Office of the Secretary

For Immediate Release: June 20, 2000

DOI: John Wright, 202/208-6416
GOV: John Ryan, 671/475-9309

Secretary Babbitt and Governor Gutierrez Agree to
Conduct a Review of Guam Conservation Issues

In a telephone call today (Tuesday, 5 p.m. EDT) to Guam Governor Carl T. Gutierrez, Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt accepted the Governor's proposal to conduct a review of conservation issues on Guam. The groundwork for the proposal was laid when Governor Gutierrez met with Secretary Babbitt on May 11, 2000, in Washington, D.C. At that time, the Governor proposed a review of environmental and land issues with mutual benefit.

In accepting the proposal Babbitt told Governor Gutierrez, "I accept your proposal to review conservation issues on Guam. These are complex issues and I am cautiously optimistic. I look forward to this review."

The review will be jointly undertaken by the Department of the Interior and the Government of Guam to assess current conservation efforts and proposals that may result in better cooperation between Guam and the federal government in protecting environmentally sensitive areas of the island.

"I am pleased that Secretary Babbitt has agreed to accept my proposal and undertake serious discussions with Guam regarding conservation issues," said Governor Gutierrez. "While we would not want to raise false hopes, we are guardedly optimistic that we will be able to provide solutions to the vexing problems on Guam that will make the Department of the Interior and the people of Guam true partners in conserving important resources for the recovery of Guam's endangered and threatened species. This may be an opportunity for us to progress from confrontation to cooperation. I am personally convinced that there is a win-win here: a win for the environment and a win for landowners. My commitment is to do everything within my power to bring that about."

In accepting the proposal, Secretary Babbitt and Governor Gutierrez mutually agreed that there would be no preconditions to the talks, and that any solutions would be based on sound scientific principles that would enhance current environmental efforts. The discussions are expected to convene within 30 days in Washington, D.C. The primary participants will be officials from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Government of Guam.

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