Residents of Yigo, a northern village on Guam, discovered that their drinking water had been contaminated with dieldrin, an organochlorine pesticide that the United States banned in 1987. The chemical was detected at elevated levels near a well serving the community, with high concentrations reported at an adjacent Air Force base since at least 1993. Local water authorities issued warnings advising against consumption, prompting concern among families who had unknowingly used the contaminated water for years. The Pentagon’s Joint Region Marianas launched an investigation into the source of the pollution, though officials acknowledge that dieldrin was once widely used and multiple sources may be responsible.
For Leevin Camacho, a local resident and attorney, the discovery exemplified a broader pattern of environmental degradation linked to over a century of American military presence on the island. Guam and its U.S. citizen population face ongoing contamination from unexploded ordnance, PCBs, and pollutants in groundwater. Camacho expressed frustration that island residents continue to bear the costs of militarization despite their citizenship status. Rear Admiral Brett Mietus, head of Joint Region Marianas, stated that the command is committed to meeting all environmental regulations and protecting the island’s population.
The contamination issue coincides with an accelerating Pentagon buildup across the Pacific region. Military expansion plans include potential grave disturbances on Yap for infrastructure development and new military installations on Guam, including a recently opened machine gun range near a federal wildlife refuge to accommodate incoming Marine personnel from Okinawa. Navy leadership has justified the buildup by citing geopolitical tensions and seeking substantial funding for new weaponry. However, environmental advocates warn that the expansion will contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, damage to regional ecosystems, and acceleration of climate change that threatens Pacific island survival.
Yigo residents face compounding challenges as typhoons intensified by warming seas have destroyed homes earlier this year, while military operations continue expanding in their community. The Army Corps of Engineers is preparing to clear unexploded ordnance from a 1945 dump site in the area. Camacho emphasized the overwhelming nature of these concurrent environmental and military pressures, noting the need for accountability and change to address what he describes as systemic injustice affecting Guam’s population.
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