Previous Story
DOI: Submit 2007 CIP funding request
|
Posted on Jun 22 2005
The Department of the Interior is now asking the CNMI government to submit its 2007 capital improvement projects on or before Aug. 1.
Office of Insular Affairs acting deputy assistant secretary Nikolao Pula, in a June 15 letter to Gov. Juan N. Babauta, said that this year’s schedule “requires a shorter turnaround than last year.”
“I understand the challenges this schedules place on you and your staff and appreciate your efforts to meet these timeframes,” said Pula.
Based on the schedule, the DOI should get the grant proposal by island governments between now and Aug. 1.
The OIA will review the proposal in August and will submit it to the White House (Office of Management and Budget) on Sept. 12. The OMB’s deliberation on the fiscal year 2007 budget takes place in September to December.
The entire FY 2007 budget is submitted to Congress on Feb. 1.
Pula said that the DOI “will adhere to the administration’s directive to fund high-priority initiatives while keeping within fiscal constraints placed on the office.”
As such, he said, the CNMI is asked to develop funding requests “that are within targets for your government.” He also said that projects should comply with the National Environmental Policy Act.
Capital improvement grants for U.S. territories and the CNMI are funded through a $27.7 million mandatory appropriation.
The CNMI gets some $11 million a year of this fund, which is known as Covenant grants.
Under the new 702 agreement, the CNMI’s share increased to $12.4 million per fiscal year.
Other territories get smaller amounts: American Samoa, $10 million; Guam, $3.4 million; and Virgin Islands, $3.4 million.
Under existing federal law, the administration is obligated to request this funding each year and Congress is obligated to appropriate the funds.
CIP funds are used for any capitalized government need such as construction of major infrastructure, acquisition of capitalized equipment and major systems.
