CNMI awarded nearly half-a billion dollars in federal aid

Three years after Super Typhoon Yutu’s massive devastation on Saipan and Tinian in October 2018, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has already awarded the CNMI a total of 234 project worksheets amounting $307.16 million under the Public Assistance Program and $80 million for Hazard Mitigation Projects throughout the Commonwealth, and received $93 million in Community Disaster Loan.

In response to Saipan Tribune’s request for updated information about the CNMI’s recovery efforts after Yutu’s destruction, Virginia C. Villagomez, the Governor’s Authorized Representative on Yutu, said Friday that one example of the CNMI’s recovery relates to housing infrastructure. She said eligible survivors were fortunate to have FEMAs Permanent Home Construction Program activated within 30 days of Yutu’s destruction.

Under the PHC Program, eligible survivors will receive a fully concrete brand-new home equipped with typhoon shutters, a 420-gallon water tank and a generator hookup, while survivors eligible for a repaired home will receive a mitigated semi-concrete home equipped with typhoon shutters.

Villagomez

Villagomez said of the 288 homes to be delivered by late summer of 2022, FEMA has already completed and returned 134 new and repaired homes back to survivors—at no cost to them.

She said the PHC Program will ultimately provide a safe, sanitary, and secure dwelling for a lifetime.

Of the 288 homes lined up under the PHC Program, 266 homes are for eligible survivors on Saipan and 22 homes for Tinian.

On the $307.16 million under the Public Assistance Program, Villagomez said $89 million was awarded to the Commonwealth Utilities Corp., $61 million to the Public School System, and $40 million to the Northern Marianas College for the repairs and replacement of damaged school and college facilities. The rest of the money was used for debris removal and emergency protective measures, road repairs, repairs and replacement of damaged public utilities, utilities infrastructure and damage to parks.

Villagomez said $40 million was also awarded to Homeland Security for emergency response, including the temporary classrooms at NMC and PSS, and $15.3 million to the Municipality of Tinian and Aguiguan.

On the $80 million for Hazard Mitigation Projects, Villagomez said project applications were submitted to FEMA for review, which included the underground power transmission from the Commonwealth Health Center in Garapan to CUC’s Power Plant 1 in Lower Base, replacement of wooden power poles with concrete poles on Tinian and Rota, and other flood mitigation and storm shutter projects on Saipan.

As for the CNMI’s $93 million Community Disaster Loan, Villagomez said this loan has already been forgiven by the federal government.

She said such a loan is available to state governments adversely affected by a major disaster and provides operational funding so they could continue to operate after a substantial loss of revenues caused by the disaster.

The CNMI received the loan on April 16, 2021. On Sept. 30, 2021, the U.S. Congress passed a bill to cancel or forgive all outstanding disaster loans issued prior to Sept. 30, 2021. On that same day, Sept. 30, 2021, President Joe Biden signed the House bill into Public Law 117-43.

Villagomez said FEMA’s deputy director for Operations under the Public Assistance Division later confirmed the cancellation or forgiveness of the loan.

Moving forward and critical to the Commonwealth are its lifeline infrastructure, water, power, ports, hospital, communications, housing, and first responders, Villagomez said.

“We learned and gained from the experiences and worked our way toward improving our infrastructure [and] our systems,” she said.

She said the CNMI’s agility to act is critical as this will lessen the negative impacts. “Hence, we must cultivate the resources that became available to help shape our recovery,” she added.

Villagomez acknowledged FEMA Region IX regional administrator Robert J. Fenton Jr. for his leadership and support to the Commonwealth and for the continued presence of FEMA representatives on the ground, ensuring that a home is delivered back to every eligible survivor.