More than 10,000 Marines and their  dependents will remain stationed in Okinawa after this relocation. II shows  current U.S. military bases on Guam). The Senate  report also directed GAO to review DOD’s master planning effort for  Guam as part of its annual review of DOD’s overseas master plans. DOD Has Established a Framework for Military Buildup on Guam, but the Planning Process Is Ongoing

The U.S.-Japan Defense Policy Review Initiative has established the  framework for the future of the U.S. force structure in Japan, including the  realignments on Okinawa and Guam. Originally, the Marine Corps realignment was discussed in the U.S.- Japan Defense Policy Review Initiative, which established the framework  for the future of U.S. force structure in Japan designed to create the  conditions to reduce the burden of American military presence on local  Japanese communities and to create a continuing presence for U.S. forces  by relocating units to other areas, including Guam. According to DOD officials,  the results of the environmental statement, currently expected to be  issued in 2010, can affect many of the key decisions on the exact location,  size, and makeup of the military infrastructure development. DOD will submit its  fiscal year 2010 budget request to Congress for the first phase of military  construction projects prior to the completion of the environmental impact  statement. Thus, DOD may be asking Congress to fund the military  construction projects without the benefit of a completed environmental  impact statement or a final decision on the full extent of its facility and  funding requirements. JGPO officials told us that immediately after  the environmental impact statement and record of decision are completed,  the department will commence construction of facilities in efforts to meet  the 2014 goal. However, other DOD and government of Guam officials  believe that this is an ambitious and optimistic schedule considering the  possibility that the environmental impact statement could be delayed, the  complexities of moving thousands of Marines and dependents from  Okinawa to Guam, and the need to obtain funding from the United States  and Japan to support military construction projects. Several DOD and Government of Guam Challenges Have Yet to Be Addressed

DOD and the government of Guam face several significant challenges  associated with the military buildup, including addressing funding and  operational challenges and community and infrastructure impacts, which  could affect the development and implementation of their planning efforts. Third, the increase in  military personnel and their dependents on Guam and the large number of  the construction workers needed to build military facilities will create  challenges for Guam’s community and civilian infrastructure. In addition, the costs associated with the development of  training ranges and facilities on nearby islands are not included in the  current estimate for the military buildup. DOD Faces Operational Challenges

Operational challenges, such as providing appropriate mobility support  and training capabilities to meet Marine Corps requirements, have not  been fully addressed. In addition, DOD and government of Guam officials recognize that the  island’s infrastructure is inadequate to meet the increased demand due to  the military buildup. The system may not be adequate to  deliver the additional energy requirements associated with the military  buildup. Guam’s water and wastewater treatment systems are near capacity and  have a history of failure due to aged and deteriorated distribution lines. Guam’s solid waste facilities face capacity and environmental  challenges as they have reached the end of their useful life. Government of Guam’s Planning Efforts Are in Their Initial Stages

The government of Guam’s planning efforts to address infrastructure  challenges associated with the buildup of military forces are in the initial  stages, and several uncertainties further contribute to the difficulties the  government of Guam faces in developing precise plans to address the  effects of the military buildup on the local community and infrastructure. In addition, funding sources to address infrastructure challenges are  uncertain. The uncertainties associated with exact size, makeup, and timing of the  forces to be moved to Guam make it difficult for the government of Guam  to develop comprehensive plans to address the effects of the proposed  military buildup. However, the  extent to which the government of Guam will be able to obtain financial  assistance for projected infrastructure demands from the federal  government is unclear. In our September 2007  report on U.S. communities experiencing civilian and military population  growth at Army installations, we found that communities will likely incur  costs to provide adequate schools, transportation, and other infrastructure  improvements. Because of limited local funding, some of these  communities are seeking federal and state assistance. 1).
Why GAO Did This Study

To reduce the burden of the U.S. military presence on Japanese communities while maintaining a continuing presence of U.S. forces in the region, in 2005 and 2006 the U.S.-Japan Defense Policy Review Initiative outlined the effort to relocate American military units in Japan to other areas, including Guam. The Department of Defense (DOD) plans to move 8,000 Marines and an estimated 9,000 dependents from Okinawa, Japan, to Guam by the 2014 goal. GAO was asked to discuss the planning effort for the buildup of U.S. forces and facilities on Guam. Accordingly, this testimony addresses (1) DOD's planning process for the military buildup on Guam, (2) potential challenges for DOD and the government of Guam associated with the buildup, and (3) the status of planning efforts by the government of Guam to meet infrastructure challenges caused by the buildup. This testimony is based largely on findings of a September 2007 GAO report on DOD's overseas master plans and prior work on issues related to the U.S. military presence in Okinawa. It is also based, in part, on preliminary observations from an ongoing GAO review of DOD's planning effort to address the challenges associated with the military buildup on Guam and on other GAO work on the effects of DOD-related growth on surrounding communities in the continental United States. GAO is not making recommendations at this time.

What GAO Found

DOD has established a framework for the military buildup on Guam; however, many key decisions remain, such as the final size of the military population, which units will be stationed there, and what military facilities will be constructed. This part of the planning process is ongoing, along with the development of a required environmental impact statement, currently expected to be issued in 2010. However, DOD will submit budget requests for fiscal year 2010 prior to that date, and thus may not know the full extent of its facility requirements before asking Congress to provide the associated funding. Officials of the Navy's Joint Guam Program Office told us that immediately after the environmental impact statement is completed, DOD will commence construction of facilities in efforts to meet the 2014 goal discussed in the Defense Policy Review Initiative. However, other DOD and government of Guam officials believe that this is an optimistic schedule considering the possibility that the environmental impact statement could be delayed, the complexities of moving thousands of Marines and their dependents to Guam, and the need to obtain sufficient funding from the governments of United States and Japan to support the move. DOD and the government of Guam face several significant challenges associated with the proposed military buildup on Guam. DOD's challenges include obtaining adequate funding and meeting operational needs, such as mobility support and training capabilities. There are also challenges in addressing the effects of military and civilian growth on Guam's community and civilian infrastructure. For example, according to DOD and government of Guam officials, Guam's highways may be unable to bear the increase in traffic associated with the military buildup, its electrical system may not be adequate to deliver the additional energy needed, its water and wastewater treatment systems are already near capacity, and its solid waste facilities face capacity and environmental challenges even without the additional burden associated with the projected increase in U.S. forces and their dependents. The government of Guam's efforts to plan to meet infrastructure challenges caused by the buildup of military forces and facilities are in the initial stages, and existing uncertainties associated with the military buildup contribute to the difficulties Guam officials face in developing precise plans. These challenges are somewhat analogous to challenges communities around continental U.S. growth bases face. Government of Guam officials recognize that the island's infrastructure is inadequate to meet the projected demand; however, funding sources are uncertain. These same officials are uncertain as to whether and to what extent the government of Guam will be able to obtain financial assistance for projected infrastructure demands due to the military buildup. In September 2007, GAO reported that most communities experiencing civilian and military population growth at Army installations in the continental United States will likely incur costs to provide adequate schools, transportation, and other infrastructure improvements, and many of these communities are also seeking federal and state assistance.