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NOTICE OF PROGRAM CHANGES TO THE GUAM COASTAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAM (GU-2023-1)

October 24, 2023 No Comments

NOTICE OF PROGRAM CHANGES TO THE GUAM COASTAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

Guam Coastal Management Program, Bureau of Statistics and Plans

DATE: October 24, 2023

NOTICE: The Guam Coastal Management Program has submitted a program change request to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office for Coastal Management (OCM) under 15 CFR § 923.84 (federal regulations implementing the national Coastal Zone Management Act). The request seeks OCM’s approval to incorporate changes to the Guam Coastal Management Program’s Program Authorities.

PURPOSE OF NOTICE: This is an opportunity to submit comments on this program change. This notice has been sent to affected and interested parties including local governments, state agencies, and regional offices of relevant federal agencies as required by 15 CFR §923.84. The Coastal Zone Management Act regulations require states with Coastal Zone Management Programs (CZMP) to submit to OCM changes that affect federal approval of a state’s CZMP.

Guam’s CZMP: The Guam Coastal Management Program (GCMP) of the Bureau of Statistics and Plans manages and administers Guam’s CZMP, which defines the coastal zone as the entire island of Guam with a seaward outer limit of three nautical miles. GCMP is a networked agency with a number of agencies and instrumentalities of the Government of Guam principally responsible for certain coastal management activities. GCMP’s Program Authorities are outlined in the Guam Coastal Management Program and Final Environmental Impact Statement (Volume 1, pg. 114-116), and additional authorities as were adopted by Guam’s 1990 Routine Program Implementation, Guam’s 2013 Routine Program Change, and Guam’s 2023 Program Change (GU-2022-1).

DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED CHANGES: GCMP is updating its Program Authorities that it uses to review and make decisions on projects. The proposed changes to Program Authorities include an authority which is under the principal responsibility of the Chamorro Land Trust Commission. The proposed change under the Chamorro Land Trust Commission is the addition of the Guam Undersea Access for Homes Act (GUAHA), 21 GCA Ch. 75A Art. 2. In support of GCMP’s request, GCMP has provided a brief overview description of the proposed program change, a brief summary of the changes of the authority and how the management program as changed is different from the previously approved management program, and a program change table.

Guam 2022 Program Change (GU-2023-1) Documents:

Any comments on this program change to Guam’s approved Coastal Management Program should be submitted directly to the NOAA Office of Coastal Management on NOAA’s Program Change website under File Number GU-2023-1 at: https://coast.noaa.gov/czmprogramchange/#/public/home

Comments on this program change request must be submitted within 21 days of this notice.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: For additional information please contact: Edwin Reyes at (671) 475-9672; edwin.reyes@bsp.guam.gov.

Public Review – Bureau of Statistics and Plans FY 2023 Edward Byrne JAG Application

August 22, 2023 No Comments

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) has announced the solicitation for the FY 2023 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program (JAG). As the State Administrative Agency (SAA) of the JAG program, the Bureau has prepared Guam’s FY 2023 JAG Program Narrative. The application submission deadline to the Bureau of Justice Assistance through the JustGrants System is August 30, 2023.

In compliance with the solicitation requirements to ensure the opportunity to comment on the application is made available for review to the governing body of the state, the public and criminal justice stakeholders, enclosed is Guam’s FY 2023 Byrne JAG Program Narrative for review. Click here to download the draft program narrative.

Guam’s plan reflects how the FY 2023 Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant Program will be used to address improving the functioning of Guam’s criminal justice system. Prior year JAG Program Narratives were developed following the priority areas defined in the Guam FY 2019-2022 Multi Year Strategy for Drug Control, Violent Crime and Criminal Justice Systems Improvement. The Bureau, with guidance and input from the National Criminal Justice Association (NVJA), will be engaging stakeholder involvement in the development of a new strategic plan to address improving the effectiveness and efficiency of Guam’s criminal justice systems and to guide Byrne Justice Assistance Grant Program funds in support of critical programs needed to prevent or reduce crime and violence on Guam, information technology to improve Guam’s Criminal Justice Information Systems and treatment and rehabilitation programs to address substance abuse and recidivism. The strategic plan will be developed with input from a broad range of identified stakeholders, will describe evidence-based approaches that will be used for planning, program implementation; and will illustrate how Guam will allocate or prioritize funding.

The new updated strategy, when completed, will pull together limited resources and target them to programs to prevent or reduce crime and violence and which will permit capacity building, which could not have otherwise been implemented.

In the interim of a new updated Strategy for Drug Control, Violent Crime and Criminal Justice Systems Improvement for Guam and following the FY 2023 Byrne JAG State Solicitation requirements, the Bureau will prepare a State Annual Report that will provide a summary update of program implementation efforts as detailed in the statewide strategic plan and will 1) discuss the changing circumstances in the state, if any, since the strategic plan was adopted; 2) describe how the state plans to adjust funding within and among each of the JAG Program areas; 3) provide an ongoing assessment of need; 4) discuss the accomplishment of the goals identified in the strategic plan; and 5) reflect how the plan influenced funding decisions in the previous year.

Further, as called for in the FY 2023 Byrne JAG Program State Solicitation, the Bureau is also in the process of developing the Death in Custody Reporting Act (DCRA) State Implementation Plan. The DCRA Implementation Plan will address the process that Guam utilizes for collecting and reporting DCRA program data with the Guam Police Department, the Guam Department of Corrections, the Guam Department of Youth Affairs and the Marshals Division, Judiciary of Guam.

The FY 2023 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program Narrative will continue to address the funding priorities identified in the 2019-2022 Strategy for Drug Control, Violent Crime and Criminal Justice Systems Improvement until a new updated strategy is in place. The priorities identified were based on the needs of Guam’s criminal justice programs throughout the island. The priority areas identified are Technology Improvement, Treatment and Rehabilitation, Law Enforcement, Prevention and Education, and Corrections and Community Corrections.

Should you have any comments or concerns with Guam’s FY 2023 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program Narrative application, please provide your written comments to the Bureau by no later than 5:00 pm on Thursday, September 21, 2023. If we do not receive any comments by then, the Bureau will assume that you concur with the Guam’s FY 2023 JAG application.

Your continued support of our JAG Program is greatly appreciated. Should you require additional information, please do not hesitate to contact either myself or Ms. Millie Erguiza, Senior Planner, at 472-4201/2/3 or by email at lolalg@bsp.guam.gov or millie.erguiza@bsp.guam.gov.

July 26, 2023 No Comments

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Honolulu District, in partnership with the Guam Department of Public Works is announcing the release of a Draft Integrated Feasibility Report and Environmental Assessment (IFR/EA) which identifies a proposed plan for shoreline protection along South Marine Corps Drive in East Hagåtña, Guam.

The tentative plan will address coastline erosion along a 2,100 foot stretch of Trinchera Beach along Hagåtña Bay, which runs parallel to South Marine Corps Drive (Figure 1). An existing seawall built to protect the roadway is on the verge of collapse due to erosion and undermining, leaving South Marine Corps Drive and public utilities along the roadway exposed to damage from wave attack and storm surge (Figures 2-4). Without protection, the road and associated public utilities will be at imminent risk of failure.

The East Hagåtña Emergency Shoreline Protection study is administered under Section 14 of the Flood Control Act of 1946, as amended, which authorizes USACE to study, design, and construct emergency streambank and shoreline works used to protect public facilities.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) USACE invites the public to comment on potential environmental effects of the shoreline protection project. Information regarding sensitive ecological, biological, historic and cultural resources is welcomed. USACE will use this information to meet other environmental laws and requirements including, but not limited to compliance with the Clean Water Act, Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, and National Historic Preservation Act.

A 30-day public comment period runs from July 25 through August 24, 2023. Written comments may be submitted as follows:

Email: CEPOH-Planning@usace.army.mil
Mail: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Honolulu District
ATTN: CEPOH-PPC (Hagåtña)
230 Otake St.
Fort Shafter, HI 96858-5440

Comments received during this review period will be incorporated into the plan formulation, environmental assessment of effects, and the administrative record.

The public is invited to attend a meeting either in-person or virtually Tuesday, August 8, 2023, from 6 to 8 p.m. Chamorro Standard Time (ChST) at the Sinajana Mayor’s Office (117A Chalan Guma Yu’us, Sinajana, Guam 96910) to ask questions and provide comments on the Draft IFR/EA.

Virtual via WebEx: https://usace1.webex.com/meet/michael.j.terlaje
Dial (U.S.): +1-844-800-2712
Access Code: ‪2763 725 6785

Visit Study Website: The Draft IFR/EA can be accessed at the study website located at: www.poh.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Civil-Works-Projects/East-Hagatna

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for delivering vital engineering solutions, in collaboration with our partners, to secure the nation, energize our economy, and reduce disaster risk. As the nation’s lead engineering and public works agency, we deliver quality projects, on time and within budget, – safely – for the American people.

Census Bureau Releases 2020 Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics Summary File for Guam

July 24, 2023 No Comments

JULY 20, 2023 — The U.S. Census Bureau today released statistics for Guam in its 2020 Island Areas Censuses Demographic and Housing Characteristics Summary File (DHC).

The package includes more than 400 tables with data on age, race and ethnicity, household type, relationship, population in group quarters, whether the residence is owned or rented (tenure), vacancy status and other social, economic, housing and demographic characteristics. In addition, data are available in island-specific geographies, including municipalities and census-designated places.

Guam:

Demographic Characteristics in 2020

Guam had a population of 153,836, with 78,271 males (50.9%) and 75,565 females (49.1%).
11.2% of the population was ages 65 or over and 0.8% was ages 85 or over.
Children (ages 0-17) made up 27.0% of the population
The median age was 33.7 years.

Social Characteristics in 2020

Note: These social characteristics exclude people living in military housing units because of effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on data collection operations. (More information is available in the related section below.)

15.8% of households consisted of one person living alone.
The majority (67.2%) of the 34,804 family households were married-couple families.
5.4% of households, or 2,343 households, had a female householder with no spouse or partner present and children of the householder who were under 18 years old.
There were 3,709 cohabiting couple households, making up 8.5% of all households.
15.3% of family households were multigenerational.
Over two-thirds (67.9%) of women ages 15 and over in households had ever given birth.
The median length of marriage for both currently married men and women ages 15 and over in households was 19.1 years.
Among adults ages 30 and over in households, 9.6% were grandparents who lived with their own grandchildren under 18.
Of grandparents living in households with their grandchildren under the age of 18, 36.1% were responsible for their basic needs. The majority (54.3%) of grandparents caring for their grandchildren under 18 had been responsible for them for at least 5 years.
More than a quarter (28.2%) of the population 5 years and over in households who moved between April 1, 2015, and April 1, 2020, reported a natural disaster as the primary reason for moving.
Among the population 3 years and over in households, 27.7% were enrolled in school: 3.7% in nursery or preschool; 75.6% in K-12; and 20.6% in college, graduate or professional school.
Among the population 5 years and over in households, 57.3% spoke a language other than English at home. Of those who spoke a language other than English, 65.9% spoke English “very well” and 42.8% spoke Philippine languages.
The majority (86.0%) of the population ages 25 and older had a high school degree, and 25.3% had a bachelor’s degree or higher. Business was the most common field of those with a bachelor’s degree.

Economic Characteristics in 2019

Notes: These economic characteristics exclude people living in military housing units. The Island Areas Censuses asked households about their income the previous year (in 2019).

Of the 145,543 people in households for whom poverty status is determined, 29,408 (20.2%) had income below the poverty level.
21.8% of households received benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Plan (SNAP).
Median household income was $58,289.

Housing Characteristics in 2020

52.0% of the island’s householders in occupied units were owners, and 48.0% were renters.

Note: The following housing characteristics exclude military housing units and those households living in military housing units.

The median home value was $277,800.
The median monthly rent was $1,057.
16.1% of homeowners and 34.0% of renters spent 35.0% or more of household income on housing costs.
Among all households, 72.4% had a desktop or laptop computer; 92.3% had a smartphone; and 60.6% had a tablet or other portable wireless device.
Most (85.9%) households had a broadband internet subscription.

A webinar is scheduled today at 5 p.m. ET (July 20) for those who are interested in accessing the newly released 2020 Island Areas Census DHC data and will focus on leveraging data.census.gov to find available data. Questions related to the data collection process, methodology, disclosure avoidance and data analysis will not be addressed during this session.

For more information about 2020 Census products for the Island Areas, visit the 2020 Island Areas Censuses Press Kit.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on 2020 Island Areas Censuses

While the 2020 Island Areas Censuses operation was successful, the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the quality of the collected data on detailed social, economic and housing characteristic for American Samoa, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. To ensure the Census Bureau’s high data quality standards are met, adjustments were made to data products reporting population and housing characteristics.

Data users should consider the following when using Guam’s data products:

Detailed characteristics of military households and housing units in Guam were not collected in 2020. As a result, data tables for these characteristics do not include the population living on military installations. Direct comparisons between the 2010 and 2020 responses for Guam should note these differences.
Data tables reporting social and economic characteristics do not include the group quarters population in the table universe. As a result, impacted 2020 data tables should not be compared to 2010 and other past census data tables reporting the same characteristics. The Census Bureau advises data users to verify table universes are the same before comparing data across census years.
Cells in data tables will display the letter “N” when the data for those cells are not statistically reliable or represent an insufficient number of cases.
The Census Bureau advises that data users consider high nonresponse rates while using the 2020 Census of Guam’s available characteristics data. Nonresponse rates were higher in 2020 than past censuses due to the COVID-19 pandemic impacting data collection efforts.

Additional guidance for data users using the Island Area characteristic data is available in the Guidance on Using Data from the 2020 Island Areas Censuses fact sheet.

About 2020 Island Areas Censuses Data Products for Guam

The 2020 Island Areas Censuses provide a wide range of demographic, social, economic and housing information to meet the U.S. Island Areas’ data needs. Census Bureau surveys, such as the American Community Survey (ACS), are not conducted in the Island Areas. Therefore, the Census Bureau used a long-form census questionnaire similar to the ACS questionnaire used in the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

The Census Bureau previously released population and housing counts and a demographic profile for Guam from the 2020 Island Areas Censuses. Later, the Census Bureau also plans to release data tables for the Island Areas that cross tabulate data about people or housing units by other characteristics. More information is available on the 2020 Island Areas Censuses Data Products webpage.

NOTICE OF PROGRAM CHANGES TO THE GUAM COASTAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAM (GU-2023-1)