Interior Assistant Secretary Domenech and National Park Service Deputy Director Smith to Visit U.S. Virgin Islands

WASHINGTON – U.S. Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary, Insular and International Affairs, Doug Domenech and National Park Service Deputy Director P. Daniel Smith will travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) next week to meet with Governor Albert Bryan, Jr. and other U.S. VI officials including U.S. Attorney Gretchen Shappert. Discussions are expected to cover a range of issues such as disaster recovery efforts, projects funded by the Office of Insular Affairs, and issues impacting the National Parks in the territory.

They will meet with Director of the Joint Federal Office for the FEMA Disaster Recovery Office Jacqueline Heyliger for an overview on the progress of disaster recovery efforts in the territory. A meeting is also scheduled with Director of the Virgin Islands Office of Disaster Recovery (ODR) Adrienne Williams. The ODR was established to provide critical financial management coordination across each agency and organization receiving disaster recovery funds as a result of impacts and damage caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017. In 2018, Interior announced $3 million in supplemental disaster relief funds to establish this office.

While in the territory next week from June 2 - 5, Assistant Secretary Domenech will be signing several FY 2019 grants over to Governor Bryan for the benefit of the territory. The funds will provide assistance in a variety of areas, ranging from road rehabilitation in historic neighborhoods, to maintenance and repair at schools and historic buildings, to assistance for an upcoming health innovation summit.

The Assistant Secretary, Insular and International Affairs, and the Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) carry out the Secretary of the Interior’s responsibilities for the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Additionally, OIA administers and oversees federal assistance under the Compacts of Free Association to the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau.

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