ARRA Overview
The Recovery Act signed into law by President Obama on February 17th, 2009 includes measures to modernize our island's infrastructure, enhance energy independence, expand educational opportunities, preserve and improve affordable health care, provide tax relief, and protect those in greatest need.
The purpose of the AARA is to quickly move money into CNMI's economy, create and save jobs, as well as make critical investments in key areas such as energy infrastructure and efficiency measures, broadband communications, basic infrastructure like roads and airports and education. When made correctly, these investments will help stabilize CNMI's economy and assist our efforts to transform our island's economy to one based on human skills, creativity and the capacity to innovate.
The Department of Public Works Division of Energy is proud to announce the eligibility of two of its divisions in available non-competitive grant awards.
Transparency and Accountability
As part of the requirement to ensure transparency and accountability of how taxpayer dollars are being spent on the economic recovery, each project had to meet five crucial objectives. In addition, the Governor had to provide signed certifications and assurances to the U.S. Department of Transportation that the projects meet the necessary requirements to be eligible for federal stimulus funds.
The five primary objectives outlined for federal agencies and the nation’s governors, who are serving as the conduit for funds distributed to their states, ensure that:
- Recovery funds are awarded and distributed in a prompt, fair, and reasonable manner;
- The recipients and uses of all recovery funds are transparent to the public, and that the public benefits of these funds are reported clearly, accurately, and in a timely manner;
- Recovery funds are used for authorized purposes and every step is taken to prevent instances of fraud, waste, error and abuse;
- Projects funded under the recovery legislation avoid unnecessary delays and cost overruns; and,
- Programs meet specific goals and targets, and contribute to improved performance on broad economic indicators
The Federal Department of Energy has awarded the Department of Public Works Division of Energy funding for the Energy and Water Development section of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Below is a list of the programs supported through the ARRA funding including the award amount:
- Weatherization Program - $795,206
- State Energy Program (SEP) - $18,651,000
- Energy Efficiency & Conservation Block Program (EECB) - $9,593,500