Interior Department announces $11 million for American Samoa and Guam in capital infrastructure funds

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) has awarded $10,280,000 in Capital Improvement Project (CIP) grants to American Samoa for fiscal year (FY) 2021 and an additional $1,577,596 in FY2021 CIP grants for Guam. CIP funds are used to address a variety of infrastructure needs in the U.S. territories, including critical infrastructure such as hospitals, schools, wastewater and solid waste systems, but can also be leveraged as local matching funds for other federal grant programs related to disaster recovery.

“This program provides critical support to the territorial governors who have prioritized their most critical public infrastructure needs,” said Keone Nakoa, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Insular and International Affairs. “The Biden-Harris administration is pleased to support and strengthen opportunities for economic development, efforts to address climate change and investments in health care for families in the territories.”

American Samoa’s fiscal year 2021 CIP grants will be awarded as follows:

• Department of Public Works - Road repair and maintenance, drainage and retaining wall - $1,400,000
• Lyndon B. Johnson Tropical Medical Center Labor and Delivery continuing renovations - $1,200,000
• American Samoa Shipyard Services Authority supplemental funding for the ongoing restoration to the 3000-ton slipway - $1,200,000
• American Samoa Telecommunications Authority fiber-optic cable repair and maintenance at Aunu’u and Manua - $1,000,000
• Department of Port Authority maintenance and repairs at airport lounge and overhang - $1,000,000
• Lyndon B. Johnson Tropical Medical Center four ambulances - $1,000,000
• American Samoa Power Authority four rear-loading garbage trucks - $1,000,000
• Department of Public Works heavy equipment including specialized loaders, trucks, and excavators - $1,000,000
• Department of Public Safety four quick-attack fire trucks - $966,000
• American Samoa Government Operations and Maintenance set-aside funding for project maintenance - $514,000

Guam will receive an additional $1,577,596 in fiscal year 2021 CIP grants as follows:

• Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center Talafofo Cottage architectural and engineering fees - $678,000
• Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center New Beginnings Drug and Alcohol Facility renovation and construction - $899,596

The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands’ CIP fiscal year 2021 grant funding totaling $9,082,000 was announced earlier for the CNMI government. Fiscal year 2021 funds will support deferred maintenance in schools, health care facility maintenance, and stormwater management.

Guam’s CIP funds for fiscal year 2021 total $5,578,000 which includes an additional $4,000,000 that was announced earlier for the Guam government. The funds announced earlier will support deferred maintenance in schools and architectural and engineering design and site improvements for the proposed Guam Environmental Protection Agency building.

The U.S. Virgin Islands’ CIP grant funding totaling $2,780,000 was announced earlier for the U.S. Virgin Islands government. Fiscal year 2021 funds will be used for road repair, maintenance of a wastewater treatment plant, and acquisition of four quick response vehicles. 

For more information about CIP funding from the Office of Insular Affairs see the budget on the OIA website at https://www.doi.gov/sites/doi.gov/files/fy2022-oia-budget-justification.pdf.

The Assistant Secretary, Insular and International Affairs, @InsularAffairs, and the Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) carry out the Secretary of the Interior’s responsibilities for the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Additionally, OIA administers and oversees federal assistance under the Compacts of Free Association to the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau. OIA also administers a Technical Assistance Program with funding provided by Congress for all the insular areas. Find OIA on www.doi.gov/oia. You can also follow and “like” OIA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or subscribe to the OIA YouTube Channel.

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