Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs Provides Guam with Recovery Support for Typhoon Mawar Impacts

WASHINGTON – The Department of the Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs today announced $550,000 in additional assistance for recovery and response to the impacts of Typhoon Mawar that hit Guam on May 22, 2023.

“In response to the Governor’s request, we are pleased to provide this additional support for Guam following President Biden’s emergency declaration and thank all of our federal partners for their continued support for supplemental territorial and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from Typhoon Mawar,” said Assistant Secretary for Insular and International Affairs Carmen G. Cantor. “We anticipate that this grant to Guam will provide stability and continuity of services in this current time of need and in the future.”

The announcement comes after Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and Assistant Secretary Cantor traveled to Guam to meet with Governor Lourdes A. Leon Guerrero and Lt. Governor Joshua Tenorio to discuss the island’s ongoing recovery.

The funding awards announced today will meet the following needs:

• $420,000 to purchase a 350 kVA emergency generator and a 10,000-gallon water tank and pump system for the non-congregate shelter in Anigua, Guam.
• $130,000 to procure a security system that includes cameras and alarms for warehouse and storage facilities used to store materials needed to sufficiently respond to the COVID pandemic and other natural and man-made disasters. Funds will also be used to procure a forklift to manage handling and organizing supplies and materials within the shelter.

Similar support in response to Typhoon Mawar was provided to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) and announced by Secretary Haaland during a recent visit to the territories.

The Assistant Secretary of 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. OIA also administers a discretionary Technical Assistance Program for all the Insular Areas. Find information about OIA and its work on www.doi.gov/oia, Facebook, the platform formerly known as Twitter, and YouTube.

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