(Office of the CNMI Congressional Delegate) — U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan announced Thursday that $5.8 million in funding Congress provided in Coronavirus Relief and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2020 has been awarded to the Commonwealth Ports Authority. The seven separate grants are directed at the extraordinary costs to Marianas airports as a result of the coronavirus and to helping CPA meet other financial obligations made difficult by revenue loss as the pandemic has stretched on.
Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan
“Because we are unconnected by road or rail to the rest of the world, our airports are especially important to the economy and daily life of the Marianas,” Congressman Sablan said.
“Congress has provided these relief funds to the Commonwealth Ports Authority to deal with the current economic crisis and I look forward to more investments in airports and all our transportation infrastructure as Congress begins work on the President’s plan to Build Back Better.”
The four grants awarded today for costs related to operations, personnel, cleaning, sanitization, janitorial services, debt service payments, and combating the spread of pathogens are:
• $3,663,838 for the Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport,
• $9,000 for the Pagan airstrip,
• $1,014,015 for the Tinian Airport,
• $1,003,863 for the Benjamin Taisacan Manglona Airport on Rota.
Three other grants were awarded to provide economic relief from rent and minimum annual guarantees to on-airport car rental, on-airport parking, and in-terminal concessions located at Marianas airports. They are:
• $8,836 for the Tinian Airport,
• $2,436 for the Benjamin Taisacan Manglona Airport on Rota,
• $121,975 for Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport.
The funds are disbursed by the Federal Aviation Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation.
