BOARD of Education member Andrew Orsini said on Saturday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency should consider the situation of the CNMI by reassessing the implementation of disaster recovery projects, which include school buildings.
Asked for comment on FEMA’s six-month deadline for the completion of approximately 141 federally funded projects, Orsini said it is concerning, referring to the deadline.
Last month, FEMA Region 9 Administrator Robert Fenton informed Gov. Arnold I. Palacios that, of the $280 million obligated for disaster recovery projects following Super Typhoon Yutu in October 2018, only $154 million had been disbursed, leaving $127 million unused.
Fenton said the CNMI has six months from the date of the letter — April 30, 2025 — to demonstrate progress toward completing the disaster recovery projects; otherwise, the funds will be de-obligated by FEMA.
Public Assistant Officer Patrick Guerrero told Variety that 51 of the 141 projects “are ready to close out, meaning, the work is done, completed or in the process of closing out.”
He said the CNMI has received an extension for the remaining 90 construction projects. Most of these, he said, involve the construction of school buildings.
In an interview on Saturday, Orsini said, “That’s still a lot,” adding that he and other Board of Education members are concerned because “we are going to lose out if we don’t do anything about it.”
At the same time, FEMA needs to reassess our situation here,” Orsini said, noting the shortage of workers — particularly in construction.
“That’s a lot of money to return,” he said, referring to the $127 million in unused FEMA funds.
