Bipartisan Infrastructure funds for “Ferry Boat Program” available for Am Samoa

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has made $873,000 available in federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) funding, under the Ferry Boat Program, to ASG’s Department of Port Administration, according to the latest BIL fact-sheet for American Samoa released early this week by the White House.

The Ferry Boat Program provides funding for the construction of ferry boats and ferry terminal facilities, including ferry maintenance facilities, whether toll or free, and the procurement of transit vehicles used exclusively as an integral part of an intermodal ferry trip, according to the fact-sheet.

“Ferry boats provide essential travel services for residents and visitors in American Samoa,” it says. And the FHWA website on the Ferry Boat Program confirmed that $873,000 is made available to the Port Administration and it notes that the territorial government owns and operates both the terminal and vessels.

No additional information was publicly available at press time from the federal government on the specific use of these funds by American Samoa. It’s also not clear as to when FHWA will award the money to ASG.

Another port funding item summarized in the fact-sheet, is the recently awarded $2.12 million, under the BIL’s Port Infrastructure Development Program for reconstruction of the Aunu’u Wharf, which is the only access point in and out of Aunu’u Island.

The project will reconstruct the existing wharf; perform structural repairs to existing pilings; construct a new 80-foot-long extension of the wharf; repair and update the existing ramp structure; dredge any excess material surrounding the wharf; and install a new fending system, bollards, and cleats.

(See Samoa News edition Oct. 31 for specific details of the Aunu’u Wharf project.)

According to the White House, the fact-sheet update, marks one-year since President Joe Biden signed the BIL into law. And the fact-sheet provides updated highlights of BIL funding to states and territories, as of November 2022.

Samoa News has previously reported on many of the projects for American Samoa based on the previous BIL fact-sheet released by the White House.

Overall, the latest fact-sheet gave a summary saying that as of November 2022, America Samoa is set to receive $11.6 million for transportation to invest in roads, bridges, public transit, ports and airports and over $30 million for clean water.

And to date, over 1,723 households in American Samoa are enrolled in the Affordable Connectivity Program, with more signing up every day. Households can check their eligibility, sign up, and find fully covered internet plans at (GetInternet.gov).

Samoa News notes that the American Samoa TeleCommunications Authority and Bluesky Communications are the local telecom providers participating in the ACP program, administered by the U.S Federal Communications Commission (https://www.fcc.gov/acp).

The White House points out that many more projects will be added in the coming months, for American Samoa as funding opportunities become grant awards and as formula funds become specific projects.

“By reaching communities all across American Samoa, the law makes critical investments that will improve lives for the people of America Samoa and position the territory for success,” the White House said. Update on the BIL summary for American Samoa is on the White House website (www.whitehouse.gov).