$216M unspent American Rescue Plan funds for Guam: Where the governor plans to use them

Guam so far received nearly $602 million in federal American Rescue Plan funds meant for COVID-19 pandemic response and economic recovery, of which $216 million or 36% remains unspent as of April 30. Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero must obligate all the ARP funds by Dec. 31, 2024 — seven months from now. The deadline to spend obligated funds is December 2026 or shortly before she leaves Adelup, and any unused ARP funds must be returned to the U.S. Treasury. The governor’s list of planned ARP funding priorities and amount of allocations is not set in stone, with new projects and programs constantly added or changed. One new item, for example, is a $5 million allocation for the Guam Fire Department’s Sinajana fire station renovation. The amount remains unspent.
Pacific Daily News

Follow-up: Prevalent arson problem on Guam prompts wildfire investigation training

Every year, about three to five percent of Guam burns. But why is fire so prevalent on our tiny island? “The fire problem on Guam--all of our ignitions are human caused,” said Agriculture’s Forestry and Soil Resource Chief Christine Camacho Fejeran. “It could be drug related, it could be poaching activities, but really it comes down to the fact that we have an arson problem on the island,” she said. It’s a pattern of arson that Camacho Fejeran has noted. However, today’s fire is just a set-up. “If you find evidence, notify law enforcement,” she said. Part of a national course taught by the USDA Forest Service is boots on the ground training for those tasked to investigate the blaze and arrest those responsible, like police officer Darrell Cabrera.
KUAM News