OIA Press Releases (2020 to Present)

Interior Redirects $1,640,000 to Repair American Samoa’s Manu’atele Ferry

04/21/2020

Assistant Secretary Domenech today announced $1,640,000 in redirected Capital Improvement Project (CIP) funds to the American Samoa Government to make emergency repairs to the M.V. Manu’atele Ferry. The ferry, one of the main transports for passengers and cargo between the capital island of Tutuila and the Manua Islands, was damaged during recent storms and is no longer in service. 

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Interior Invites Territories and Freely Associated States to Submit Requests for Funding under CARES Act

04/13/2020

Assistant Secretary Domenech formally invites the Governors of the territories and the Presidents of the freely associated states (FAS) to submit requests for funding made available through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The $55 million in emergency relief funding is available to the territories and the FAS to prepare, prevent, and respond to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

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Interior Provides $858,924 to Procure GeneXpert COVID-19 Testing Kits and Machine for the U.S. Pacific Territories and Freely Associated States

03/26/2020

Assistant Secretary Domenech announced $858,924 in Technical Assistance Program (TAP) emergency grant funding to the Pacific Island Health Officers Association (PIHOA) to procure GeneXpert testing kits and a machine for the U.S. Pacific territories and freely associated states so that they may now conduct on-island testing during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic

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Energizing Insular Communities Program Funding Now Open for Applications from U.S. Territories

03/25/2020

Proposals are now being accepted for the Energizing Insular Communities (EIC) program funding for fiscal year (FY) 2020. Those eligible to apply are local government entities, independent authorities, and educational institutions located in the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The deadline is June 15, 2020.

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