US Supreme Court hears challenge to air force UXO detonations in Guam

The United States Supreme Court has begun hearing arguments in a case that could determine whether the US air force can continue to use a beach in Guam to detonate unexploded ordnance. Wednesday’s hearing stems from a challenge by a Guam conservation group, Prutehi Guahan, which argues that the longstanding use of Tarague Beach to dispose of munitions may harm the ecosystem, damage an important cultural and historical site, and threaten the island’s water resources. The case has gained attention for raising broader questions over the rights of residents of US territories, who cannot vote in presidential elections and have limited representation in the US legislature. Guam became a US territory in 1898, in the wake of the Spanish-American Civil War.