Residents, officials question impacts of proposed Citadel Pacific facility on Tinian

Tinian residents raised concerns about the potential environmental and community impacts of the proposed Citadel Pacific data center during a Coastal Resources Management public hearing last Jan. 9 at the Tinian Conference Center-Bar-K Diner, calling for stronger safeguards and greater transparency.

Frederick Dela Cruz, a Tinian resident, said the planned facility—described by the developer as a cable landing station rather than a full-scale data center—would be located near residential areas and within roughly a kilometer of schools, including the Northern Marianas College Tinian campus, Tinian High School, and Tinian Elementary School.

He cited planning best practices that recommend buffer zones between industrial facilities and homes or schools, and questioned whether the project places an undue burden on nearby residents and children.

“For these reasons, planning and best practices commonly recommend a buffer distance of 300-500 meters from residential areas, and 500 to 1,000 meters from schools and children’s facilities,” said Dela Cruz.

While stressing he was not opposed to development or technology, he raised concerns about electricity demand, water use, noise from generators, cooling systems, e-waste disposal, and potential impacts on marine ecosystems from submarine cables.

“Recent research shows that these centers in the U.S. already consume about 4.4 of the national electricity, with projections rising significantly due to AI demand, and consume millions of gallons of water daily for cooling. They often operate near or in water-stressed regions, putting pressure on local supplies,” he said, while also questioning why the project did not undergo a National Environmental Policy Act review.

Citadel Pacific project manager Joe Pereira responded that the project is a privately funded data center cable landing station, or DCLS, designed solely as a transit node for subsea fiber-optic cables, not a data storage or processing facility.

He added that the facility would only receive, amplify, and transmit data, with no data stored on site, and the initial power demand would be about 1 megawatt, rising to a maximum of 3.6 megawatts at full build-out—well below the hundreds of megawatts typically required by large-scale data centers.

Water use was estimated at about 750 gallons per day, with wastewater handled through an on-site Individual Wastewater Disposal System permitted by the Division of Environmental Quality, according to Pereira.

Contractor John Gourley added that the site, located in the Median-Marpo Valley area, had already been cleared and posed no impacts to wildlife habitat, endangered species, wetlands, or cultural resources based on surveys conducted for the project. He added that the site lies outside Federal Emergency Management Agency flood zones and away from mapped geological faults.

Deborah Fleming, a Tinian resident, raised concerns about long-term water security, noting the island’s reliance on a single aquifer and increasing demand from other major developments. She asked whether alternatives such as desalination had been considered to reduce pressure on groundwater supplies.

“You know, you're not the only ones here. You know, there's a huge military development here, and they are withdrawing hundreds of thousands of gallons per day. But that's a real concern that I didn't hear any of you even thinking about trying to turn our, you know, abundant ocean water for your purpose, to save our aquifer. Is that a consideration even?” she asked.

Gourley confirmed Citadel will be exploring water source alternatives in the future.

“The water that is going to be used for this particular facility at this point in time will be assessed by the CRM board. In the future, if things do start looking grim when it comes to water supply, yes, other options are going to be explored. I don't know which other options at this point in time. It's unknown.”

As for the NEPA review, Gourley said the project does not require review under the NEPA because it does not involve federal funding, but noted that public comments would be considered as part of the permitting process.

Sen. Jude U. Hofschneider, who attended the hearing, asked Citadel to clearly explain the difference between a cable landing station and a full-scale data center, citing public confusion and concerns over potential strain on Tinian’s limited power and water resources. He said he generally supports economic development but stressed the need for a clear public understanding of the project’s scope and impacts.

Tinian Mayor Edwin Aldan welcomed the discussion and asked about employment and local benefits, with Citadel estimating the facility would create eight to 11 full-time positions once operational.

“As mayor, I want to emphasize that the protection of our environment, the health of our people, and the long-term well-being of our island are matters I care deeply about. Public hearings like this are essential because they allow potential impacts to be discussed openly and ensure that environmental considerations and community concerns are part of the decision-making process,” he said.

After watching the live feed of the town hall from Marianas Press from Ohio, Tinian Junior Senior High School alumnus PJ Mangloña said he supports Citadel Pacific’s proposal, citing its potential to create 8-11 round-the-clock jobs, improve global internet connectivity through a direct subsea fiber link to Japan, and position the island as a digital economy hub, but stressed that the project must proceed with transparency and strong environmental safeguards.

“Key concerns from the hearing include power and water usage, noise from backup generators (requiring periodic testing), potential marine ecosystem impacts from cable EMF on species like sharks and eels at landing sites, e-waste disposal from equipment upgrades every 2-3 years, cooling water runoff via IWDS (septic systems) potentially seeping into our sole fragile aquifer without required testing, and risks from typhoons or earthquakes causing stormwater overflow to sensitive coral reefs,” he e-mailed Marianas Press.