Northern Mariana Islands seek federal infrastructure support as US military requests greater access

The Northern Mariana Islands has put infrastructure proposals worth more than $12.5 billion before US federal agencies as the military seeks greater access to the territory’s ports, airports and other facilities, RNZ and Public Radio Guam reported on October 12. The proposals remain under consideration; no federal funding award or agreement setting out expanded military access has been announced.

The request concerns facilities used by residents as well as defense operations. Edward Camacho, special assistant to the governor for the Commonwealth Bureau of Military Affairs, told RNZ that the military is asking for access and that more infrastructure work is needed to support expanding US operations in the Western Pacific.

What the $12.5 billion in projects would cover

Public Radio Guam reported that the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands submitted project profiles valued at more than $12.5 billion for federal consideration following an interagency meeting in San Francisco the previous month. That figure describes proposed projects, rather than money Congress or federal agencies have approved. The projects still face agency review, prioritization and longer-term policy decisions.

The proposals include replacement of aging power plants on Saipan and Rota, improvements to airports and seaports, water-system work and healthcare repairs, according to RNZ and Public Radio Guam. Public Radio Guam also identified roads among the projects. The range reflects the territory’s reliance on infrastructure that serves civilian needs while also supporting a US military presence.

Commonwealth Ports Authority executive director Esther Ada sought help restoring Rota’s West Harbor, buying cargo-handling equipment and upgrading Saipan port facilities so they can accommodate larger military vessels, RNZ reported. The Commonwealth Utilities Corporation requested support for new power plants and improvements to water infrastructure. Those requests show how the broader package spans transport and basic services.

How the federal discussions reached this point

The San Francisco Interagency Regional Convening brought officials from the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam together with federal agencies to discuss infrastructure and Western Pacific security needs. RNZ and Public Radio Guam said the meeting was organized by the Department of War’s Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation. Henry Hofschneider, the Northern Mariana Islands governor’s chief of staff, led a 20-member delegation, according to Public Radio Guam.

Hofschneider represented Governor David Apatang and said federal officials were receptive to the territory’s requests, RNZ reported. Apatang said the meetings gave agencies a better understanding of the islands’ problems. Public Radio Guam reported that he held a press conference to tell residents about the delegation’s work and how money is spent. Officials’ descriptions of a receptive meeting do not amount to a funding commitment.

Territory representatives also questioned whether existing grant programs fit small island ports. Public Radio Guam reported their concern that such ports compete against large mainland facilities despite major differences in scale and logistics. BJ Nicolas, a policy adviser in the governor’s military affairs office, told RNZ that matching requirements of 25% to 50% on some federal projects are difficult for the territory to meet because of its weak economy.

Why infrastructure costs matter to the islands

Camacho cited successive typhoons, the Covid-19 pandemic and declining tourism among the territory’s economic and infrastructure pressures, RNZ reported. A May 2026 US Government Accountability Office report separately linked the Northern Mariana Islands’ weak economic position to the pandemic, natural disasters, the loss of manufacturing and a diminishing workforce. Those conditions form part of the context for the request for federal help.

The GAO reported that foreign workers made up approximately one in three employed workers in the territory on average from 2020 through 2024. It also found that tourism had struggled to rebound after a 2018 typhoon and the pandemic. The report predates the current infrastructure proposals, but helps explain the economic constraints officials raised during the federal discussions.

What federal agencies may decide next

Nicolas said the San Francisco discussions could lead to activation of a 22-agency Economic Adjustment Committee, which could create funding opportunities or waivers of grant matching requirements. He stressed that activation would require presidential action and was not guaranteed, RNZ reported. The committee therefore remains a possible route for further assistance, not an approved mechanism for these projects.

Camacho told RNZ that federal officials were expected to issue a report on possible next steps by mid-to-late November 2026. Until agencies respond, the amount of support, the projects they might prioritize and the precise scope of any additional military access remain unresolved. The current development is the submission and discussion of proposals alongside a request for access, rather than a completed exchange of funding for facilities.