WASHINGTON (Kyodo) The planned transfer of 8,000 U.S. Marines from Okinawa to Guam could be delayed until 2017 from the current target of 2014, the Pentagon suggested in its final environmental assessment report on the U.S. territory, released Wednesday.

The Final Environmental Impact Statement for the planned relocation of the marines to Guam, however, did not state specify when the transfer would be completed as an alternative to the current target year.

The redeployment is part of a package deal that includes relocating U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma within Okinawa by 2014, when the new base is supposed to be operational, although no construction has started.

The final environmental assessment report estimated that the influx of people to Guam, including construction workers for building necessary facilities and infrastructure for the redeployment, could reach about 79,000 in 2014.

The report pointed to the need to slow the pace of transition of marines to Guam as well as the need for changes in construction schedules or modification of facilities.