The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands has submitted more than $12.5 billion in infrastructure project profiles for federal consideration following last month’s Interagency Regional Convening in San Francisco, officials said.
Special Assistant for Military Affairs Edward C. Camacho said the figure reflects the value of proposed projects—not approved funding—and stressed that federal agencies urged the CNMI to focus on initiatives that strengthen both civilian services and U.S. defense readiness.
“We were asking for a rescue, and they were listening,” Camacho said.
The CNMI’s submissions span power generation, water security, seaports, airports, healthcare facilities, and roads. Officials told federal partners that aging systems, storm damage, geographic isolation, and limited local revenue make it increasingly difficult to maintain essential services.
The convening, hosted by the Department of War’s Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation, brought CNMI and Guam officials together with multiple federal agencies to discuss how civilian infrastructure investments could align with national security requirements in the Western Pacific.
Gov. David M. Apatang, who remained on Saipan for fiscal year 2027 budget deliberations, said he called last week’s press conference to brief the public on the delegation’s work. His chief of staff, Henry S. Hofschneider, led the 20‑member CNMI delegation.
“So this is going out to our people so they can be well informed as to how we spend the money,” Apatang said.
Hofschneider said federal officials showed strong interest in the Commonwealth’s challenges.
“One of the things that I emphasized that governor wanted to emphasize to our federal partners is that we want them to understand the Commonwealth,” he said. “To understand our constraints and to identify where we can work together.”
CNMI representatives also raised concerns about federal grant structures that place small island ports in direct competition with large mainland facilities, despite major differences in scale and logistics.
Officials described the meetings as preliminary but productive, noting that any future federal support will depend on agency review, prioritization, and long‑term policy decisions.
The governor’s office said the CNMI remains committed to working with federal and regional partners to strengthen community resilience and ensure the islands’ needs are considered as defense activities expand in the Western Pacific.
