CNMI awarded $364K for customs and biosecurity facility architectural, engineering design

Vanitha Sivarajan, an ecologist with the U.S. Department of the Interior, announced that the Office of Insular Affairs has recently awarded about $364,000 for an architectural and engineering design for a customs and biosecurity facility in Saipan.

Sivarajan shared the news on the first day of the CNMI Biosecurity and National Security Forum held at the Crowne Plaza Resort Saipan this week.

She said, “This is all thanks to Governor Apotang for prioritizing this as a capital infrastructure project for the Fiscal Year 26.”

“The new facility is going to help in meeting the challenges of increased import activity, expanding staffing for customs and biosecurity, and the growing threat of invasive species with increased boat storage and inspection base for customs and inspection,” she explained.

She said the Office of Insular Affairs continues to make biosecurity a priority with federal funding for another similar forum in the future and more regional biosecurity events.