OIA Awards $2.5 Million from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to Enhance Biosecurity and Ecosystem Restoration in the U.S. Territories

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) today announced $2,526,429 in Fiscal Year 2024 funding from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda that will provide the U.S. territories of American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) with vital biosecurity training opportunities and projects that improve island and coastal ecosystem resilience. Assistant Secretary for Insular and International Affairs Carmen G. Cantor made the announcement today during a Communities in Action: Building a Better Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands event at the White House. 
“Funds provided under the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continue to make significant investments in the territories,” said Assistant Secretary for Insular and International Affairs Cantor. “Bipartisan Infrastructure Law projects awarded will enhance biosecurity and strengthen efforts to mitigate the impacts of invasive species, and bolster ecosystem resilience by restoring natural processes and using nature-based solutions to protect coastal, coral, and island ecosystems in our Pacific and Caribbean territories.”
The funding comes from Phase 3 of the Interior Department's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law-funded Ecosystem Restoration Program. Through President Biden’s the Investing in America agenda, the Department is stewarding an overall $2 billion over five years in new investments to put people to work restoring our nation’s lands and waters. To guide these historic investments, and in support of the President’s America the Beautiful initiative, the Department unveiled the Restoration and Resilience Framework to catalyze coordination and drive transformational outcomes across new and existing restoration programs and initiatives.
These grants are designed to strengthen local capacity in biosecurity measures, promote the protection and restoration of biologically rich and culturally significant island and coastal ecosystems, and enhance community resilience against invasive species and environmental degradation.  The selected projects encompass a range of activities aimed at educating stakeholders, outreach to youth, protecting shorelines and infrastructure from erosion and storms and restoring native ecosystem functions.
The current projects and programs awarded with FY2024 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds include:
Enhancing Biosecurity and Mitigating Invasive Species Impacts

• $497,846 to the Government of Guam to establish a Marine Biosecurity Coordinator position and develop a surveillance and response plan for marine invasive species in Apra Harbor.
• $422,162 to the American Samoa Government for the development of fumigation and incineration capacity on-island to address critical biosecurity gaps. Funds will also support on-island biosecurity training, featuring national and international experts.
• $71,417 to the CNMI Department of Lands and Natural Resources for on-island biosecurity training in Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.
• $50,000 to the University of Guam for on-island biosecurity training and a workshop focused on emergency response planning and invasive species management.
• $48,866 will be provided for invasive species experts from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to provide biosecurity training to the territories.

Environmental Restoration Initiatives
The following projects will be used to strengthen and restore coral reef eco-systems which are critical to protect from storm surge, mitigate erosion, food security and the tourism industry.

• $999,431 to Coral Restoration Foundation, Inc. to expand coral restoration efforts on St. Croix in the USVI.
• $406,707 to The Nature Conservancy to restore historically mined coral reefs on St. Croix in the USVI.
• $30,000 to the Caribbean Oceanic Restoration and Education Foundation for coral nursery operations and community engagement initiatives.

Applications for FY2024 BIL funding may still be submitted for consideration through Grants.gov (assistance listing #15.875) until October 31, 2024. The final awards for FY2024 BIL funding will be announced later this year.

More information about these and other funding provided to the Insular Areas through OIA may be found at www.doi.gov/oia. 

The Assistant Secretary for 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. 

###