A federal court has ordered the U.S. Navy to provide additional information on how its operations may affect endangered species and cultural resources on Guam, rejecting efforts to limit public scrutiny. In a Dec. 12 ruling, the U.S. District Court of Guam said conservation groups and community advocates are entitled to evidence beyond the government’s administrative record to determine compliance with the Endangered Species Act.
The decision stems from a 2023 lawsuit filed by the Center for Biological Diversity and Prutehi Guåhan challenging the Navy’s environmental compliance tied to large-scale military construction and troop relocation projects. The court said discovery is necessary to assess whether the law is being violated, while noting it would not be used to relitigate past agency decisions.
“This was a careful, courageous opinion that affirms the rule of law in Guam,” said Maxx Phillips of the Center for Biological Diversity, who said transparency is critical when endangered wildlife and island ecosystems are at risk. Attorney Leevin T. Camacho, representing Prutehi Guåhan, said the ruling affirms that the military is not exempt from environmental laws.
Advocates cited concerns over impacts to species found nowhere else on Earth, including the ababang, or eight spot butterfly, which depends on intact forest habitat. Monaeka Flores of Prutehi Guåhan said the ruling reinforces the importance of public access to information to protect Guam’s environment and Chamorro cultural practices tied to the land.