Beach in Guam: Supreme Court Considers if Military Can Explode Bombs in This Habitat
New York Times · LC · trust 46/100
The Supreme Court will hear arguments over whether the U.S. Air Force can keep destroying munitions on a beach in Guam, a practice it began in 1982.
The Supreme Court will hear arguments over whether the U.S. Air Force can keep destroying munitions on a beach in Guam, a practice it began in 1982.
Abbie VanSickle covers the Supreme Court. Hiroko Masuike traveled to Guam to photograph the story.
Tarague Beach is a tropical expanse of white sand on the island of Guam, where sea turtles lay their eggs, migratory seabirds forage and reef fish glide in the clear blue-green water.
But the future of this beach, nearly 8,000 miles from Washington, D.C., now rests with the Supreme Court. The court will hear arguments on Wednesday to decide whether the U.S. Air Force can continue to use it to dispose of expired rockets, bombs and hazardous waste munitions.
The dispute pits Prutehi Guahan, a local nonprofit dedicated to protecting Guam’s natural and cultural resources, against the U.S. military, which has long maintained a major presence on the island.
Guam’s proximity to Asia — it’s closer to Beijing than to Hawaii — has made it an increasingly important military outpost. That presence has only grown in recent years with rising tensions in the Pacific. Military experts often refer to the small island — about 170,000 people live on its 210 square miles, roughly five times smaller than Rhode Island — as the tip of the spear for American military might in the region.
Tarague Beach is near the northern tip of the island, within the bounds of Andersen Air Force Base, and for decades the military has used it a place to destroy expired munitions. The leaders of Prutehi Guahan have challenged the practice, arguing that the explosions threaten the fragile marine ecosystem, nearby archaeological remains, traditional fishing sites, and the island’s water supply, sending dangerous toxins and debris hurtling into the air and the water.
Tarague Beach is a tropical expanse of white sand on the island of Guam, with a fragile marine ecosystem. We are having trouble retrieving the article content.
Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.
Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.
Thank you for your patience while we verify access.
Read the original at New York Times →
Open in TruthVane →