Army Corps invites public comment on shoreline protection plan at Ofu Airport

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A tentative plan to address coastline erosion at the west bank of the Ofu Airport is available for public comment. Coastal erosion impacting the runway safety area has accelerated in recent years, because of tropical storms and king tides. Without emergency shoreline protection the damage could potentially impact air access to Ofu and Olosega Islands.

The Ofu Coastal Storm Damage Reduction Section 14 study is administered under the Flood Control Act of 1946, which authorizes USACE to study, design, and construct emergency streambank and shoreline works used to protect public facilities, according to a release from The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Honolulu District, in partnership with the American Samoa Port Administration.

Concurrent with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review of this project, USACE is conducting a review under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and invites the public to comment on identification and impact to any historic properties.

A 30-day public comment period runs from May 22 through June 21, 2023.

Written comments may be submitted as follows:

E-Mail: [email protected]

Postal Mail: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Honolulu District

ATTN: CEPOH-PPC (Ofu), 230 Otake St.

Fort Shafter, Hawaii 96858-5440

The public is invited to attend a meeting either in-person or virtually, Wed. May 31, 3 p.m. SST to discuss findings, ask questions and provide comments on the Draft IFR/EA.

In-person meeting locations:

• Ofu Airport ARFF Building, Ofu Island
• Pago Pago International Airport, Conference Room, Tafuna, Tutuila

Virtual via Google Meet: https://meet.google.com/znn-hpch-aim

• Dial (U.S.): +1-617-675-4444
• PIN: ‪715 816 963 1593#