OIA Press Releases (2020 to Present)

Department of the Interior bison seal set against green mountainous background.

Retired Army Colonel Joins Interior’s Insular Affairs Team as Field Representative in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

01/08/2015

Washington, D.C. – The Department of the Interior’s Assistant Secretary for Insular Areas Esther Kia’aina today announced the selection of retired U.S. Army Colonel Harry Camacho Blanco, who was born and raised in the Northern Marianas Islands, to serve as the Office of Insular Affairs Field Representative in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). Colonel Blanco is the first person from the Northern Marianas to achieve the rank of Colonel in the U.S. Army, and was the CNMI’s highest-ranking Army officer.

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Department of the Interior bison seal set against green mountainous background.

Interior Assistant Secretary Approves $269,000 in Funds for Infrastructure Improvements to Northern Marianas College

09/26/2014

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Interior Assistant Secretary for Insular Areas Esther Kia’aina today announced $269,172 in grant assistance to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) through the Office of Insular Affairs’ (OIA) Capital Improvement Project (CIP) program to completely renovate existing classroom and office buildings at the Northern Marianas College (NMC) and thereby provide a more conducive environment for learning.

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