Bryan discussed STEP program and storm recovery with acting FEMA regional administrator

Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. met with acting FEMA Regional Administrator David Maurstad and discussed the U.S. Virgin Islands' hurricane recovery, the Sheltering and Temporary Essential Power program and other issues, Government House said during its Jan. 21, 2021 weekly press briefing.

Communications Director Richard Motta Jr. said Maurstad reaffirmed FEMA's commitment to resolving outstanding STEP issues and said the change in presidential administrations would not affect recovery progress.

Motta said Bryan and Maurstad also discussed FEMA eligibility determinations for some storm-damaged roads. He said FEMA had agreed to revisit six sites at the territory's request and reversed earlier decisions that had found some roads ineligible for repairs.

The two also discussed the Conditional Letter of Map Revision application for the Paul E. Joseph Stadium on St. Croix. Motta said Maurstad did not commit to an approval date but said he was familiar with the issue and was expediting the review. Motta said Maurstad toured the site while on St. Croix and that construction remained stalled pending FEMA's review.

At the same briefing, Government House said Bryan and Delegate to Congress Stacey Plaskett were working with the National Park Service to secure additional resources for Buck Island Reef National Monument after a Jan. 10, 2021 incident in which a person was shot during a large gathering. Government House said the National Park Service was sending additional officers from Florida and Puerto Rico while a longer-term solution was pursued, and that a suspect had been arrested.

Health Commissioner Justa Encarnacion said vaccine providers in the territory had administered 4,355 first doses and 294 second doses as of Jan. 21, 2021. She also said the Health Department had not received reports of unexpected or severe adverse effects in the territory tied to a Moderna vaccine batch that had drawn scrutiny in California.

Government House also said Bryan was scheduled to deliver his third State of the Territory address at 7 p.m. on Jan. 25, 2021, from the Legislature on St. Thomas, with in-person attendance limited because of COVID-19 restrictions.

The briefing included updated labor and public-health figures. Government House said the Labor Department had issued 95,150 unemployment-benefit checks totaling $109,965,530 since April 2020. It also said the territory was tracking 115 active COVID-19 cases as of Jan. 21, 2021, with 24 deaths and two hospitalized patients.

Official source: https://www.vi.gov/governor-bryan-meets-with-acting-fema-regional-administrator-to-discuss-step-program-and-hurricane-recovery-progress/