H.R. 7673 seeks to amend Organic Act on return of excess lands
James C. Moylan, Guam’s delegate to Congress, has introduced H.R. 7673, legislation that would amend the Organic Act of Guam to allow certain lands transferred from the federal government to the Government of Guam to be conveyed back to verified original landowners or their heirs.
The measure would remove the “public purpose only” restriction imposed under Public Law 106-504, which currently requires excess federal property conveyed to GovGuam to be used solely for public purposes and prohibits direct transfer to private individuals.
Plans of Northgate Market Place, a shopping center planned for Dededo, were provided by Journal sources. The planned space includes 130,000 square feet of rental space, 600 parking spots and even space for a hotel and bank.
According to congressional staff, the legislation applies to “original recorded landowners whose property was acquired by the federal government, or their verified heirs,” and would establish “a legal pathway for eligible claimants to seek return of land once it has been deemed excess and transferred to GovGuam.”
Staff said the bill “does not identify specific individuals or families” and is not limited to a particular parcel, but would apply islandwide to land already deemed excess and transferred to the Government of Guam. The measure does not affect land that remains under active federal control.
A spacious courtyard is included in the plans for Northgate Market Place, a shopping center planned for Dededo. Renderings of the potential center were included in the plans provided by Journal sources.
Under existing Guam law, when ancestral land cannot be returned because it remains in active government or public use, eligible claimants may seek alternative remedies through the Guam Ancestral Lands Commission, which administers land bank allocations and other statutory compensation mechanisms. Guam law has also historically limited eligibility in certain cases, including lands condemned or acquired by the United States prior to July 21, 1944.
If enacted, H.R. 7673 would allow GovGuam to convey qualifying parcels directly to verified original landowners or their heirs, removing the federal public-purpose restriction that has governed excess land transfers since 2000. mbj
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