Sablan named special assistant for newly established climate program
Gov. Arnold I. Palacios has appointed former representative Christina M. Sablan as special assistant for the newly-created Climate Policy and Planning Program that tasks her with helping craft policy that will move the CNMI to a low carbon-footprint economy.
Sablan’s appointment does not require Senate confirmation. She officially started the job on Monday.
Palacios issued last Sept. 21 Directive 2023-008, establishing the federally funded Climate Policy and Planning Program within the Office of the Governor and the position of special assistant for Climate Policy and Planning.
As special assistant, Sablan will assist the governor and the CNMI government to perform and carry out functions and duties necessary for the Commonwealth to develop and implement plans, policies, and strategies to address climate-related threats and inequities, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and move the CNMI to a clean energy, low-carbon economy.
In response to Saipan Tribune’s inquiry about the new position, Sablan, who volunteers as a senior adviser to the Palacios-Apatang administration, said yesterday that the bulk of her time and responsibilities as special assistant will be dedicated to CPP. She said she will be working to develop the CNMI’s action plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and transition the Marianas to clean energy.
Sablan said she worked with the CNMI’s partners to prepare the workplan for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant.
She said the source of funding for the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program is the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.
According to the governor’s directive, the $370 billion IRA includes $5 billion for the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program, including funds set aside specifically for the territories, to support comprehensive plans and priority actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants.
The Office of the Governor was awarded a planning grant, with the first deliverable being a Priority Climate Action Plan, or PCAP, due in April for the territories.
Sablan said the projects identified in the PCAP will then be eligible to compete for implementation funding in the second round of this program.
U.S. Congress and the Biden administration have made $4.6 billion available for implementation nationwide and $300 million will be set aside for the territories and tribes to compete for.
Sablan said EPA will be looking for projects that are innovative, transformative, replicable, and scalable. She said EPA is encouraging collaboration across agencies, sectors, and jurisdictions.
Christina M. Sablan
