The US President Barrack Obama has decided the federal government will cover 100 percent of the hazard mitigation grant program available to the Northern Marianas as a result of Typhoon Soudelor in 2015.
To date the Federal Emergency Management Administration has provided $US49.7 million in grants to individuals and the Commonwealth to recover from Soudelor.
Hazard mitigation grant funds are usually available on a 75 percent Federal and 25 percent local government cost-share basis.
President Obama's decision means the Commonwealth will not have to use any local funds.
