The Guam Environmental Protection Agency Board of Directors voted Dec. 4 to allocate up to $2,000,000 from the Remediation Fund (RF) to the Department of Public Works for a program to collect, process and export abandoned vehicles.

Board members considered revisions to a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with DPW that remove a 30‑day review clause and add a binding limit that administrative costs may not exceed 10% of the total MOA amount. Unidentified agency staff told the board the change was made to ensure the MOA reflects the 10% cap.

Chair (name not provided) described the program’s scale and cost assumptions, saying existing tables project removing about 1,874 vehicles at a budgeted figure that had been presented as $2,500,000 but that staff confirmed the request is $2,000,000: $1,800,000 for collection and disposal and $200,000 (10%) for administrative costs. "The intent is you're going to contract it out," the chair said, noting an IFB or RFP would seek the lowest responsible bidder.

Director Vince Areola, representing DPW, said market research identified two new companies that expect to provide lower disposal costs and can accept whole vehicles for on‑site processing and export. Areola told the board those firms may reduce per‑vehicle costs and stressed the need for an accurate tracking system "to make sure that...that car gets on a barge off island." He said the program will likely contract most services and that DPW involvement would be limited, for example, to staging vehicles when necessary.

Board members flagged typographical and spreadsheet errors in the draft expenditure tables — including an apparent stray figure that read $2,000,499,972 and a mistaken 2,500,000,000.0 entry. Staff acknowledged the errors and said they would correct the MOA and expenditure plan so the budget lines match the $2,000,000 request.

A board member moved to allocate $2,000,000 from the RF for DPW pickup and disposal of abandoned vehicles; the motion was seconded by the chair. The chair called the vote; the chair and an agency staff member recorded "Aye," and the chair declared the motion passed.

The board asked staff to include, in the MOA whereas language, the legal citation authorizing the board to allocate funds. Staff also said they will require reporting on unit costs and the number of vehicles removed at the end of the fiscal year.

Director Areola thanked the board and said DPW will keep Guam EPA informed on program startup and implementation. The board directed staff to correct the expenditure tables and finalize the MOA language before distribution to signatories.