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2 harbor projects get $1.4M funding
Harbor improvement projects on Rota and Tinian will receive funding of $1.4 million—or $700,000 each—for fiscal year 2016.
“The House approved my request for $1.4 million for Rota and Tinian harbor improvements in the FY16 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill we passed on May 1,” Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) said.
According to Sablan, this is the first year of direct funding for the two projects, which will eventually cost about $3 million each.
“On Rota, the Army Corps of Engineers will determine what changes need to be made to the harbor so that ships can get in no matter what the weather condition. This has been a recurring problem for Rota that has at times left the community short of food and other necessities,” Sablan said.
On Tinian, the Army Corps will prepare designs for upgrading the World War II-era breakwater.
“Both projects require a match from the Commonwealth government. There has been a $200,000 waiver of that local match since 1987, but I was able to increase the waiver last year in Public Law 113-121, the Water Resources Reform and Development Act, immediately saving Commonwealth taxpayers $510,000 on this stage of the two harbor projects,” Sablan said.
In the same appropriation bill, the House also agreed to keep funding at current levels for the State Energy Program and the Weatherization Assistance Program, from which the Commonwealth is receiving $195,000 and $160,000, respectively, Sablan said.
