Interior Assistant Secretary Domenech Meets with Governor Albert Bryan, Jr. in the U.S. Virgin Islands

CHARLOTTE AMALIE – U.S. Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary, Insular and International Affairs, Doug Domenech met today with U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) Governor Albert Bryan, Jr. and presented him $3,416,806 in FY 2019 grant funding assistance for the benefit of the U.S. territory. Funds are provided through the Capital Improvement Project (CIP) program, the Maintenance Assistance Program (MAP), and the Technical Assistance Program (TAP).

As announced last week, Assistant Secretary Domenech is in the territory with National Park Service Deputy Director P. Daniel Smith meeting with Governor Bryan and other government officials on 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.

The trip to the U.S. Virgin Islands came shortly after President Donald J. Trump proclaimed June 2019 as National Caribbean-American Heritage Month.

“The funding Interior is providing this year will support a range of needs from road rehabilitation in historic neighborhoods, to maintenance and repair at schools and on historic buildings. Funds will also support the health innovation summit and initiatives related to improved health information exchange in the USVI,” said Assistant Secretary Domenech. “We are grateful for Congress’ continued support for the territories and for the positive impacts that these funds are able to provide.” 

The total amount of FY 2019 CIP funds for the U.S. Virgin Islands is $1,864,000. The funds will be used to repair and rehabilitate roads in the historic towns of Fredericksted on St. Croix, Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas, and Cruz Bay and Coral Bay on St. John.

The total amount of FY 2019 MAP Funds for the U.S. Virgin Islands is $502,580. The funds will be used as follows:

• Ivanna Eudora Kean High School, Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) Drill Pad Roof - $202,580 will be used to renovate the JROTC drill pad at the Ivanna Eudora Kean High School in St. Thomas. Improvements will include a new awning to reduce health and safety risks for student cadets during formation, conducting, uniform inspection, or drill routines. 
   
• Division of Libraries, Archives, and Museums - $300,000 will be used to restore and overhaul air conditioning units and generators as well as provide training opportunities for maintenance staff.

The total amount of FY 2019 TAP Funds for the U.S. Virgin Islands is $1,050,226. The funds will be used as follows:

• Office of Management and Budget - $500,000 will be used to procure services of a qualified accounting firm to assist in the reconciliation of the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (SEFA) for Fiscal Year 2018. Contractors will conduct a review of the government’s current federal grant reconciliation process and compliance framework. They will also provide a final gap assessment report that identifies areas of improvement and provides new reconciliation procedures.
   
• Department of Planning & Natural Resources (DPNR) - $270,000 will be used to modernize government services at the DPNR and install a fully integrated case management solution software through a web-based system to provide a fully automated “E-permitting” system. The DPNR is comprised of nine divisions that regulate and enforce local and federal environmental rules and regulations. The new system will streamline operations in permitting, licensing, inspections, cash management, reporting, and other responsibilities across the various divisions.
   
• Economic Development Authority - $100,000 will be used to conduct two feasibility studies to determine the viability of performing minor renovations and critical repairs to infrastructure relative to structures in Christiansted, St. Croix and Garden Street-Upstreet, St. Thomas. The two historic buildings to be assessed are the J. Antonio Jarvis Building (Danish military hospital) and the Barracks Yard (Danish military barracks).
   
• Division of Libraries, Archives, and Museums - $100,000 will be used to reconfigure the entrance ramp at the Fort Christian Historic Landmark to meet requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act and improve access to all persons. Funding will also be used to support a mentorship program for local students interested in museum careers.
   
• National Health IT Collaborative for the Underserved (NHIT) Hack4Health and VI Health Innovation Summit - $80,226 will be used to support a NHIT Hack4Health and Virgin Islands Health Innovation Summit in August. The summit aims to create a Health Information Exchange (HIE) that will bridge the efforts of health stakeholders and working groups to launch initiatives driving towards a comprehensive 21st century health system in the USVI.

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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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