Interior’s Jewell co-hosts annual meeting of Interagency Group on Insular Areas

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26 Feb 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) â€" Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Assistant Secretary for Insular Areas Esther Kia’aina on Tuesday joined governors and congressional representatives from each of the U.S. Insular Areas at their annual meeting of the Interagency Group on Insular Affairs or IGIA at the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Co-hosted by Secretary Jewell and White House Intergovernmental Affairs Director Jerry Abramson, this year’s session focused on major issues of importance to the territories, including climate change adaptation, workforce development, tourism, and compact impact aid â€" federal assistance provided as a result of the impact on U.S. jurisdictions by migration from Micronesian nations allied to the United States under Compacts of Free Association. More than 100 participants, including policy-level representatives from federal agencies with program responsibilities in the U.S. Insular Areas, discussed issues and considered interagency collaboration to address these concerns. U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono was also present at the IGIA and spoke about her concerns regarding Compact Impact.

Video interviews of insular leaders participating in the IGIA are available for downloading and free use by island news media at http://ge.tt/6nZfH6B2/v/0?c.

“From forums like the IGIA, to federal assistance and economic development programs, Interior is dedicated to working with our fellow Americans living in American Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands,” said Secretary Jewell. “President Obama and his administration are committed to helping island leaders build strong, dynamic and resilient communities, especially as we address the impacts of climate change, which the islands are already experiencing.”

“The IGIA is the largest annual gathering of federal and island officials here in D.C. that seeks to elevate priority and collective issues of the U.S. territories to the highest levels within our federal government,” said Assistant Secretary Kia’aina. “Moving forward, IGIA will not only be an annual event, but a continuing dialogue among the White House, the Department of the Interior, and other relevant federal agencies on the issues identified prior to and during today’s meeting.”

The insular areas were well represented by their leadership which included U.S. Virgin Islands Gov. Kenneth Mapp; U.S. Virgin Islands Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett; American Samoa Gov. Lolo Moliga; American Samoa Congresswoman Amata Coleman Radewagen; Guam Gov. Eddie Calvo; Guam Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo; and CNMI Lt. Gov. Ralph Torres on behalf of Gov. Eloy Inos. The island governors were also in Washington to attend the annual National Governors Association Conference, and the Western Governors Association Meeting.

This was the fifth meeting of the IGIA since President Obama reestablished the group in 2010 with the White House as Co-Chair to address policies for the U.S. insular territories. Among its duties, the IGIA solicits information from the island governors and other elected officials, develops recommendations to address issues of concern, and advises the President on establishing, modifying and implementing federal policies that advance insular area issues. The work of the IGIA builds on and coordinates interagency collaboration and efforts spearheaded by the Department of the Interior, through its Office of Insular Affairs.

The archived webcast of the IGIA Plenary Session is available at: http://new.livestream.com/usinterior/events/3824237.