The United States military has addressed fears in the Northern Marianas, and says it plans to use Pagan as a training area and not as a bombing range.
The Marine Corps Forces Pacific Executive Director, Craig Whelden, says the military has demonstrated it is a good steward of the environment and has no plans for using Pagan for testing bombs.
As added proof, he said the military's preferred alternative, published in the CNMI Joint Military Training Plan Environmental Impact Statement draft, dropped the live-fire area proposal in the middle of Pagan.
Mr Whelden says the military is looking for opportunities to co-exist with other operators and civilians during the limited 16 weeks a year that the military would be on Pagan.
Pagan Island Photo: Supplied