WHEREAS, Article I, Section 9 of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI) declares: “Each person has the right to a clean and healthful public environment in all areas, including the land, air and water.”
WHEREAS, the Commonwealth Environmental Protection Act establishes the policies to support and implement the Constitution, including enforcement of environmental standards to protect and preserve marine resources and uninhabited islands; to promote the highest attainable quality of life for present and future generations; to preserve, protect, and improve the aesthetic quality of land, air, water, and all natural resources of the Commonwealth in order to promote the beauty of the Commonwealth for the enjoyment of its residents and visitors.
WHEREAS, the Commonwealth Environmental Protection Act empowers the Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality within the Office of the Governor to develop, implement, and enforce the policies set forth in the Act. BECQ works with partner agencies and organizations such as, Department of Lands and Natural Resources, CNMI Forestry, Division of Fish & Wildlife, Division of Agriculture, Division of Historic Preservation, Northern Marianas College, the National Park Service, Department of Public Works, Office of Planning and Development, and Mariana Islands Nature Alliance (MINA) to achieve these goals.
WHEREAS, the Environmental Awareness Month 2023 theme, “Our Islands Health is Our Common Wealth” reinforces our responsibility to maintain and protect our shared environment for the wellness and health of our community. It calls each of us to do our part to enhance our beautiful islands, and to understand that our actions impact not only ourselves, but the land we live on, the air we breathe, and the oceans surrounding us; all who provide us sustenance and the enjoyment of their beauty. Our environmental resources must be protected and improved to better sustain our island way of life, as well as benefit the CNMI’s important tourism economy. Each of us must do our part daily to protect, and conserve these vital and essential natural resources.
We assure the responsibility to ensure that Saipan, Tinian, Rota, and the Northern Islands remain clean with bountiful natural resources for our present and future generations. It is our obligation; it is our privilege. Let’s all work together.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, ARNOLD I. PALACIOS, Governor of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, AND, I, DAVID M. APATANG, Lt. Governor of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands by virtue of the authority vested in us by the Constitution and Laws of the Commonwealth, do hereby proclaim April 2023 as
ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS MONTH
and April 22, 2023 as
CNMI EARTH DAY
We ask that all citizens of the Commonwealth take an active interest in their environment and help protect it for future generations. We urge all citizens and organizations of the Commonwealth to observe this month in recognition of our goal of maintaining a healthy, clean, and beautiful Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we have hereunto set our hands on this 31st day of March 2023.
/s/
ARNOLD I. PALACIOS
Governor
/s/
DAVID M. APATANG
Lieutenant Governor
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