This bill directs how certain annual capital-improvement funds tied to the Covenant with the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (as of the agreement now in effect) must be allocated beginning in fiscal year 2027. Each year $15,000,000 of those available capital project funds is set aside for the Commonwealth. Up to $3,000,000 of that amount may be used to address immigration, labor, or law enforcement issues. The remainder is for capital projects that modernize, replace, repair, harden, expand, or otherwise improve the Commonwealth's electric energy generation system and related infrastructure (fuel, storage, transmission, distribution, control, communications, and other needed infrastructure).
The Secretary of the Interior must first allow use of funds for immigration, labor, or law enforcement purposes before making funds available for electric system projects. For electric projects, the Secretary must prioritize projects expected to lower or stabilize electricity rates, cut fuel or operating costs, reduce exposure to fuel price swings, improve efficiency, or reduce outages. Those electricity projects must be carried out by, through, or for the benefit of the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation (or a successor public utility). The Secretary may not require local matching funds for those electricity projects. The bill does not change the total yearly amount available to all insular areas under the existing funding agreement. The allocations in this bill stop applying once a successor multi-year funding agreement takes effect; after that, assistance follows the new agreement.
No publicly available information.
No publicly available information.