Renewable 

Resource Management for 

U.S. Insular Areas 

....... -........ CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES 

\ , Oflce of Technology A"n•m~t 

... , _.,l w.IW'og1or\. oc 20510-8025 

~ .. ~ . 
213 

378 • Integrated Renewable Resource Management for U.S. Insular Areas 

the United States rights to convert certain welldefined areas in Palau into bases or training 

areas. Implementation of such plans presumably depends on the evolving situation in the 

Philippines and/or the pace and level of Soviet 

military activities in the area . 

2. A major air base for dispersed operations may 

be constructed on Tinian as a backup to Andersen AFB on Guam. However, there are no 

indications of any serious moves by DOD to do 

this over the next several years. 

3. KMR might be expanded or an alternative 

range developed to allow testing of the MX missile. Preliminary surveys during the late 1970s 

identified the CNMI as a possible· site for a 

"mini-KMR." As yet there is no evidence that 

DOD plans either action. 

lcologlcal and lcono111lc IHocts of 

tho Military .-resonco 

Views regarding the effects of the U.S. military 

on the islands are mixed . Many islanders welcome 

the economic and job benefits derived from the 

presence of military bases. Others cite the loss of 

valuable lands. negative cultural impacts (e.g .. undermining o{ traditional values). attraction of undesirable elements. inflation, overcrowding of schools. 

degradation of water quality, and restrictions on 

economic growth. 

llteclflc 

Guam 's local government concedes the critical 

importance of bases there to U.S. security interests, 

but contends that much of the land presently occupied is redundant to principal missions. U.S. military authorities strongly disagree, citing the need 

to be prepared for seve~al major contingencies, including the phasing down or replacement of key 

facilities in the Philippines. DOD currently is reassessing its land requirements on Guam, but is unlikely to recommend a reduction of these requirements. However. some la nds held for military 

purposes contain large areas of natural habitat, for 

which DOD ownership has provided de-facto protection ·to wildlife populations. · 

The operations at KMR have a profou nd effect on local inhabitants and ecology. Water availability, quality, and wastewater disposal all pose problems. The concentration of 8,000 Micronesians on 

the 66-acre island of Ebeye is an extreme example 

of the U.S. military's impact. Ebeye is severely overcrowded; acute socioeconomic problems and sub-

._) 

standard housing, medical fa cilities. schools. and 

related amenities have resulted. 

Most of the residents of Ebeye migrated there 

from the "outer" Marshall islands, drawn by wellpaying jobs at KMR or because relatives work there. 

Most are denied ,.ccess to base facilities, although 

these restrictions have been relaxed over the past 

several years. Ebeye has been the recipient of a number of U.S. programs and funds, most of which have 

been funneled into infrastructure such as a desalinization plant and a sewage treatment facility. 

Carllt.._n 

Naval forces in Puerto Rico have been extremely 

helpful to local authorities during and after major 

storms and flooding by providing transport, medical assistance, and earth-moving equipment. Naval 

forces at Roosevelt Roads also conduct a number 

of civic action projects locally. DOD also increaser. 

defense contracting in Puerto Rico from $187 million in fiscal year 1983 to $417 million for the first 

11 months of 1985. 

Under a memorandum of understanding between 

the U.S. Navy (USN) and the Government of PueMo 

Rico. DOD has undertaken a number of measures 

to improve the welfare of the people of Vieques. 

through the provision of medical equipment. supplies for local hospitals, assistance in public works 

construction. and a concerted effort to attract American industries to the island reaulting thus far in 

366 new jobs. In addition, it contracted with the 

Smithsonian Institution to provide a major study 

of the mariculture potential of that leland. This has 

led to the creation of some 400 jobs. 

Most environmental problems resulting from U.S. 

military activities on U.S.-affiliated islands appea r 

to have resulted from the lack of understanding or 

awareness of procedures, or from insensitivity on 

the part of individual military officers, rather than· from the absence of relevant poli~ie,s or directives. 

Military officers generally lack the iime. staff. and 

training to handle resource protection responsibilities, and the military has been slow to comply with 

some local environmental regulations. 

Procodvros To c-Ider ... YirORIIIOntal 

and Land-Use •••-In lxlallt Military 

lnstallatl-• a•d Actlyltf" 

The U.S. military has a variety of procedures to 

consider environmental and land-use issues in its 

island operations. including the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and three DOD 
214 

Vieques Marine Laboratories 

F-153 Esperanza Beach 

ALISON L. HESS 

Vieques Island, Puerto Rico 00765 

809. 741-8508 

Co-Project Director/Senior Associate 

Food & Renewable Resources 

Office of Technology Assessment 

Congress of the United States 

Dear Ms. Hess, 

5/3/94 

First, I'd like to thank you for your prompt assistance in obtaining the available 

information on the aquaculture issue in U.S. Insular Areas, particularly, for us, in Vieques. 

Some of this information has been quoted by us in communications with the U.S. Army 

Corps of Engineers et al. (See included documents.) 

The OTA report "Intea:rated Renewable Resource Manaa:ement for U.S. 

Insular Areas" does indeed make several specific references to mariculture in Vieques. 

Unfortunately, one of these references contains a glaring error of fact, which has 

long constituted a sore spot and a setback for the people of Vieques. 

On page 378, under the section heading Caribbean, the second paragraph contains 

the lines: 

" In addition, it (DoD) contracted with the Smithsonian Institution to 

provide a major study of the mariculture potential of that island (Vieques). 

This has led to the creation of some 400 jobs." 

The flrst sentence is true. The second is completely off the wall and I can bear 

witness to that. In 1986 I was contracted to run that project but must testify with regret, 

that it never got off the ground in Vieques and not a sjn~le job was created here, although 

Federal monies were utilized to initiate Caribbean King Crab Projects in at least four 

foreign-flag islands in the area. 

Perhaps I can take advantage of this time to ask your assistance in seeking support 

for a similar project in Vieques using marine shrimp as the primary stock animal. 
215 

Page2-0TA 

For several years we have worked on streamlined revisions of the earlier King Crab 

concept and have produced a smaller version, more uniquely suitable for this island. 

Smaller bay, smaller animals, a completely local work force, local headquarters/laboratory 

and local consumption of product. 

area. 

The Navy has offered the site and actively promoted the concept in 

the press. The Smithsonian has sent us a marine biologist to coordinate a series 

of conservation projects with their Marine Systems Laboratory. The Municipal Government has endorsed us and included our shrimp farm/marine lab in its island development plan as a scientific/educational facility to create jobs and attract eco-tourism . 

. ~e ide~ is to provide renewable food resources and to re-populate a ftshed-out 

But this non-profit project has been de-railed in the labyrinth of bureaucratic permit 

processing and has met extraordinary resistance from certain environmental technocrats. 

Meanwhile the local supermarkets offer long dead, frozen shrimp from places like 

Bangladesh, Taiwan and Ecuador at $13.50 per pound on an island where we could supply 

them alive at $4.50. 

Thanks for your attention, 

cc: Mayor of Vieques Senator Kennedy, OTA Board Chairman 

Governor of Puerto Rico 

P.R. Resident Commissioner in Congress 

Sincerely, 

"'[' 

( -eJ 

Charlie Connelly 
216 

VIEQUES MARINE LABORATORIES 

F-153 Esperanza Beach 

Vieques Island, P.R. 00765 

ALISON L. HESS 

Co-Project Director/Senior Associate 

Food & Renewable Resources 

Office of Technology Assessment 

Congress of the United States 

Dear Ms. Hess, 

Tempus does indeedjilgit .. But thanks for the aquaculture address list. 

10/4/94 

To answer your question about ITP A participation- I have included some pertinent 

documents. How, exactly JTPA works in the States, I don't really know, but apparently in 

Puerto Rico they provide certain funds to be administered by the PR Labor Department's 

Right to Work Administration, or "ADT" (Administraci6n del Derecho al Trabajo). 

At the time when DoD was pushing the Smithsonian toward the local DNR, we, at the 

Institute of Marine Arts and Sciences were training students to make a living in the sea. The training was in part funded by JTP A through ADT. 

We understand that DNR began to fudge on the Smithsonian Crab project (probably in 

part because they were beginning to phase out their marine resources company 

"CODREMAR". 

It was natural then that.the Smithsonian people should approach us, who were already in 

Vieques with staff, school buildings, boats, equipment and an about-to-graduate 

matriculum of 55 young people with basic training in marine biology, fishery techniques. 

diving, etc. It was equally natural that ADT would welcome the chance to fund a more sophisticated out-grow program in such distinguished company. 

Yes, there were serious clout letters from Defense and the Navy. In apparent direct 

response to one such letter from Caspar Weinberger, the then Governor of Puerto Rico 

launched a million dollar series of TV commercials touting the underwater projects. 

The governments, the agencies and even the political parties made hay of all this avantgarde projects propaganda. 

Unfortunately none of it came true for Vieques and no one seems to have any 

convincing explanation why the much touted Memo of Understanding hasn't been able to 

produce a single job in ten years. 

Thanks for your attention, 

Sincerely, 

LVt{} 

Charlie Connelly 
217 

VIEQUES MARINE LABORATORIES 

F-153 Esperanza Beach 

Vieques Island, P.R. 00765 

Background Intro 

(Submitted to US Army Corps of Engineers, San Juan on March 10, 1994, with other 

technical information and the newly revised Water Quality Monitoring Plan 

as approved by DNR & USF&WS) 

A letter to us (and published report) dated 25 February, 1994 from Co-Project Director 

Alison L. Hess of the Office of Technology Assessment (U.S. Congress, OTA) has 

prompted us to include some pertinent background data. 

I will quote from the 400-page OT A report titled Inte~:rated Renewable Resource 

Manal:(:ment for U S Insular Areas: 

Marine Shrimp. - (Quote, p.255) Potential exists in Puerto Rico for farming 

marine shrimp (Penaeus sp.), but few large coastal tracts are available. Farms would need 

to include hatcheries with facilities for maturation of brood stock since no wild stocks occur 

in the area (underlining ours) Adaptive research ... would be advisable. 

Seaweed Cultivation. - (Quote, p. 253) The Smithsonian Institution's Marine 

Systems Laboratory has been active in mariculture research in Caribbean reefs. Research 

efforts have led to development of techniques for algal turf farming on artificial surfaces. 

While the harvested algae has a variety of purposes a primary interest exists in using it as a 

food source for the Caribbean king crab (Mythrax spinosissimus) . ... The U.S. Navy has 

given tentative approval despite the project's siting in a naval training area on Vieques. The 

techniques involved in Caribbean king crab mariculture also may be applicable to culture of 

other marine species. 

Summary.- (Quote, p. 257) Freshwater and saltwater pond culture, culture in net 

pens, cages and intertidal or subtidal culture (on or off the substrate) are all applicable to 

tropical environments and species of the U.S.-affil.iated islands in the Pacific and the 

Caribbean. 

Caribbean.- (Quote, p.378) Under a memorandum of understanding between the 

U.S. Navy (USN) and the Government of Puerto Rico, DoD has undertaken a number of 

measures to improve the welfare of the people of Vieques . .. In addition it contracted with 

the Smithsonian Institution to provide a major study of the mariculture potential of that 

island. 

Our Comments 

Synopsis: 

I. No wild shrimp stocks occur in the area. 

2. The place is right. 

3. The research has been done. 

4. Algal turf technology is suitable for species other than crab 

5. Cages are suitable 
218 

Page2 

In 1986, after active participation in the planning stages for the Crab Mariculture project 

I was named project coordinator. I would direct the activities of and instruct five marine 

biologists, 20 mariculturists and some 100 "sea farm hands" . The job also entailed 

coordinating between the Smithsonian's Marine Systems Lab (MSL), the Institute of 

Marine Arts & Sciences, the USN, Vieques Economic Development Corp., Aquacorp, 

several foundations and Government agencies. A $413,420.00 training proposal was approved by the Right-to-Work Administration 

(Job Training Partnership Act) in May, 1986. 

However, $1.5 million in funding from US Agency for International Development was diverted to mariculture projects on other foreign flag islands in the Caribbean on the basis 

that Vieques was, after all, US soil. So mariculture never got off the ground in Vieques. 

Since that time we have endeavored to revive the concept, albeit on a small enough scale so that the main office remains in Vieques, that the created jobs are truly local jobs and that 

local consumers have first pick of our fresh seafood. And though the shrimp project is 

only pilot size, it is designed to provide the island with a valid scientifideducational facility 

to attract eco-tourism in the form of investigators, students and teachers. As such, this 

facility is included in the municipal master plan for island development. 

We have the location, the research, the technology, the project, and on-going contact 

with the Smithsonian and other interested scientific organizations and mariculture 

specialists, as well as SeaGrant College programs and both foreign and domestic 

universities. 

Thanks for your attention, 

Sincerely, 

C.R. Connelly 
219 

ECONOMIC 

ADJUSTMENT 

PROGRAM 

FOR 

VIEQUES, PUERTO RICO 

President's Economic Adjustment Committee 

Office of the Secretary of Defense 

The Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 20301 

February 1986 
MAR 85 

APR 85 

APR 85 

JUN 85 

JUN 85 

JUL 85 

220 

CRAB CHRONOLOGY 

VEDCO (Vieques Economic Development Corp.) 

(Office of Economic Adjustment) 

At OEA request, Smithsonian Marine Research Lab 

submits proposal for mariculture feasibility study 

OEA contracts with Smithsonian Institution for study 

($6000) 

Smithsonian research vessel in Vieques. Study done. 

Smithsonian submits report to OEA. A site is 

identified which is suitable for a mariculture 

demonstration using Caribbean King Crab. 

OEA, Navy and Smithsonian representatives meet with 

Puerto Rico Secretary of Natural Resources. He agrees 

to fund a Caribbean King Crab mariculture project in 

Vieques. 

Smithsonian submits proposal for mariculture 

demonstration project to Puerto Rico Department of 

Natural Resources. 

Data from Appendix B 
To achieve full economic 

diversification in Vieques, it will be 

necessary to identify projects that can 

produce jobs and income from marine 

resources development. Some of the 

projects which have emerged in the 

first two years of the economic 

adjustment program are decribed below. 

King Crab Kariculture: During the 

last several years, the prestigious 

Marine Systems Laboratory (MSL) of the 

Smithsonian Institution has attracted 

international attention through its 

success with mariculture research in 

the reefs of the Caribbean. 

Mariculture is the cultivation of 

marine animals or plants for human use. 

It baa been used for centuries in 

various parts of the world. In recent years, there has been an increasing 

worldwide demand for seafood and 

increasing technological innovation. 

This has led to more interest in 

commercial aquaculture and substantial 

increase in production. Annual 

worldwide output of aquaculture 

products exceeds 6 million metric tons, 

nearly 10 percent of world fishery 

output. 

It is now known that the 

extraordinarily high productivity of 

tropical reefs is mostly derived from 

many species of small marine plants 

known as turf algae. MSL reaearchers 

have developed methods for 

inexpensively cultivating these turfs 

on artificial surfaces at sea. When 

harvested, many uses of this plant material are possible. Funding has been 

provided by the u.s. Agency for 

International Development (AID) to 

teach fishermen techniques for the 

cultivation of algal turfs to be used 

as food for the breeding of the 

Caribbean King Crab (Mynthrax 

spinosissimus). Demonstration projects 

are underway in the Turks and Caicoa 

221 

107 

Para obtener una total 

diversificaci6n econ6mica en Viequea 1 

ea neceaario detectar loa proyectoa que 

puedan producir empleoo e ingreooo 

proeedentea del desarrollo de recursoa marinoa. Algunos de loe proyectoa que 

han aurgido en loa doa primeroa afloa 

del procrama de desarrollo econ6mico se 

deacriben a continuaci6n. 

Criadero de caagrejo ling1 Durante 

los dltimoa anoe el preetigioeo Laboratorio de Sistemas Marino• (MSL) de la 

Inatituci6n Smithsonian ha atraldo la 

atenci6n internacional por au ~xito en 

la inveatigaci6n de maricultura en loa 

arrecifea del Caribe. 

El nombre de "maricultura" 

aignifica la cria de animalee o plantae 

11arinae para uoo humane. Se ha llevado 

a cabo durante aigloa en variaa partes 

del mundo, En loa dltimoe anoe ha 

aumentado la demanda mundial de peacado 

a la par que de ticn.icaa innovadoraa. 

Eato ba llevado a un mayor inter'• en 

maricul tura comercial unido a un 

aumento conaiderable de la producci6n. 

La creaci6n anual de productoe para la 

aaricultura excede loa 6 millonea de 

toneladaa -'tricaa, caai un 10% de la 

producci6n peaquera. 

Actualmente se aabe que la 

productividad extraordinariamente alta 

de loa arrecifes tropicalea ae debe en 

au mayor parte a una eapecie de 

pequenas plantas marinas conocidas como 

algae de turba. Loa inveatiaadoree de 

MSL han deaarrollado m4!todoo para 

cultivar econ6micamente eeta1 turbas en 

superficies artificialee en el mar. Una vez coeechad.ae pueden utilizar.ae-.'para 

diversos uaos. La Agencia de Dee&rrollo 

Internacional (AID) de loa EE,UU. ha 

proporcionado fondoa para enaenar 

ticnicae de cultivo de estaa algas a 

loa peacadorea con. el fin de eaplearlaa 

como comid& para el cangrejo ICing del 

Caribe (Mythrax apinoaiaaimus). Se 

eatin preparando proyectoa de 
Islands, the Dominican Republic, 

Antigua and Grenada. 

The Caribbean King Crab is 

indigenous to the Caribbean, but baa 

not been exploited commercially because 

it is nocturnal and lives in lower 

reefs. Similar in size and taste to the 

Alaskan King Crab, its high market 

value makes it a good alternative for 

the restaurant market, •• the Alaskan 

King crab fishery ia now in decline. A 

picture of the Caribbean King Crab is 

shown below: 

222 

demostrac:i6n en las islas Turk• y 

Caic:os, Rep~blic:a Dominic:ana, Antigua y 

Granada. 

El cangrejo King del Caribe es oriundo del Caribe, pero no ha sido 

comercialmente explotado porque ea un 

animal nocturne que vive en loa 

arrecifes m4s bajoa. Es aemejante en 

tamafto y gusto al cangrejo King de 

Alaska. Su alto valor de mercado lo 

hace una buena alternativa para el 

merc:ado de restaurantea, dado que el 

cangrejo King de Alaska est4 en 

declive. El dibujo que sigue IIUestra el 

cangrejo del Caribe. 

Figure 9. Caribbean King Crab 

Figura 9. Cangrejo King del Caribe 

A typical Caribbean King Crab 

weighs four pounds and has 1 1/2 pounds 

of meat. The meat is sweet tasting, 

similar to lobster, and not as stringy 

aa most crab meat. The crab can be 

hatched from eggs easily reared in 

captivity, and its food can be 

inexpensively grown in the manner 

described above. 

108 

Un cangrejo King del Caribe pesa 4 

libras y tiene 1 1/2 libras de carne. 

La carne es de un aabor dulce, par.acido 

al de la langosta y no es tan fibroso 

como la mayor parte de la carne de 

cangrejo. El c:agrejo puede obtenerse de 

los huevos, puede criarae facilmente en 

cautividad y lo que come se puede 

c:ultivar de forma eeon6mic:a como se 

deseribe antes .. 
Following a survey of the Vieques 

shoreline sponsored by OEA, the MSL 

submitted a proposal to assist the 

Puerto Rico Marine Resources Agency 

(CODREMAR) to develop a Caribbean King Crab mariculture demonstration project. 

The only site in Vieques that had the 

proper conditions is a bay called 

Ensenada Honda, which is shown in the 

map in Section I. Although it is 

located within the training area, the 

Navy has given its tentative support to 

the project. 

Recognizing a good opportunity, 

the Secretary of the Puerto Rico 

Department of Natural Resources baa 

coaaitted to fund the demonstration. 

The project will probably be undertaken 

with the participation of CODREMAR 

technicians and about 12 scientists and 

students from the Marine Sciences 

School of the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagudz. If the demonstration site 

selected is a viable one, the MSL 

believes it may have the potential to 

create employment for 100 people. 

Project implementation would 

require a change in the delimitation of 

restricted ·Navy -areaa. This would 

provide an indirect COIII!IUDity benefit 

by opening a significant amount of 

southeastern coastal wayera which were 

previously off limits to local 

fishermen. 

The mariculture techniques 

employed for the crabs can abo be used 

to raise other kinds of sea life . 

Through the demonstration, Vieques can lead the way for Puerto Rico· a 

participation in this new area of "high 

tech" marine resource development. 

Later it may be possible to identify 

suitable sites on the shores of the 

main island, so that a sizeable and 

profitable new Puerto Rican industry 

can be built. 

223 

109 

Siguiendo un e1tudio de la coata 

de Viequea patrocinado por la OEA, el 

MSL aometi6 una propueeta para ayudar a la Corporaci6n de Desarrollo de los 

Recursos Marinos de Puerto Rico 

(CODREMAR) a deaarrollar un proyecto de 

demostraci6n de cria de cangrejo King 

del Caribe. El tlnico luau de Viequea 

con las condiciones adecuadaa es la 

bah!a llaiiAda·Enaenada Honda, 1e11alada 

en el mapa de la Secci6n I. Aun cuando 

estt! aituada en &rea de entrenamiento, 

la Marina Norteamericana ha dado au 

apoyo tentative al proyecto. 

Viendo una buena oportunidad, el 

Departamento de Recuraoa Naturale• de 

Puerto Rico ae ha comprometido a 

subvencionar la demoatraci6n • Bl 

proyecto ae llevari probablemente a 

cabo con la participaci6n de t'cnicos 

de CODREMAR y uno• 12 cient[ficoe y 

eatudiantea de la Bacuela de Cienciaa 

Marinas de la Univeraidad de Puerto 

Rico en MayagUez. Si el lucar eo 

apropiado, la MSL cree que tendda 

posibilidades de emplear a 100 

personas. 

La puesta en marcha del proyecto 

requirirla un ca.hio en las 

delimitacionea para el UIO de •reaa pertenecienta a la MArina 

Norteamericana. Eato producir!a un 

beneficia indirecto a la comunidad 

abriendo un nUmero considerable de 

costas del sudeate que e1taban antes 

vedadaa a los peacadorea. 

Las ticnicaa de maricultura 

empleadas para los cangrejos pueden 

emplearse tambi~n en la cria de otros 

animales marinas. Con esta demostraciOn, Viequea puede abr"i.~ el 

camino a la participaci6n de Puerto 

Rico en esta nueva Area de "alta 

tecnologf:a 11 en el desarrollo de recuraos marinoa. Mia tarde podrlan 

encontrarse lugarea apropiadoa en las costas de la isla grande que podrf:an 

ser el media de crear una nueva y 

provechosa industria en Puerto Rico. 
l~acadora del Caribe Inc.: This company has proposed a demonstration 

pilot project for shark catching, 

processing and packing via a sea-going 

plant. It would create 12 permanent 

jobs with the potential to expand to 

30. The floating packing house would 

serve a fleet of up to 40 independent 

fishermen. The company has already 

obtained the fishing/packing vessel and moat of the freezing equipment has been 

constructed. The Navy has tentatively 

agreed to allow the company to use one 

acre of waterfront property, the deep 

water facilities and the Mosquito Pier. 

Inatitute for tbe Karine Sciencea: 

A new training entity, the Institute 

for the Marine Sciences, has been 

opened in a refurbished small guest 

house near the village of Esperanza. It 

ia run by four teachers and provides 

on-the-job training for ita first class 

of 35 young people from Vieques. The 

program is operated with $175,000 of 

federal Job Training and Partnership 

(JTPA) funds, administered by the 

Puerto Rico Right to Work 

Adminietration. It has $75,000 from 

other sources. The etudents get paid 

while they are being trained. This 

firet clase will be graduated in 

January 1986, at which time advanced 

and other classes will be conducted. Present funding ensures operation for 

at leat 18 months. 

224 

110 

&.pacadora del Caribe: Esta 

compan!a ha propuesto un proyecto 

piloto de demostraci6n para la peeca 

del tibur6n, au elaboraci6n y 

empaquetado por medio de una planta 

flotante. Crearla 12 puestos 

permanentea de trabajo con la 

posibilidad de extenderae a 30. La 

planta empaquetadora flotante aervir!a 

a una flota de haata 40 peacadores 

independientes. La compaft!a ha 

adquirido ya el barco para peaea y 

empaquetado y se ha conatruido ya la 

mayor parte del equipo de congelaci6n. 

La Marina Norteamericana est4 casi de 

acuerdo en permitir a la compaftla el 

uso de un acre de aguas de su propiedad 

y lao inotalaciones de aguao profundas 

en el muelle Hoequito. 

Iutituto de Cienc:iaa Kariaaa: Una 

nueva entidad de entrenamiento, el 

Instituto de Cienciaa Marinas, ha sido 

abierta en una pequefta hospederla 

restaurada cerca del pueblo Eaperanza. 

Estf dirigido por cuatro profesoreo y 

proporciona claaes de aprendizaje del 

oficio a au primer& claee de 35 j~venes 

de Vieques. El program& opera con 

$175.000 de fondos federales para 

Aprendizaje Profesional y Asociaci6n 

(JTPA) bajo la administraci6n de Ia 

Adminiatraci6n de Derecho al Trabajo de 

Puerto Rico. Diepone tambi'n de $75.000 

de otras agenciaa fuentea. Los 

estudiantes cobran mientraa aprenden. 

Loa estudiantea recibirtn au diploma en 

enero de 1986 y al mismo tiempo 

empezar4n claaea avanzadaa y otras. Los 

fondos actualee aeeguran la duraci6n de 

la operaci6n por 18 meses por lo menoa. 
225 

Insular and International Affairs Subcommittee 

Long worth House Office Bldg. Room 1626 

Washington D.C. 20515 

Tel. (202) 225-9297 

Fax: (202) 225-5255 

Att: Ms. Daisy Minter 

Ref: Transfer of 8,000 acres 

of Navy land to the municipality 

of Vieques island 

11 October 1994 

Just Another Political Plot 

My name is Jose Julio Diaz and this testimony is to express my 

point of view about the transfer of 8,000 acres of Navy land to the 

municipality ofVieques. 

In 1948 Puerto Ricans elected a governor for the first time. 

Inmediatly the use of English as a language of instruction was 

prohibited in the public school system. Since then, teachers in Puerto 

Rico can teach English but they can't teach "in English". This 46 year 

old political plot of the three political parties has been a discriminatory 

policy against the use of the English language in the public school 

system and it is still in effect today. There shall be no law under the 

American flag that prohibit an American citizen to receive education in 

the English language. 

1-6 
226 

This policy does not affect private schools where 99 % of high 

ranking government officials and legislators send their children to 

receive the education that they have been denying to the rest of the 

people of Puerto Rico. 

A second political plot was carried out in 1952 when the political 

parties got together and created the Constitution of the Commonwealth. 

In the process they designed the Constitution in a way that gave 

themselves the power and control of the destiny of the whole Puerto 

Rican society. Since then, everything is decided by the political parties. 

They consult the people only when they have a specific political agenda. 

The political parties of Puerto Rico interact mainly around two 

specific things: the ideological motivation of status and the manytimes 

irrational love for the party. The parties spend millions of taxpayers 

money every year just to promote love for the party, the sense of unity 

and the commitment and obligation to preserve that unity. For this 

reason no members oflocal political parties dare to defend the position of 

the U.S. Navy in this case. 

2-6 
227 

A third political plot concerns the U.S. Navy. The politicians of the 

three political parties have been making a political issue of this 

situation. They are making a simple mathematical equation; "getting the 

Navy out = votes from Vieques residents = good will for the party from 

the rest of the population". In the political spectrum of local politics 

everything seems to be more important than national defense. 

They don't ask for the closing of the army post Fort Buchanan, in 

San Juan or the Navy Base at Roosevelt Roads or the closure of the 

many National Guard Units in Puerto Rico because they produce 

thousand of jobs and inject millions of dollars into the economy. 

Unfortunately, that is not the case of Vieques which is only a firing 

range. Because it does not produce jobs or money they should get out. 

What kind of American citizens are we?. 

The return of 8,000 acres will definitely improve the economy 

of the island but not in the way and magnitude that the parties are 

trying to demonstrate. The rhetorical strategy is to blame the Navy for 

all the problems of Vieques. They are giving the impression that if the 

Navy goes, Vieques will become a paradise. People likes to hear this kind 

of thing. 

3-6 
228 

There is nothing further from the truth. We need to remember 15 

years ago when the use of Culebra Island was a political issue 

promoted by nationalist forces. There were many demonstrations, 

marches, pickets, newspaper articles, speeches and all kind of rhetoric to 

to get the Navy out. Fifteen years later the island of Culebra is not the 

paradise that it was supposed to be. Only on weekends does it receive 

some visitors, but never more than before. Only a few more people live 

on the island and a lot more garbage is produced. 

More than that, politicians and hundreds of followers do not visit 

Culebra island because there is no excuse to go there. Now they go to 

Vieques and spend all their money there. If the Navy gives the land to 

the municipality, Vieques will lose its main tourism attraction in the 

same way Culebra did; politicians will not visit the island anymore. 

The give-away of those 8,000 acres of land will cause a lot more 

ecological damage to the environment in civilian hands than in military 

hands. When a bomb explodes it kills or wounds everything that is alive 

around it at the moment. In a few days or weeks everything goes back 

to normal. 

4-6 
229 

When a tourist or a resident wants to get rid of an old tire or 

wants to change the dirty oil of his car, in some cases it is thrown on 

the ground. In both circumstances the damage take years to heal. If the 

civilian authorities learn about it, nothing ever happens. In Puerto Rico 

environmental laws are seldom enforced. If a military person do that 

and is caught, he or she will face disciplinary action. If the damage is of 

great magnitude, it could mean a court martial or even time in prison. 

If the Commonwealth and the big cities of Puerto Rico with huge 

budgets can not handle their environmental affairs, why should we 

believe that the small municipality of Vieques will do it? Irreversible 

ecological damage will be done if the land is given to civilians. 

There is another important item I want to address. The fact (if it is 

a fact) that the 8,000 acres of land are not necessary for the national 

defense at this moment, logically it does not mean that it could not be 

absolutely necessary in the future. Giving away the land will be an 

irreversible action that the whole nation could regret 10, 20 or maybe 

100 years from now. 
230 

Our founding fathers were very clear when they wrote in the 

preamble of our Constitution the words " and secure the Blessings of 

Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity". Assurance to future generations 

that they will have a strong defense is our responsibility today, not 

tomorrow. 

What we have now is due to the wisdom and !!i!!i:!m, of past 

generations. It is our turn to demonstrate, two hundred years later to 

future generations that we knew the real meaning of those two words. 

c::;;~~~ o#"e~Diaz 

Cond. De Diego 444, Apt. 1901 

Rio Piedras, P.R. 00923 

Tel. (809) 759-8186, Fax: (809) 752-6789 

11 October 1994 

6-6 
231 

COMITE PRO RESCATE Y DESARROLLO DE VIEQUES 

(Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques) 

APART ADO 1424 

VIEQUES, PUERTO RICO 00765 

(809) 741-8651 

3 de septiembre de 1994 

Petici6n en apoyo al Proyecto de Ley 3831, El Proyecto 

para Ia Transferencia de Terrenos de Vieques de 1994 

Nosotros, ciudadanos de Ia Isla de Vieques, Puerto Rico, 

apoyamos el Proyecto de Ley 3831, conocido como el Proyecto 

para Ia Transferencia de Terrenos de Vieques de 1994, sometido al 

Congreso de los Estados Unidos por el Comisionado Residente de 

Puerto Rico, Honorable Carlos Romero Barcelo. Este proyecto 

exige Ia devolucion al Gobierno Municipal de Vieques de los 

terrenos ocupados (aproximadamente 8,000 cuerdas) por Ia 

Marina de Guerra de E.U. en Ia parte Oeste de nuestra isla. 

Entendemos que Ia devolucion de los terrenos expropiados por Ia 

Marina en Ia decada de 1940 es indispensable para el futuro 

desarrollo socio-economico de nuestro pueblo. 

Petition in support of HR 3831, Ley for Transfer of Lands in 

Vieques of 1994. 

As citizens of the Island of Vieques, Puerto Rico, we support 

HR 3831, known as the Vieques Land Transfer Project of 1994, 

presented to the United States Congress by the Resident 

Commisioner for Puerto Rico, Hon. Carlos Romero Barcelo. This 

project demands the transfer to the Municipal Government of 

Vieques, of lands occupied (approximately 8000 acres) by the U.S. 

Navy in the Western third of our island. We believe the return of 

lands expropriated by the Navy in the 1940's is an indispensible step 

for the future social and economic development of our people. 
232 

COMITE PRO RESCATE Y DESARROLLO DE VIEQUES 

(Committee for th<J Rescue and Development of Vieques) 

Nosotros, los abajo firmantos, nos subsciribimos al texto acompariante 

de Ia Petici6n en Apoyo al Proyecto de Ley 3831 , Proyecto para Ia 

Transferencia de Terrenos de Vieques de 1994. 

We, tfle undersigned, subscribe to the text of the accompanying 

Petition in Support of HR 3831, Vieques Land Transfer Project of 1994. 

Nombre 

Name 

·//~~~ 

(k(\ {Wb_.q! 

lfA¥d{~cft= 

lhdr )( ~ ~ 

lkf;yv4= Yy<Zk ~ 

Direcci6n Postal 

Address 
233 

COMITE PRO RESCATE Y DESARROLLO DE VIEQUES 

(Commiltee for t11e Rescue and Development ol Vieques) 

Nosotros, los abajo firmantes, nos subscribimos al texto 

acompafiante de Ia Petici6n en Apoyo al Proyecto de Ley 

3831, . Proyecto para Ia Transferencia de Terrenos de 

Vieques de 1994. 

We, the signers of this document, subscribe to the text of the 

accompanying Petition in Support of HR 3831, Vieques Land 

Transfer Project of 1994. 

Nombre 

Name 

Direcci6n Postal 

Address 
234 

COMITE PRO RESCATE V DESARROLLO DE VIEQUES 

(Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques) 

Nosotros, los abajo firmantes, nos sui.Jsciribimos al texto acompaliante 

de Ia Petici6n en Apoyo al Proyecto de Ley 3831 , Proyecto para Ia 

Transferencia de Terrenos de Vieques de 1994. 

We, ttle undersigned, subscribe to the text of the accompanying 

Petition in Support of HR 3831, Vieques Land Transfer Project of 1994. 

Nombre 

Name 

/LC· 1.-;:;.a.Lj 

)w<<J"? J!L,w irzY:-~ 

Direcci6n Postal 

Address 
235 

COMITE PRO RESCATE Y DESARROLLO DE VIEQUES 

(Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques) 

Nosotros, los abajo firmantes, nos subscribimos al texto 

acompafiante de Ia Petici6n en Apoyo al Proyecto de Ley 

3831, .· Proyecto para Ia Transferencia de Terrenos de 

Vieques de 1994. 

We, the signers of this document, subscribe to the text of the 

accompanying Petition in Support of HR 3831, Vieques Land 

Transfer Project of 1994. 

Nombre 

Name 

Direcci6n Postal 

Address 
236 

COMITE PRO RESCATE Y DESARROLLO DE VIEQUES 

(Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques) 

Nosotros, los allajo lirmantes, 11os sullst:ribimos al texto 

acompafiante de Ia Petici6n en Apoyo al Proyecto de Ley 

3831, Proyecto para Ia Transferencia de Terrenos de 

Vieques de 1994. 

We, the signers of this document, subscribe to the text of the 

accompanying Petition in Support of HR 3831, Vieques Land 

Transfer Project of 1994. 

Nombre 

Name 

I \ .. . • l • 

Dirccci6n Postal 

Address 

------------------------------------------------
237 

COMITE PRO RESCATE Y DESARROLLO DE VIEOUES 

(Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques) 

Nosotros, los abajo firmantes, nos subscribimos al texto 

acompaiiante de Ia Petici6n en Apoyo al Proyecto de Ley 

3831 , __ Proyecto para Ia Transferencia de Terrenos de 

Vieques de 1994. 

We, the signers of this document, subscribe to the text of the 

accompanying Petition in Support of HR 3831, Vieques Land 

Transfer Project of 1994. 

Nombre 

Name 

Direcci6n Postal 

Address 

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85-315 95-9 
238 

COMITE PRO RESCATE Y DESARROLLO DE VIEQUES 

(Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques) 

Nosotros, los abajo firmantes, nos subscribimos al texto 

acompanante de Ia Petici6n en Apoyo al Proyecto de Ley 

3831, Proyecto para Ia Transferencia de Terrenos de 

Vieques de 1994. 

We, the signers of this document, subscribe to the text of the 

accompanying Petition in Support of HR 3831, Vieques Land 

Transfer Project of 1994. 

Nombre 

Name 

Direcci6n Postal 

Address 
239 

COMITE PRO RESCATE Y DESARROLLO DE VIEQUES 

(Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques) 

Nosotros, los abajo firmantes, nos subscribimos al texto 

acompaiiante de Ia Petici6n en Apoyo al Proyecto de Ley 

3831,. Proyecto para Ia Transferencia de Terrenos de 

Vieques de 1994. 

We, the signers of this document, subscribe to the text of the 

accompanying Petition in Support of HR 3831, Vieques Land 

Transfer Project of 1994. 

Nombre 

Name 

Direcci6n Postal 

Address 
240 

COMITE PRO RESCATE Y DESARROLLO DE VIEQUES 

(Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques) 

Nosotros, los abajo firmantes, nos subscribimos al texto 

acompaflante de Ia Petici6n en Apoyo al Proyecto de Ley 

3831 ,,. Proyecto para Ia Transferencia de Terrenos de 

Viequ-es de 1994. 

We, the signers of this document, subscribe to the text of the 

accompanying Petition in Support of HR 3831, Vieques Land 

Transfer Project of 1994. 

Nombre 

Name 

Direcci6n Postal 

Address 
241 

COMITE PRO RESCATE Y DESARROLLO DE VIEQUES 

(Committee for tile Rescue and Development of Vieques) 

Nosotros, los abajo firmantes, nos subscribimos al texto 

acompanante de Ia Petici6n en Apoyo al Proyecto de Ley 

3831, _ Proyecto para Ia Transferencia de Terrenos de 

Vieques de 1994. 

We, the signers of this document, subscribe to the text of the 

accompanying Petition in Support of HR 3831, Vieques Land 

Transfer Project of 1994. 

Nombre 

Name 

Direcci6n Postal 

Address 
242 

COMITE PRO RESCATE Y DESARROLLO DE VIEQUES 

(Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques) 

Nosotros, los abajo firmantes, nos subscribimos al texto 

acompanante de Ia Petici6n en Apoyo al Proyecto de Ley 

3831, . Proyecto para Ia Transferencia de Terrenos de 

Viequ~s de 1994. 

We, the signers of this document, subscribe to the text of the 

accompanying Petition in Support of HR 3831 , Vieques Land 

Transfer Project of 1994. 

Nombre 

Name 

Direcci6n Postal 

Address 
243 

COMITE PRO RESCATE Y DESARROLLO DE VIEQUES 

(Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques) 

Nosotros, las abajo firmantes, nos subscribimos al texto 

acompanante de la Petici6n en Apoyo al Proyecto de Ley 

3831, .. Proyecto para la Transferencia de Terrenos de 

Vieques de 1994. 

We, the signers of this document, subscribe to the text of the 

accompanying Petition in Support of HR 3831, Vieques Land 

Transfer Project of 1994. 

Nombre 

Name 

Direcci6n Postal 

Address 

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244 

COMITE PRO RESCATE Y DESARROLLO DE VIEQUES 

(Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques) 

Nosotros, los abajo firmantes, nos subscribimos al texto 

acompaflante de Ia Petici6n en Apoyo al Proyecto de Ley 

3831 , __ Proyecto para Ia Transferencia de Terrenos de 

Vieques de 1994. 

We, the signers of this document, subscribe to the text of the 

accompanying Petition in Support of HR 3831, Vieques Land 

Transfer Project of 1994. 

Nombre 

Name 

Direcci6n Postal 

Address 

~~~~il=~~" ~~~~-------------------­

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----------------------- ---------------
245 

COMITE PRO RESCATE Y DESARROLLO DE VIEQUES 

(Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques) 

Nosotros, los abajo firmanhis, nos subscribimos al texto 

acompai'iante de Ia Petici6n en Apoyo al Proyecto de Ley 

3831,,. Proyecto para Ia Transferencia de Terrenos de 

Vieques de 1994. 

We, the signers of this document, subscribe to the text of the 

accompanying Petition in Support of HR 3831, Vieques Land 

Transfer Project of 1994. 

Nombre 

Name 

Direcci6n Postal 

Address 
246 

COMITE PRO RESCATE Y DESARROLLO DE VIEQUES 

(Committee for~ the Rescue and Development of Vieques) 

/ 

./ 

Nosotros, . los al>ajo firmantes, nos subscril>imos al texto 

acompafiante de Ia Pelici6n en Apoyo al Proyecto de Ley 

3831, .. Proyecto para Ia Transferencia de Terrenos de 

Vieques de 1994. 

We, the signers of this document, subscribe to the text of the 

accompanying Petition in Support of HR 3831, Vieques Land 

Transfer Project of 1994. 

Nombre 

Name 

Direcci6n Postal 

Address 
247 

COMITE PRO RESCATE Y DESARROLLO DE VIEQUES 

(Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques) 

Nosotros, los abajo firmantes, nos subsciribimos al texto acompariante 

de Ia Petici6n en Apoyo al Proyecto de Ley 3831 , Proyecto para Ia 

Transferencia de Terrenos de Vieques de 1994. ,· 

We, the undersigned, subscribe to the text of the accompanying 

Petition in Support of HR 3831, Vieques Land Transfer Project of 1994. 

Nombre 

Name 

Direcci6n Postal 

Address 

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248 

COMITE PRO RESCATE Y DESARROLLO DE VIEQUES 

(Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques) 

Nosotros, los abajo firmanles, nos subsciribimos al texto acompaiiante 

de Ia Petici6n en Apoyo al Proyecto de Ley 3831, Proyecto para Ia 

Transferencia de Terrenos de Vieques de 1994. 

We, the undersigned, subscribe to the text of the accompanying 

Petition in Support of HR 3831, Vieques Land Transfer Project of 1994. 

I 

~~ebre£1-J~ /l~t~ 

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249 

COMITE PRO RESCATE Y DESARROLLO DE VIEQUES 

(Committee for t11 e Rescue and Development ol Vieques) 

Nosotros, los abajo firmantes, nos subsciribimos al texto acompaiianle 

de Ia Petici6n en Apoyo al Proyecto de Ley 3831, Proyecto para Ia 

Transferencia de Terrenos de Vieques de 1994. 

We, the undersigned, subscribe to the text ol the accompanying 

Petition in Support of HR 3831 , Vieques Land Transfer Project ol1994. 

Nombre 

Ncrne 

Direcci6n Postal 

Address 
250 

COMITE PRO RESCATE Y DESARROLLO DE VIEOUES 

(Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques) 

Nosotros, los abajo firmantes, nos subsciribimos altexto acompanante 

de Ia Petici6n en Apoyo al Proyecto de Ley 3831, Proyeclo para Ia 

Transferencia de Terrenos de Vieques de 1994. ,· 

We, the undersigned, subscribe to the text of the accompanying 

Petition in Support of HR 3831, Vieques Land Transfer Project of 1994. 

j((}J)fnA· 

1t~.: JJ?~ 

u rf'yu--- j) r?. . oo) G J-

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251 

COMITE PRO RESCATE V DESARROLLO DE VIEQUES 

(Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques) 

Nosotros, los abajo firmantes, nos subsciribimos al texto acompaiiante 

de Ia Petici6n en Apoyo al Proyecto de Ley 3831, Proyecto para Ia 

Transferencia de Terrenos de Vieques de 1994. 

We, the undersigned, subscribe to the text of the accompanying 

Petition in Support of HR 3831, Vieques Land Transfer Project of 1994. 

Nombre Direcci6n Postal 
252 

COMITE PRO RESCATE Y DESARROLLO DE VIEQUES 

(Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques) 

Nosotros, los abajo firmantes, nos subsciribimos altexto acompaiiante 

de Ia Petici6n en Apoyo al Proyecto de Ley 3831, Proyecto para Ia 

Transferencia de Terrenos de Vieques de 1994. 

We, the undersigned, subscribe to the text of the accompanying 

Petition in Support of HR 3831, Vieques Land Transfer Project of 1994. 

Nombre Direcci6n Postal 

Name Address 

C~ cCmk W~ ~~~ !~1 

c12~ ~&vi/, ~~ 

6~0f:6~ 

{b~~~ 

Jl,~ --= ~A \;u_ &N--[1 Cka k\iLia~ 

~nt:: J:Jl:!~ :tiL~ ~LJ 
253 

COMITE PRO RESCATE Y DESARROLLO DE VIEQUES 

(Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques) 

Nosotros, los abajo firmantes, nos subsciribi;nos al texto acompaiiante 

de Ia Petici6n en Apoyo al Proyecto de Ley 3831, Proyecto para Ia Trans~_erencia de Terrenos de Vieques de 1994. 

We, the undersigned, subscribe to the text of the accompanying 

Petition in Support of HR 3831, Vieques Land Transfer Project of 1994. 
254 

COMITE PRO RESCATE Y DESARROLLO DE VIEQUES 

(Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques) 

Nosotros, los abajo firmantes, nos subsciribimos al texto acompanante 

de Ia Petici6n en Apoyo al Proyecto de Ley 3831, Proyecto para Ia Tran~!erencia de Terrenos de Vieques de 1994. 

We, ihe undersigned, subscribe to the text of the accompanying 

Petition in Support of HR 3831 , Vieques Land Transfer Project of 1994. 

Nombre 

Name 

I 

Oirecci6n Postal 

Address 

{:' ~ j? <1 0'"11. 3 ~ 

,.., -{C--,t¢{;4~~~&<ldL._ ___ ~1 _,......_..;_0_ 
255 

COMITE PRO RESCATE Y DESARROLLO DE VIEQUES 

(Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques) 

Nosotros, los abajo finnanles, nos subsciribimos altexto acompaiiante 

de Ia Petici6n en Apoyo al Proyecto de Ley 3831, Proyecto para Ia 

Tran~ferencia de Terrenos de Vieques de 1994. 

We, the undersigned, subscribe to the text of the accompanying 

Petition in Support of HR 3831, Vieques Land Transfer Project of 1994. 

Nombre Direcci6n Postal 

Name Address 

~!f..,.~ C.,,.,_, I· ~~+\ I o \dJ i "J~ '', ~ f "I 'r 

~Z:J:l: ;JA,t1(/~ ra=Jr~:f~b ~~ 

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256 

COMITE PRO RESCATE Y DESARROLLO DE VIEQUES 

(Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques) 

Nosotros, los abajo firmantes, nos subsciribimos al texto acompaiiante 

de Ia Petici6n en Apoyo al Proyecto de Ley 3831, Proyecto para Ia 

Transferencia de Terrenos de Vieques de 1994. 

We, fhe undersigned, subscribe to the text of the accompanying 

Petition in Support of HR 3831 , Vieques Land Transfer Project of1994. 

Nombre 

Name 

Direcci6n Postal 

Address 
257 

COMITE PRO RESCATE Y DESARROLLO DE VIEQUES 

(Commitlee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques) 

Nosotros, los a!Jajo firmanles, nos suLJscriLJimos al texto 

acompanante de Ia Petici6n en Apoyo al Proyecto de Ley 

3831,. Proyecto para Ia Transferencia de Terrenos de 

Vieques de 1994. 

We, the signers of this document, subscribe to the text of the 

accompanying Petition in Support of HR 3831, Vieques Land 

Transfer Project of 1994. 

Nombre 

Name 

Direcci6n Postal 

Address 
258 

COMITE PRO RESCATE Y DESARROLLO DE VIEQUES 

(Committee for tile Rescue and Development of Vieques) 

Nosotros, los abajo firmantes, nos subscribimos al texto 

acompariante de Ia Petici6n en Apoyo al Proyecto de Ley 

3831,. Proyecto para Ia Transferencia de Terrenos de 

Vieques de 1994. 

We, the signers of this document, subscribe to the text of the 

accompanying Petition in Support of HR 3831, Vieques Land 

Transfer Project of 1994. 

Nombre 

Name 

Direcci6n Postal 

Address 
259 

COMITE PRO RESCATE Y DESARROLLO DE VIEQUES 

(Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques) 

Nosolros, los abajo lirmantes, nos subsciribimos al texto acompaiiante 

de Ia Petici6n en Apoyo al Proyecto de Ley 3831, Proyecto para Ia 

Translerencia de Terrenos de Vieques de 1994. 

We, the undersigned, subscribe to the text of the accompanying 

Petition in Support of HR 3831, Vieques Land Transfer Project of 1994. 

Direcci6n Postal 

Address 

~-~~6.:,,- a,;. k4fl::d) ~ llo ~ppck~k!u 
260 

COMITE PRO RESCATE Y DESARROLLO DE VIEQUES 

(Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques) 

Nosolros, los abajo lirrnantes, nos subscribimos al texto 

acompai'iante de Ia Petici6n en Apoyo al Proyecto de Ley 

3831 •.. Proyecto para Ia Transferencia de Terrenos de 

Vieques de 1994. 

We, the signers of this document, subscribe to the text of the 

accompanying Petition in Support of HR 3831, Vieques Land 

Transfer Project of 1994. 

Nombre 

Name 

Direcci6n Postal 

Address 

~o __ • _ -:;z_--§1-M~~~ -7"-- .· · . ~ --r-- / ~z~L-~z~ ~--~~~ L:70y_~ -- £) 

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~~~--~-~~-------------------
261 

COMITE PRO RESCATE Y DESARROLLO DE VIEQUES 

(Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques) 

Nosotros, los abajo firmantes, nos subsciribimos al texto acompanante 

de Ia Petici6n en Apoyo al Proyecto de Ley 3831, Proyecto para Ia 

Transferencia de Terrenos de Vieques de 1994. 

We, tlle undersigned, subscribe to the text of the accompanying 

Petition in Support of HR 3831, Vieques Land Transfer Project of 1994. 

Nombre 

Name 

Direcci6n Postal 

Address 

tdU ~ ,?). ~ p 33(() v;~ 

~f({~~aw (7pJ1L {)&;@ $.#&~ 

'~' I I I . )/ . 1: I. 'I . I, /. ;_/,(1·-'(1'(1( :(~ . .J['- //',( ... /1· 

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262 

COMITE PRO RESCATE Y DESARROLLO DE VIEQUES 

(Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques) 

Nosotros, los abajo firmantes, nos subscribimos al texto 

acompaiiante de Ia Petici6n en Apoyo al Proyecto de Ley 

3831, Proyecto para Ia Transferencia de Terrenos de 

Vieques de 1994. 

We, the signers of this document, subscribe to the text of the 

accompanying Petition in Support of HR 3831, Vieques Land 

Transfer Project of 1994. 

Nombre 

Name 

Direcci6n Postal 

Address 
263 

COMITE PRO RESCATE Y DESARROLLO DE VIEQUES 

(Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques) 

Nosot1 os, los aoajo fiunanles, nos subscribimos al texto 

acompaf\ante de Ia Petici6n en Apoyo al Proyecto de Ley 

3831,,. Proyecto para Ia Transferencia de Terrenos de 

Viequ-es de 1994. 

We, the signers of this. document, subscribe to the text of the 

accompanying Petition in Support of HR 3831, Vieques Land 

Transfer Project of 1994. 

Nombre 

Name 

Direcci6n Postal 

Address 
264 

COMITE PRO RESCATE Y DESARROLLO DE VIEQUES 

(Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques) 

Nosotros, los abajo fi11nantes, nos ~ubsciribimos al texto acompar'iante 

de Ia Petici6n en Apoyo al Proyecto de Ley 3831, Proyecto para Ia Trans~ erencia de Terrenos de Vieques de 1994. 

We, the undersigned, subscribe to the text of the accompanying 

Petition in Support of HR 3831 , Vieques Land Transfer Project of 1994. 

Nombre 

Name 

Direcci6n Postal 

Address 
U.S. Department of Commerce 

Economics and Slatistics Adminislralio n 

BUREAU OF TilE CENSUS 

CENSUS '90 

• 

Honorable Catlos Ro~ero-Barcelo 

House of Representatwes 

Washington. OC 20515·5401 

ATTN: AdministratiVe Assistant 

265 

1990 CP-2-53 

1990 Census of Population 

Social and Economic 

Characteristics 

Puerto Rico 

Section I of 2 

ATTN: CENSUS CONTACT PERSON 

BUREAU OF ... CONGRESSIOHoll. 

13011 
266 

Tobie 2

. Summary of Labor Force and Commuting Characteristics: 1990-Con. 

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·-·..:. 

'-' ,:~al n: · lh:u.:-1 .,.;. On pa;!P S. th~ .\tlanri Flr -~ t \Yr~pon s Training 

in P:J('J'If• Hico. \ "fl ll ha\·t· a Jt•qu~~t forSI:! million to n·l()(':tr<• ,,·rapons 

ran_!..."t·:-=. in ( 'nh·h;·a . and r·: 111 yon Pxplain tht• basis now for this rrrptr-H ~ 

.\elmira! 1:--ELI.:'\. Yr ~. ir. Thf> :--,.,·n·ran· .,r lkff'n..-•· d!n·ctPd ril e 

::\ayy in '[:1\· of t],i.' l'l'ar to n•lor ate ir.' l"ll.I!!P f:wilitio·,o from Cuh-bra 

to the D.-~c -heo ,Jr;ni t:l area. " ·hich ~ n·:; Jh· '"' 1he orhcr sid<> of 

Pnf'rto :i~·o . fn- nl'fi('r to a•·I'~Hnpli~)a that. ":,. will ro ·rp1in• (nntlin!.!' 

for rJu· l'roj"''' wl1i•·h was i:Jtroduc·,·d J,_,. tiJP :--:Pn:Ht· .\rnwd_ ~pn·i rrs 

Committee ha o"ecl <Ill tlw cle<:i;;iou that h:ul h<:<-n r11ad•· 1,_,. rlw ;-;,.,.,-.. l:u·y 

of Ddensr. s~naror DI:I.I.)I<< X. This is primarily fm· aequi,; itiou of ceal <'SI:l[(: 

or for· ,-on::trur·tion! 

.\dmiral J,.:u :<. Both for r<>al <'~tat<' and c·on·lnwtion. ,,.,.do han• 

~nnw. ,.,•tin<•JH(•nt:---rhat is. ::.:ince tlw timc- thi :.:. li!!llrt' :q•prarPd-it locks 

a:-; ~hou; .. d1 WP would llP,·cl onwthin!! in du· 11f'i:.ddu1rilood of Sl-P.S 

million ratlwr than th<' i<l:! million •·omairu•l in 1hr prnie•·t intrr~lwrd 

ll\· tlw ,.;~n:tH• .\nn<>d :'erTi "' f'ommirtc·<'. if"'" do it u111IC'J' 11·hat "'" 

,.;11 normal prr,.<·dtll'<''· wh ich 11·onl<l rak.- us 10 1lw midcll~ of l!l7G 

tO I'OliiJlirf<'. If it is IH'C~O'~:lrl' tO :li'~<'J.'r:tl {' tl11• •·on !l'IWiiOJl . !Ito;,• 

co,;ts "·ottlel ;!O up 10 approximatrly !':l!l millio11. 

f :till 1101 ask in!! for· I he);'<• amonnts hnt onh· ind i•·nt ill:! that 11'1' r~a iJy 

don'l ha'·" a final fi:,_'lll'<•. just a hall park ti!!til'". prol,ah!y on the lo~,. 

side. 

S<>nator Dr.LJ.)ro:c. Is tlw n>al r;rtate you ar<' ac<Jnirin)! pr0i'Pntly 

o"'n<'d In· nrin1tP intrrr't~ or ~om<' oth<'t')!OI·~rnnwnt e·nlitl'? 

.\dmii·a 't r~r.J IX. I w ill a."k :\Ir. :\farknn toans,i·i'r. . 

)fr. )1.\nK o:-.-. Th<> n•a )Pstat<' int<'l''''l~ arc• 011'1\<'d J,,. tlw ('onnnon· 

W<'alth of l'lll'rto Tiii'O. n, .. of the• island• ;, aln•:t<h: nn<l<'r F<>dPral 

OWJH'I"f·dtip. hnr wh:\1 WP :u·" :wqnirin~. or what ""' ~ i1rNI in :ul clirion to 11·hat is own<·d hi' 1 he Fedl'ral Gonmnwm is own Pel 1.,· r he Common· 

11·ra lth. · · 

.\elmira! Tsr.ux .. \nd it wo11ld hron a no- n~t ha is. 

~<>na1m· llt:u.)"'"· Thc· •'~'n ~n n T rai•<><l rlw cpw~r io n: r, thrrr no 

Jll 'PSPIHI~· r.:". (jonrnlll<'llt OI';n <( propcny lhar j,; , ,.;tab]<> for thi> 

JH11'per.:." ~ 

\ommaiHl<·r K mKI'.ITRJrK. Thrrr i!' onh· onr i"laJHI. D<>s<>ch<>n. and 

it is nf)t :;ntfic·iront Tfl :H'r·rmunoclat<• tlu· ran!.!"r f:wi]iti(':' t'nrrcnth· f' x~st

in!! on \ulehrn. · · 

·::;,.nat or DF.J.Dr<•x. ~o it is nere;;;;nry to take o,-,.,. mon• property? 

\ommnn<l<'r Kun:r-.ITJ:JrK. Yes. 

~ena!OJ Dr.r,L,IOX. "•i]i it lx- inhnhitrc] prop<>rty rrhere \'011 mon 

lots of p<'Ople i · · 

Commander ~:< KP IIT.tf'K. Dr~chro io; nninh~l.itec!. and :\foito ;s not inhabited. 

Se·nntor nr.r.L)f(>X. Thrr<' will not hP ,.i,·ilinns 1 

\omman<lr r KIRKI'.ITr.H'K. Xot on rhr,;;p t11·o pi<>res of prop<>rty. 

The·re· .·onld lw '' ;;a fPtl· arc r<>a chin!! out in tlu• ~.f na arra. hut it ;otill 

drx·s n0t rr.~uin· rf'lfJr.alion. · 

.\:'lfE:'\O:"IIF.:-..:0 1'0 I'RfOR YT..\T! .\~TIIOrtlZ.\TIO:'\S 

0 
ISBN 0-16-046608-3 

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