U.S. military and Republic of Palau government representatives hosted a public meeting at Koror State Constitution Hall yesterday to share information about the Malakal Port and Harbor Improvement Project Environmental Impact Statement.
The meeting aimed to inform the public that an EIS is being prepared for the proposed military construction project in Koror State and to solicit the community’s comments, questions, and concerns.
The Malakal Port and Harbor Improvement Project is part of a range of military construction efforts across the ROP to improve infrastructure and building resilience for mutual benefit to the community and military.
“ Listening to the community’s concerns on a range of topics including economic opportunities, traffic concerns, coral impacts, and environmental impact mitigation measures is a critical part of the planning process ,” Earl Estrella , Naval Facilities and Engineering Command Southwest Pacific Deterrence Initiative program manager said. “These comments will help shape the EIS analysis to ensure it addresses those concerns.”
Project designs, which have been in work for the past two years, are nearly complete.
Dredging at the north and eastern edges of the wharves is set to allow larger shipping vessels to pull alongside. Currently, Malakal Port is limited to medium-sized container ships to off-load goods into Palau.
U.S. military said that the ability to support larger commercial vessels could help attract other shipping containers to serve the people of Palau and the economy.