OIA Press Releases (2020 to Present)

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Trump Administration Awards $70,198 to East-West Center to Support Pacific Islands Awareness Initiative
Insular Affairs, Press Release
Office of Insular Affairs seal
9/2/2020
DOI/OIA
The Trump Administration announced $70,198 in fiscal year 2020 grant funding provided through the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs’ (OIA) Technical Assistance Program (TAP) to support an East-West Center initiative to highlight the Pacific Islands and the relationship between the Pacific Islands and the United States. 
Trump Administration Awards $884,978 to Support Students from U.S. Territories and Freely Associated States
Insular Affairs, Press Release
Close Up Foundation and Micronesia Conservation Trust logos
9/1/2020
DOI/OIA
$884,978 in fiscal year 2020 grant funding will be provided through the Office of Insular Affairs’ (OIA) Technical Assistance Program (TAP) to support students from the U.S. territories and freely associated states through civic education and the Micronesia Conservation Trust.
Trump Administration Awards $250,000 to Mitigate Compact Migration in Hawaii through We Are Oceania
Insular Affairs, Press Release
We Are Oceania logo
9/1/2020
DOI/OIA
The Trump Administration announced $250,000 in fiscal year 2020 grant funding provided through the Office of Insular Affairs’ (OIA) Technical Assistance Program (TAP) to support We are Oceania, a one-stop service shop in Honolulu that provides services to migrants from the freely associated states.
Interior Applauds 2020 Virtual Conference of the Association of Pacific Islands Public Auditors
Insular Affairs, Press Release
Photo collage of APIPA participants
8/31/2020
Assistant Secretary Domenech and the team at the Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) applaud the Association of Pacific Islands Public Auditors (APIPA) for completing their 31st annual conference, held virtually from August 3 to 14, 2020, despite challenges imposed by the coronavirus and travel restrictions.
Trump Administration Awards $4,516,535 in Maintenance Assistance Grants to U.S. Territories and Freely Associated States
Insular Affairs, Press Release
Office of Insular Affairs seal
8/28/2020
DOI/OIA
The Trump Administration announced $4,516,535 in fiscal year 2020 grant funding provided through the Office of Insular Affairs’ Maintenance Assistance Program to support the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the freely associated states of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), and the Republic of Palau.
JEMCO Approves $62 Million in Compact Funding for Fiscal Year 2021 Government Operations in the Federated States of Micronesia
Insular Affairs, Press Release
Micronesia flag
8/25/2020
The bilateral Joint Economic Management Committee (JEMCO) of the United States and the Federated States of Micronesia concluded its annual meeting and approved a total of $62,968,281 in Compact of Free Association funding for fiscal year 2021 for the FSM. 
Interior Announces New Guam Field Representative
Insular Affairs, Press Release
Department of the Interior bison seal set against green mountainous background.
8/14/2020
DOI Assistant Secretary, Insular and International Affairs, Douglas W. Domenech has announced that a long-vacant, federal position on Guam – the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) Guam Field Representative – has now been filled.  
Trump Administration Awards $844,131 in Grants to Support the Republic of Palau
Insular Affairs, Press Release
Palau Flag
8/11/2020
The Trump Administration announced $844,131 in fiscal year 2020 grant funding provided through the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs’ (OIA) Technical Assistance Program (TAP) to support the Republic of Palau. 
Trump Administration Awards $2.5 Million in Grants to Support the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Insular Affairs, Press Release
Flag of the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands
8/11/2020
The Trump Administration announced $2,571,650 in fiscal year 2020 grant funding to support the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). Funds will be used to strengthen firefighting capacity, bolster law enforcement, fund a prevailing wage study, and generally support government operations and public services on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota in the CNMI.
Trump Administration Awards $644,063 in Grants to Support Marshall Islands Communities
Insular Affairs, Press Release
Flag of the Republic of the Marshall Islands
8/11/2020
The Trump Administration announced $644,063 in fiscal year 2020 grant funding to provide reliable energy systems for two remote atoll local governments in the RMI, and to bolster services available to the Marshallese community residing in Northwest Arkansas. Funds are provided through the Office of Insular Affairs’ (OIA) Technical Assistance Program.
Bureau of Reclamation Engineers Complete Water Treatment Assessment Report for Palau Public Utilities Corporation
Insular Affairs, Press Release
The Ngatpang Mechebechubel Water Treatment Plant
8/6/2020
The Bureau of Reclamation has completed a preliminary water assessment report to help improve water treatment facilities in the Republic of Palau. The team prepared a work plan and budget to develop alternatives for process and equipment modifications needed to comply with drinking water standards and to address other issues, such as capacity and aging infrastructure. 
OP-ED: Federal government has helped GovGuam in pandemic
Guam, Insular Affairs, Press Release
Pacific Daily News, part of the USA Today network
8/3/2020
As of July 2020, the Trump Administration, with the support of Congress, has provided over $355 million in support for Guam through the Department of the Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs (OIA). 
Trump Administration Approves Use of $7 Million in Compact Funding to Support Palau Telecommunications Security and Resiliency
Insular Affairs, Press Release
Palau flag
7/31/2020
The Trump Administration, through the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), has approved the use of $7 million in United States grant assistance funding made available under the Palau Compact Review Agreement to support a second sub-marine, fiber-optic cable spur connecting Palau to the ECHO cable network.
Federal Match Requirement Waived by Trump Administration Allows the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands to Use $366,000 for Local Infrastructure
Northern Marianas Islands, Insular Affairs, Press Release
Flag of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
7/30/2020
DOI Assistant Secretary, Insular and International Affairs, Douglas W. Domenech has approved the redirection of $366,000 in fiscal year 2019 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) funding provided last year to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) to now be used for infrastructure development in the territory.
Trump Administration Awards $3 Million in Grants to Support the U.S. Virgin Islands
Virgin Islands, Insular Affairs, Press Release
U.S. Virgin Islands flag
7/28/2020
The Trump Administration announced $3,036,291 in fiscal year 2020 grant funding to support the U.S. Virgin Islands through the Office of Insular Affairs’ Technical Assistance Program. Funds will be used to streamline government operations, incorporate online payment services for taxpayers, and improve the management and utilization of federal grants in the territory. 

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