‘CNMI not at fault on less use of federal emergency funds’

The CNMI has no control over the reported minuscule spending of available federal emergency funds totaling $2.2 billion for 2004, according to Gov. Juan N. Babauta.

Recent wire reports said that only 14 percent of the total funds has been spent and that some states, including the CNMI and Guam, “have yet to dip into their 2004 first-responder grants.”

Babauta, during the signing of the CNMI Homeland Security Office bill Monday, said there are various reasons why the money was not flowing from Washington D.C.

One reason, he said, is bureaucratic red tape. “There’s bureaucratic problem. It has nothing to do with the Commonwealth not tapping into these funds,” he said.

In written testimony at a U.S. House Homeland Security subcommittee hearing, Homeland Security Department inspector general J. Richard Berman reportedly said that of $882 million first-responders fund awarded in 2002 and 2003, 19 percent remains unspent.

The DHS official reportedly blamed the spending delay on a wide range of reasons—from incomplete state risk assessments to unclear federal guidance.

The DHS said that it began requiring states last year to submit plans “to ensure that the funding goes toward the greatest needs” and that since 2002, it “has proposed allocating more funds and resources toward risk-based factors.”

Emergency Management Office executive director Rudy Pua said that the CNMI receives $4 million to $5 million grants for homeland protection.

The government said that HMS approved the CNMI’s Homeland Security Plan in May last year, paving the way for $5.8 million funding for fiscal year 2004.

The CNMI government resubmitted its security plan in April last year to the Office of Domestic Preparedness following an initial rejection due to “formatting errors.”

The CNMI’s strategy report was prepared by a consultant, Federated Sector Enterprises Science Applications International Group, represented by former Office of Insular Affairs director Danny Aranza.

The CNMI has said that it anticipates to receive an estimated $40 million in total homeland security funding assistance in the next five years to beef up security measures in the Northern Marianas.

Authorities said these funds would be used to fortify protection of CNMI airports, seaports, power and water generation facilities, training, equipment and exercises.

The CNMI hopes to access a wide variety of homeland security programs from the Transportation Security Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, Energy, Agriculture, Justice, Health and Human Services, and DHS, among others.