Nikolao Pula, director of the U.S. Office of Insular Affairs, and Janet Creighton, deputy assistant to the president and director of intergovernmental affairs of the White House, are with Domenech.
Also joining them are Tim Petty, Interior deputy assistant secretary for water and science; Tom Murray, senior research scientist of the U.S. Geological Survey; and Larry Broun, Interior’s emergency coordinator.
The officials visited Hawaii and Guam before heading to Saipan.
Press Secretary Charles P. Reyes Jr. said the visiting federal officials are scheduled to meet with the governor on Tuesday.
He said the governor will discuss the CNMI’s need for continued funding for capital improvement projects, geothermal energy and other alternative sources of electricity, borders, and the impact of the federalized minimum wage and immigration system on the islands.
In a statement, Pula said Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne endorses the delegation’s trip to the insular areas.
In Hawaii, Pula said their team met with Gov. Linda Lingle and delivered a $10.5 million grant to the state.
“This grant is for the impact of citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and Palau in Hawaii,” said Pula.
The Interior team will also discuss alternative energy issues with the governor and a proposal to establish volcano monitoring stations in the CNMI and potential geothermal energy.
According to Interior, “The team will discuss and coordinate emergency management issues with local homeland security officials [and] visit area hospitals and discuss the upcoming health summit planned for September with the governors and health care administrators. This is a follow up to Secretary Kempthorne’s interest in improving health care on the islands.”
