Former Rota Pau Pau Hotel, Lot No. 014 R 05 (Mount Taipingot, Rota, CNMI)
The Former Rota Pau Pau Hotel Site (Lot No. 014 R 05) is located along the southern coast of Rota, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). A Phase I environmental site assessment (ESA) was conducted by Koa Consulting (Koa). The site is located at the base of Mount Taipingot, adjacent to the village of Liyu, just south of the village of Songsong on Rota and is within a plot of public land consisting of 22,200 square meters (~5.5 acres).
The purpose of the Phase I ESA is to identify, to the extent feasible pursuant to the process prescribed in ASTM International (ASTM) E1527-13, recognized environmental conditions (RECs) in connection with the property. An REC means the presence or likely presence of any hazardous substances or petroleum products in, on, or at a property: (1) due to any release to the environment, (2) under conditions indicative of a release to the environment, or (3) under conditions that pose a material threat of a future release to the environment. The ASTM E1527- 13 practice constitutes all appropriate inquiries (AAIs) for the purpose of Landowner Liability Protections, under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). This report reflects the observations, information, and data collected by Koa during the period of August 2021 to March 2022.
The Phase I ESA conducted by Koa Consulting identified the following de minimis condition in connection with the subject site:
- The assumed diesel AST containment berm and old generator building/area exhibits the potential for decades-old, small-scale residual petroleum product release within and downgradient of the area.
Based on the findings of the Phase I ESA, including the results of the site reconnaissance, interviews, and records review, Koa offers the following professional opinion:
- The identified de minimis condition does not have the potential to adversely impact the environmental integrity of the subject site and does not present a material risk of harm to public health or the surrounding environment, therefore no further site investigation in the form of a Phase II ESA would be necessary to access this condition further.
The following recommendations, though not required under the ASTM E 1527-13 standard, are provided as a courtesy to CNMI BECQ and to the CNMI DPL:
- It is the professional opinion of Koa that further site investigation following the ASTM Standard Process is not warranted to assess the extent of potential contamination caused by the identified de minimis condition at this site. However, a limited site investigation and/or assessment of the old generator building/area for diesel and residual range petroleum hydrocarbons in soil would be warranted.
- With this site being part of the ongoing Coconut Rhino Beetle quarantine and eradication effort on Rota, and given the relatively large quantities of insecticides and herbicides that have been and continue to be applied throughout the site and surrounding areas, it is advised that BECQ continue to track the latest research and subsequent recommendations regarding various insecticides and herbicides and to evaluate their potential impacts on the environment.
- Given the unknown age of building materials that were utilized by previous site occupants during and after construction, Koa recommends considering the potential for lead-based paint and/or asbestos containing materials to be encountered within the Former Rota Pau Pau Hotel structures.