OIA Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Funding

Background
The Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) is seeking proposals for Fiscal Year 2024 to fund activities that align with the Department of the Interior's Ecosystem Restoration Program Guiding Principles. The funding will benefit American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The activities include addressing invasive species, revegetating mined lands, implementing a native seed strategy for rehabilitation and restoration, and advancing the National Early Detection and Rapid Response Framework.

Grant Details
The grant aims to fund projects that focus on preventing, detecting, and eradicating invasive species in the U.S. Territories. It includes supporting biosecurity measures at points of entry and funding high priority biosecurity projects such as research facilities, cargo inspection facilities, emergency response capacity, training, tools, equipment, and community outreach components.
Additionally, it will support the restoration of native vegetation and mitigation of environmental hazards from sand, coral, or gravel mines on Federal and non-Federal land. The grant also seeks to establish a national revegetation effort on Federal and non-Federal land by implementing the National Seed Strategy for Rehabilitation and Restoration.
Furthermore, it will fund early detection surveillance efforts for high priority invasive species not yet affecting the U.S. Territories to protect priority assets from new infestations.

Eligibility Requirements
Eligible applicants include local government agencies (including local hospitals/health centers and utilities) and institutions of higher education in Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; as well as non-profit organizations whose mission directly benefits these insular areas in accordance with regulations contained in 2 CFR 200.444. OIA cannot provide funding to the Judicial branch of local governments.

Grant Value
$6,009,607 is the estimated total funding available for this grant opportunity. The expected number of awards is 10 with specific allocations for each activity: Invasive Species - $1,650,602; Revegetate Mined Lands - $2,048,569; Native Seed Strategy for Rehabilitation and Restoration - $1,910,436; Early Detection Surveillance for Asset Protection - $400,000 ($100,000 per territory). The type of award is a Grant (G).