OIA Press Releases (2020 to Present)

Interior Provides $1 Million in Grants for Natural and Cultural Resource Protection in the U.S. Island Areas

07/19/2017

WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 19, 2017) – Interior Acting Assistant Secretary for Insular Areas Nikolao Pula has made available $1,003,787 for natural and cultural resource protection in the U.S. Insular Areas.  The funds will support a wide variety of initiatives which include watershed management, GIS skills development, radar monitoring and marine protected areas surveillance, youth education in conservation management, and environmental law-enforcement training.  These projects support sustainable use of natural and cultural resources in the U.S. territories and freely associated states.

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Interior Provides $4 Million to Help U.S. Island Territories Eradicate Invasive Species

07/17/2017

This week Interior Acting Assistant Secretary Nikolao Pula has made available approximately $4 million for several invasive species prevention and control initiatives in the U.S. Insular Areas.  Funding has been provided to continue support in controlling the brown tree snake; to combat infestations of the Lopa tree; to reduce impacts of invasive birds and restore wetland areas; and to combat infestations of the little fire ant.

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Interior Provides $250,000 in Technical Assistance Grant Funding to the U.S. Virgin Islands for New CPI

07/11/2017

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – (July 11, 2017) The Department of the Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs has awarded the U.S. Virgin Islands a $250,000 grant for the development and implementation of a 2017 Consumer Price Index (CPI).  U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke presented the grant award to Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands Kenneth E. Mapp during their meeting at Interior Headquarters on Monday. Secretary Zinke met previously with Governor Mapp during the USVI Centennial Commemoration in March.

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Interior Provides Nearly $ 1 Million in FY 2017 Grant Funding to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

07/06/2017

WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 6, 2017) – This week Interior Acting Assistant Secretary Nikolao Pula has made available $994,711 to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) to improve water distribution, waste management, and hospital billing services. One grant was provided for a joint government/non-profit partnership to improve efforts in addressing and prosecuting sexual violence cases.

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FSM and U.S. Officials Lift Suspension on Compact Public Infrastructure Grant Funding

06/30/2017

HONOLULU, HI (June 30, 2017) – Delegations representing the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and the United States of America (U.S.) reached an agreement that enables $150 million of public infrastructure assistance to be used for projects across the four FSM states of Chuuk, Pohnpei, Yap, and Kosrae, as provided for under U.S. Public Law 108-188 or the Compact of Free Association, as amended.

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Interior Provides Guam with FY 2017 Grant Funding

06/27/2017

WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 23, 2017) – This week Interior Acting Assistant Secretary for Insular Areas Nikolao Pula made available $516,031 from Technical Assistance grant funding for the benefit of several programs that are identified as priority needs by Guam Governor Eddie Calvo. 

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Secretary Zinke Announces $3.5 Million in Energy Grants for American Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianas and U.S. Virgin Islands

06/27/2017

WHITEFISH, MT (June 27, 2017) – U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke today informed American Samoa Governor Lolo Moliga, Guam Governor Eddie Calvo, and Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) Governor Ralph DLG Torres that he has approved a total of $3,489,427 in energy grants for their respective territories. The Secretary and the Governors were attending the Western Governors Association meeting in Montana.  In addition the Secretary announced energy grants for the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI).  

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U.S. Provided $34.8 Million in Compact Grants to the Federated States of Micronesia for First Half of Fiscal Year 2017

06/21/2017

WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 21, 2017) – In compliance with the Compact of Free Association agreement (Compact) between the United States and the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), the U.S. Department of the Interior has remitted $34.8 million in assistance for the benefit of the people and government of the FSM for the first half of fiscal year 2017.  An additional deposit of $29.5 million was made to the Trust Fund for the People of the Federated States of Micronesia at the beginning of the fiscal year and $500,000 was provided for the annual single audit, as required under U.S. Public Law 108-188.

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Interior Releases $7.8 Million in Remaining FY2017 Operational Funding for American Samoa

06/12/2017

WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 12, 2017) – This week the Office of Insular Affairs released $7.8 million remaining in grant assistance for fiscal year 2017 to the American Samoa Government through the Office of Insular Affairs’ (OIA) Operations Grant Program. These funds are what remained of the annual $22.75 million needed to support the daily operations of the American Samoa Government, the LBJ Tropical Medical Center, the American Samoa Community College, and the High Court of American Samoa. The purpose of this program, as mandated by Congress, is to fund the difference between budget needs and local revenue and remains constant each year to support government operations.

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