Biden-Harris Administration Focuses on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in First Meeting of the Interagency Group on Insular Areas

Date: Tuesday, February 1, 2022
Contact: Interior_Press@ios.doi.gov

WASHINGTON — Today, the Interagency Group on Insular Areas (IGIA) convened its annual meeting with territorial governors, members of Congress, and top government officials to discuss critical infrastructure needs in the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The session was led by IGIA co-chairs Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and White House Intergovernmental Affairs Director Julie Chavez Rodriguez. They were joined by White House Senior Advisor and Infrastructure Coordinator Mitch Landrieu and Interior Deputy Assistant Secretary for Insular and International Affairs Keone Nakoa.

The IGIA convened to discuss the implementation of President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law throughout the U.S. territories, with presentations led by the Departments of the Interior, Transportation, Energy, Agriculture, Commerce and the Environmental Protection Agency.

The IGIA convenes the leadership of the U.S. territories to advance key issues such as climate change, economic development, energy and infrastructure, health, education, public safety, justice, and other issues as prioritized.

The IGIA was established by Executive Order 13537 in 2010 but has not met since 2020 due to concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.

Participants at the hybrid meeting included agency leadership, congressional staff, and senior White House officials representing:

• Department of the Interior
• White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs
• Department of Agriculture
• Department of Commerce
• Department of Energy
• Environmental Protection Agency
• Department of Transportation
• Department of Treasury
• Department of Veterans Affairs

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