The US military is conducting community consultations in the Northern Marianas this week over its expansion plans.
The plans include the lease of Pagan Island for exercises including light bomb drops and live-fire training on Tinian.
There has been political opposition to the move in recent weeks but the Executive Director of the Marine Corps Forces for the Pacific says he has asked for as much feedback as possible to the plans.
Craig Whelden says the military is going far and above what it is legally required to do in terms of consultations and negotiations.
He says there are two high profile examples.
"The Landfill at Tinian and solving what is currently a dump that does not comply with EPA rules. There are cattlemen who currently use that leased area that we have so for the past year we have been working with the Cattlemen's Association to at least find a one-for-one substitute for land."
Mr Whelden says the process is around two years through the three year lead-up to implementation of the plans.
Pagan Island Photo: Supplied
