Hopwood gets $25.1M, OES gets $2.3M for Yutu repairs

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has officially awarded $25,112,198 for the repairs and replacement of buildings for Admiral Herbert G. Hopwood Middle School and $2,266,788 for the repairs of Oleai Elementary School due to damage sustained from Super Typhoon Yutu in 2018. 

“From the very beginning of the recovery from Super Typhoon Yutu, we worked extremely hard to restore power, water, and essential services for our community. Together with FEMA, we were able to build new homes through the Permanent Housing Construction program and repair damages on existing ones for families who have been severely impacted,” said Gov. Ralph DLG Torres in announcing the grant award last Thursday. “With this latest funding approval, we can continue our work on our hardest hit schools like Hopwood and Oleai so that we can give our students and teachers a great place to learn and grow. We look forward to building new school buildings, repair damaged facilities, and create school campuses that will have the potential to be some of the best in the Pacific. 

“Our administration’s partnership with FEMA and the White House is an important one, and it shows what can be accomplished when we work together for our people. On behalf of the CNMI, Lt. Gov. [Arnold I.] Palacios and I want to thank FEMA Region IX administrator Robert J. Fenton Jr. for advocating for our needs. I also want to thank our [governor’s authorized representative] Virginia Villagomez and our Public Assistance team for making sure we provide the proper justification for our federal partners. This is great news for the Commonwealth, and together, we will continue our work in building a stronger Marianas,” added Torres.

The $25.1 million for Hopwood Middle School will include a full facility replacement of the administrative and library facility, repairs across the whole campus, new electrical, plumbing, and air-conditioning systems, installation of new roofing, windows, doors, and flooring, and the addition of American with Disabilities Act access features such as entrance ramps for people in wheelchairs. 

The $2.3 million for Oleai Elementary School will include replacement of air conditioning units, removal and replacement of lights, walls, doors, and floorings in classrooms, restrooms, and the cafeteria building. 

Villagomez said the CNMI will continue its work on typhoon-related recovery.  “The CNMI will remain firm in its commitment to prioritize mitigation projects that will protect life and property in our community [and] strengthen and improve our mitigation efforts throughout the Commonwealth. We are grateful for all the efforts that FEMA has driven to secure this approval and as partners, we look forward to successfully completing projects benefiting our community,” she said. (PR)