The U.S. military is planning to change the status of the Tinian mortar range in the Northern Marianas to inactive.
The Navy's Civil Engineer Corps has requested that the status of the facility be changed to inactive, which would allow it to be considered under the Navy's Munitions Remediation Programme.
This would trigger a site investigation and clean-up of hazardous materials.
The Navy's request follows concerns raised by the Tinian Mayor Ramon Dela Cruz who is worried about the safety of tourists and residents who may stray onto the unused site.
Mr Dela Cruz says the broken fence surrounding the old mortar range is not an effective barrier and it has become an eyesore.
