Current Projects
Comprehensive Sustainable Development Plan
The Comprehensive Sustainable Development Plan (CSDP) for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) identifies management priorities and provides strategic guidance to support the wise use of the CNMI's resources and to guide the future development. This living document aims to fulfill the mandates of Public Law 20-20 and create a structure that will support an adaptive management approach to achieving sustainability outcomes for the CNMI. In addition to detailing long-term visions, goals, and strategic objectives, the CSDP incorporates key short- and mid-term action items that reflect interagency priorities for efficient use of resources in the CNMI. Supporting guidance incorporates Smart, Safe, Growth principles and performance indicators for each of the seventeen integrated Sustainable Development Goals that have been refined to meet current and future needs in partnership with CNMI's leadership, technical support from government agencies, and stakeholders from the public and private sectors. As detailed further here and in the plan itself, the CSDP is a strategy to guide cross-cutting efforts to achieve one shared mission of building a more sustainable CNMI, guided by four themes, with goals and objectives for seventeen sustainability goals reflecting over twenty “planning elements”. As of 2021, over twenty public meetings and more than 200 public comments have supported the creation of CNMI's first CSDP.
Read more in article here
Baseline Assessment Data Collection Analysis
The Office of Planning and Development is continuing to lead efforts to collect and analyze baseline assessment data to support comprehensive sustainable development planning. The 2019 Resources Report was developed through several rounds of review and public comment periods, and will be updated in 2024 for the next CSDP revision. In this process, community members are asked to review information for accuracy and to flag any gaps or concerns that they would like to see addressed in the “ Resources Report ” which details the current state of the built, natural, and socio-economic resources and highlight needs and next steps for comprehensive sustainable development planning purposes. This data is being used to connect with sustainable development goal indicators to measure needs and track progress towards development goals moving forward.
Smart, Safe Growth in CNMI
Smart, safe growth (SSG) is a set of complementary development strategies and practices focused on improving the resiliency and recoverability of the built environment. This guidance and evaluation tool supports multiple sustainable growth objectives and is a foundational policy document incorporated into the CNMI's Comprehensive Sustainable Development Plan. Trainings and updates are underway to continue to help implement these principles across plans and projects.
You can learn more about SSG and view training materials here.
Coordination for Integrated Watershed Management Planning and Project Implementation
Integrated Watershed Management Planning is a guiding standard of the CNMI's Comprehensive Sustainable Development Plan (CSDP) that reflects management goals and objectives of the Planning and Development Advisory Council's (PDAC) Natural Resources, Built Environment, and Socio-economic planning taskforces -collectively referred to as the “All Planners Taskforces”.
The PDAC and the "All Planners” taskforces meet quarterly and as needed to share planning and project updates and support ongoing coordination to further priority action items identified in the CSDP.
In 2020, the Office of Planning and Development's (OPD) Natural Resources Taskforce members, including the Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality (BECQ) and the Department of Lands and Natural Resources (DLNR), worked together to secure close to $1.7 million in funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) to implement priority projects aimed at building resilience through restoring select wetlands and coral reefs in the Garapan Watershed.
The NFWF Coastal Resilience project builds interagency planning and project implementation capacity with a focus on flood risk reduction and habitat restoration. Project deliverables include tracking interagency engagement, water quality and habitat monitoring, invasive species removal, and enhancement of coral and wetland plant nurseries to support ongoing restoration efforts.
The project is projected to outplant and monitor coral and wetland plants in Garapan, one of Saipan's priority watershed management areas, and is on track to continue through December 2024.Additional watershed planning coordination and priority project implementation continues - for example, in 2023, OPD was awarded funding through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities and CNMI's Hazard Mitigation Project for projects that provide planning support for blighted building remediation on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota, and to assess shoreline management options at Micro Beach on Saipan.
These and other interagency planning and implementation efforts are coordinated through regular meetings of the PDAC and All Planners Taskforces which are posted on the OPD calendar - to learn more or RSVP to attend a meeting please inquire at
Garapan Revitalization
The Garapan Revitalization Plan aims to transform Garapan into a premier family-friendly destination, featuring a wide range of shopping, dining, entertainment, civic and commercial uses in a world-class beach resort setting that is attractive for visitors and residents. The Plan envisions Garapan affirming its claim as the center of economic activity and the heart of the tourism industry for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The Plan aims to reinvigorate the Garapan Revitalization Task Force composed of businesses, residents and government agencies collaborating to alleviate some of the many challenges facing the area.
The Garapan Revitalization Task Force has been reconvened and is a focal area of socio-economic revitalization needs and next steps for Saipan. The Taskforce is updating the 2007 Garapan Revitalization Plan to reflect current needs and priorities. Please check the OPD calendar for upcoming public planning events to support this important revitalization project!
Solid Waste Management Planning for Sustainable Consumption and Production
The Inter-island Solid Waste Taskforce (ISWTF) works to achieve goals set for the CNMI within Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) #12: Sustainable Consumption and Production.
One critical goal under SDG #12 is to, by 2030, divert 50% of recyclables away from the CNMI's waste management facilities. The diverted recyclables will then be composted, reused, or sold to support sustainable waste management systems.
Learn more here.
CNMI Broadband
The CNMI-Broadband project is a communications and capacity-building initiative being supported by the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) Office of Planning and Development. Started in December 2021, CNMI-Broadband project is dedicated to designing and implementing government services for Broadband connectivity and Broadband-related technologies and industries. As expressed by the Comprehensive Sustainable Development Plan, these developing government services will support planning efforts aimed at communications deployment and subsidy programs or community connection hubs to ensure that all residents of Saipan, Tinian, and Rota have in-home access to the internet through broadband or wireless connection by 2030. In April of 2023, the CNMI's Broadband Policy and Development Office (BPDO) was established by Directive 2023-003. OPD is continuing to support planning coordination with the BPDO.
Together with its partners, CNMI-Broadband is excited to pursue truly affordable and reliable internet services for all the people of the Commonwealth. These improvements will go a long way to delivering digital equity for the citizens, and address education, employment, and government sustainability goals for 2030 CSDP and beyond.
Read more about CNMI Broadband here.
CNMI Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) Update
OPD and the Department of Commerce are working with members of the CEDS commission and socio-economic Taskforce partners to support the 2025-2030 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) Update. The current approved CEDS is below and is incorporated into the comprehensive sustainable development plan, a draft of which was published for initial public comment in Fall of 2020. Additional support to facilitate the next update is being coordinated and the update process is anticipated to be re-initiated in 2024.
To Learn more or provide early feedback
- Please email if you are interested in receiving CEDS updates including project submission formand meeting notifications
- Project Submissions: https://forms.gle/Shr8WeasPPuWjRVi7
Learn more about the current CEDS Update