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Fitial wants to re-form panels for grants
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Posted on Jan 26 2006
Gov. Benigno R. Fitial has asked 12 agencies to cooperate in re-establishing four committees needed to handle federal grants the Commonwealth receives from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The committees are the Response Activity Coordinators Team, Hazard Mitigation Committee, Terrorism Advisory Board, and the Terrorism Task Force.
“This is to request your assistance in re-establishing several committees under our new administration needed to carry out many emergency management program requirements of federal grants we receive from the [DHS and FEMA]. These committees are urgently needed to carry on and complete many ongoing projects and activities before deadlines under there programs,” Fitial said in a memorandum.
The document was addressed to the Attorney General, the secretaries of Public Safety, Public Works, Community and Cultural Affairs, Finance, Public Health, and Lands and Natural Resources, director of the Division of Environmental Quality, director of Coastal Resources Management, special assistant for administration, special assistant for homeland security, and the press secretary.
The governor asked each official to provide, for each committee, at least two alternate representatives who are authorized to make decisions on behalf of the agency.
The Response Activity Coordinators Team implements the CNMI Emergency Operations Plan and coordinates interagency response and recovery activities of local, state and federal agencies to any major emergency or disaster in the Commonwealth.
The Hazard Mitigation Committee is responsible for complying with the requirements of the Disaster Mitigation Act, seeking funding under the Pre-Disaster Mitigation Competitive Grant Program, and Post-Disaster Hazard Mitigation Program.
The CNMI Homeland Security Act of 2005 also requires the creation of a Terrorism Advisory Board and a Terrorism Task Force to oversee the development of the CNMI Homeland Security Program. (Agnes E. Donato)
