Peleliu’s leadership has submitted a request to Palau’s national government outlining its desire for infrastructure development projects beyond the planned US military expansion at the Peleliu Airport.
“While we understand the US military’s interest in expanding the Peleliu Airport … we, the people of Peleliu, also have a list of proposals for essential civilian projects,” stated the Peleliu leadership, led by Governor Emais Roberts.
The proposals include dredging the channel leading into Peleliu Harbor, constructing a seawall between Ngerbekall and Elochel, and paving state roads. Additionally, Peleliu seeks improvements to its water supply, electricity grid, sewage system, and recreational facilities, including sports fields, parks, and picnic areas.
The request, addressed to President Surangel Whipps Jr. and Congress leaders, emphasizes Peleliu’s desire to be included in discussions concerning US military activities in the state to ensure “mutually beneficial” outcomes.
The US Marine Corps Engineer Detachment Palau (MCED-P) is currently renovating the World War II-era airfield on Peleliu, a project deemed “critical to enhancing US military strategic capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region.” The rehabilitated runway is named after Eugene Sledge, a World War II veteran whose book “With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa” chronicles the brutal Battle of Peleliu. (By: Bernadette Carreon)
.