Beautiful scenery, a clean environment and safe conditions are just a few of the attractions of living and working in the Northern Mariana Islands. Because of the various specialties involved in protecting the quality of life, presently there is no ''one- stop'' agency in the Commonwealth where an investor can obtain all the information regarding the various permits and requirements necessary for doing business here. Following is a helpful explanation of some of the requirements potential developers may encounter. This information should not be considered comprehensive. For more information contact any of the agencies or organizations listed below.

COASTAL PERMITS
The CNMI manages its own Coastal Resources Management Program and has jurisdiction over the Commonwealth Territorial Sea (an area which extends 12 miles beyond the Commonwealth's baseline) and inland areas within 150 feet of the shoreline, with the exception of U.S. government land. The agency has jurisdiction over wetlands, the port & adjacent industrial area, and the lagoon. It regulates all commercial activities within the lagoon area and issues permits for these activities. In addition, the agency has jurisdiction over the entire area of all islands when a project meets or exceeds a ''major siting'' criteria. Major siting means any proposed project which has the potential to directly or significantly impact coastal resources or a project requiring a peak power electrical demand of 500 kw per day and/or 3,500 gallons of water per day as determined by Commonwealth Utilities Corporation demand rates. The documentation requirements which must accompany a CRM application are extensive. Interested parties should contact CRM to obtain guidelines to these requirements for.

ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
The CNMI Division of Environmental Quality (DEQ) administers regulatory and enforcement programs mandated under CNMI law, many of which are based on United States Environmental Protection Agency programs. The following list gives details on some of the permits that may be required for new projects.

Septic tanks and wastewater treatment systems -Private and commercial users not served by municipal sewer lines must have an approved and permitted on-site wastewater treatment system. Facilities that generate more than 5,000 gallons per day of wastewater are not allowed to install a traditional septic system, and must install and operate a more advanced treatment system.

Earthmoving - Permits are required for all construction, including additions to existing facilities and clearing of vegetation if the earth is
disturbed. Earthmoving permits require the developer to provide plans for both erosion control during construction, and a permanent stormwater control system.

Safe drinking water - Private water treatment and distribution systems that serve more than 25 people must be approved. This includes DEQ certification of reverse osmosis units.

Well drilling and water well operation - Permits are required. The operation of any private well requires regular sampling and monitoring for contaminants.

Clean air - Generators, boilers, and incinerators require registration pesticides is restricted to persons certified in their use and application.

Pesticides - The use of certain pesticides is restricted person certified in their use and application

Fuel storage tanks - Permits to install and operate both aboveground and underground fuel storage tanks are required.

Water Quality Certification -Any project that involves construction around, or discharge to, any water body (including seasonal streams and wetlands) must receive a water quality certification from DEQ. These certifications are usually required in addition to federal permits such as U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 404 permits, and US Environmental Protection Agency NPDES permits for discharge of wastewater and storm water.

Underground injection control (UIC) permits - The disposal of any fluids into the ground via a pipe or man made hole will require a UIC permit. In most cases, such disposal is prohibited.

Land Disposal permits - The disposal of wastewater (other than sewage and stormwater) onto land, including the reject water from reverse osmosis systems and fuel tank containment berms, must be permitted.

Used oil - Disposal of used oil is prohibited. All used oil must be stored on-site until proper disposal methods can be found.

FORESTRY PERMITS
This permit is required to clear, burn or remove any vegetation on public lands classified as either diverse forest or Commonwealth forest. Applications for a permit may be obtained from the Department of Lands and Natural Resources.

WILDLIFE HABITATS
Developers of large projects and smaller residential projects should be aware of the requirements of the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the CNMI Department of Fish and Wildlife prior to starting construction. Section 7 of the Federal Endangered Species Act requires that Fish and Wildlife officials approve development of any project including residential dwellings when land designated as critical habitat is involved. Large portions of all islands of the CommonweaIth are home to a variety of endangered species.

PUBLIC LAND LEASES
Those considering constructing a project on public land in the Commonwealth must contact the Division of Public Lands, Department of Lands & Natural Resources. This Division is responsible for the least and administration of public lands.

DEVELOPER INFRASTRUCTURE
In July 1993, the CNMI began imposing a ''Developer Infrastructure Tax'' equal to 2% of the total project cost for any major development having an impact on the islands water, power, sewer, road, drainage, flood control, or solid waste facilities. The developer's tax does not apply to new residential dwellings of two or fewer in number. Developers applying for a building permit are required to submit an estimate of the projects cost and evidence of a tax credit, if any, to the Building Safety Official at the Department of Public Works. Once the tax has been determined, the payment and a non-refundable administrative fee are to be made to the Department of Finance. The value of any capital improvement the developer provides to the electrical, water, sewer, roads or surface water drainage & flood control systems will be credited against the tax liability. The value of any capital improvement is determined by an appraiser, selected with the consent of the Secretary of Finance. Once a project is complete, the developer must submit a statement of the actual total cost. This statement must be audited by a Certified Public Accountant prior to submission. Payment of the Developer Infrastructure Tax is required prior to the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy by the Building Safety Official of the Department of Public Works.

BUILDING SAFETY
The Department of Public Works requires permits prior to any construction activity. All buildings constructed in the CNMI must have a building permit that certifies the structure complies with regulations outlined in the Uniform Building Code (UBC) and the CNMI Building Safety Code. Unsafe buildings and structures in the Commonwealth are illegal and must be repaired, vacated or demolished. An unsafe building is a structure that is structurally unsafe, unsanitary, or otherwise unfit for human habitation.

PUBLIC UTILITIES
The Commonwealth Utilities Corporation handles routine connections of utilities - water, power and sewer. CUC is regulated by, and must comply with, the US National Safety Code, the US Clean Air Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, and other national regulations which are enforced locally by DEQ. Permission must be obtained from CUC for the disposal of any industrial wastes into the sewer system, such as chemicals and process water used during manufacturing. Materials that are deemed hazardous cannot be disposed of into the sewer system. Any business connected to the municipal wastewater system must install screens to prevent any product waste from entering the city waste system or passing into the natural environment. The CNMI's electrical system complies with the US Code. CUC does not impose any application fees, but requires security deposits based on usage rates.

U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS
Federal permits are required for activities that occur in marine or fresh waters, streamlets, and wetlands. Some typical projects that require permits are piers, docks, floats, mooring buoys, boat, ramps, dredging, intake & outface pipes, dams, creation of land for building or parking lots, causeways, and the placement of any fill material that might include sand, gravel, coral, dirt, clay, stone or concrete. Permits can be obtained by submitting an application along with drawings of the proposed work and an environmental assessment describing the impact the work will have on the area. Most of these permits are conditional in that they require a DEQ Water Quality Certification be obtained in conjunction with the Corps permit. Applications should be submitted at least four to six months in advance of the proposed start of construction to allow for coordination between federal and local agencies.

US ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Any open discharge into waters or wetlands require a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit from the United States EPA Region IX Office located in San Francisco, California. An example is the permit many Saipan hotels are required to obtain to discharge the reject water from their reverse osmosis systems into the lagoon. The CNMI government also holds NPDES permits for the discharge of treated sewage into two locations offshore of Saipan. NPDES permits generally require extensive monitoring and reporting, and a DEQ Water Quality Certification must also be obtained.

US COAST GUARD
Individuals or farms interested in operating vessels for hire, charter, or any other commercial activity should contact the US Coast Guard on Saipan to become familiar with regulations that may apply, and to determine if any vessel inspections or permits are required.