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$700,000 grant funds approved for NMI
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Posted on Jun 02 2008
The U.S. Office of Insular Affairs has approved federal grants worth over $700,000 for the Northern Marianas.
Gov. Benigno R. Fitial, who met with the federal officials during a recent trip to the States, announced yesterday that the CNMI would receive federal grants for four programs.
OIA will release $360,000 for an organizational review at the Commonwealth Health Center, $220,000 for the CNMI’s geothermal power project, $105,000 for the Saipan Zoning Board, and $50,000 for a study of the Commonwealth’s economy.
The Fitial administration welcomed the federal aid. “This is good news for the commonwealth,” said press secretary Charles P. Reyes Jr.
He said the CHC funds would assist in streamlining the Commonwealth’s only hospital and preparing it for future autonomy.
The federal money is also seen to boost efforts to reduce the Northern Marianas’ reliance on fossil fuel by developing a geothermal power plant in Pagan. The governor has hired Dr. James E. Quick, a volcano expert that previously worked at U.S. Geological Survey, to study the feasibility of geothermal power for the Commonwealth.
Further, the aid is expected to help the Zoning Board in implementing the new zoning law and in making the Garapan business district more family-oriented.
Richard A. Pierce, the governor’s special assistant for trade relations and economic affairs, said the $50,000 grant is for the extra work required of the economists who are conducting a study of the CNMI economy. The federally funded study has been expanded to include the recent enactment of the immigration “federalization” measure.
Reyes also said the Commonwealth is awaiting the federal government’s approval of a $5.8-million reprogramming request for the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. and Northern Marianas College.
At least $5 million in federal funds was previously reprogrammed to finance the repair of generators at Saipan’s main power plant. NMC, which is on the brink of losing its accreditation, also needs money to meet the requirements set by its accrediting commission.
