Governor enumerates challenges to the territory in comments to GAO

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Among the challenges faced by American Samoa, shared by Gov. Lemanu P. S. Mauga with the U.S Government Accountability Office (GAO), are various natural disasters including cyclones and tropical storms, and in the last two years, the global COVID-19 pandemic, which claimed the lives of 34 local residents.

Lemanu provided a summary on COVID-19 and other disasters encountered by the territory, and the new climate change challenge, in his June 5, comment letter under the subject “American Samoa Post - Pandemic” to GAO, which sought the governor’s response to the section of the US Territories Public Debt Outlook 2023 Update report — pertaining to American Samoa.

GAO noted in its report that American Samoa is vulnerable to tsunamis and other coastal hazards. In February 2018, Tropical Storm Gita caused nearly $200 million in damages to public and private property, according to government estimates.

In his comment letter, the governor informed GAO that over the last two-years, “we have undertaken difficult but necessary measures to protect our people and territory from the deadly COVID-19 pandemic.” He explained those measures such as border closure and repatriation of local residents back to the territory. However, the virus reached American Samoa last year.

Lemanu also told GAO that American Samoa has experienced numerous and various disasters including cyclones and tropical storms, floods, sea level rise, king tides and tsunami.

In the last two-years, the Territory — while combatting the COVID-19 virus — encountered a devastating historical southern swell coupled with damaging heightened waves that caused significant coastal erosion in addition to undersea volcanic earthquakes that affected the Manu’a Island group. Additionally, the threats of climate variability and change have heightened the vulnerability of the territory.

“Our islands have little defense against the impacts of weather and climate anomalies, the increasing intensity of cyclones as sea surface temperatures increase and global sea level rising are all a grave concern for the safety and wellbeing of our people and territory,” the governor told the investigative-arm of the U.S Congress.

“The lessons learned and insight gained from these disasters and challenges provide our territory with new priorities. We must look to rebuild resilience by adopting robust systems to maintain our disaster preparedness and preserve our natural resources,” Lemanu said.

“We must do this while improving and expanding our economy, investing in viable digital ecosystems, improving physical infrastructure, highlighting the qualify of life, and most importantly, maintaining good governance,” he said.

The governor also shared with GAO that recent federal COVID funding has provided “significant support” for the territory’s preparedness, response and recover efforts from the pandemic.

Funding cited by the governor, included the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA 2022) — which Lemanu says are key to addressing the short and long term challenges faced by American Samoa.

“Identifying territorial priorities and developing a comprehensive plan will be critical to maximizing the funding opportunities,” he said, and noted that key long-term objects include:

• improving healthcare access and services;

• improving the education system; and

• strengthening critical infrastructure, including clean water, broadband capacity and systems, the commercial wharf facility, the airport, and critical climate variability and mitigation projects.

Additionally, the administration is focused on improving sustainable and renewable projects including alternative sources of energy such as wind and solar. The territory also looks to improve broadband accessibility, as this need was notably illustrated by remote work and education initiatives during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the governor, it was at the recently completed Territorial Climate And Infrastructure workshop held in Honolulu, that American Samoa was successful in obtaining technical assistance funding to develop an Energy Security Plan — and this allows ASG to have access to additional funding under the BIL and IRA 2022.

He explained that the American Samoa Power Authority will receive over $200 million over the next 5 years of BIL funding for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects. The local Education Department (ASDOE) was awarded last year an electric bus under the federal EPA BIL Clean School Bus program.

He said ASPA is currently working with ASDOE for the installation of charging stations in anticipation of additional electric school buses in the future. And ASDOE will be applying for additional electric school buses in the future.

The governor also told GAO that American Samoa was recently awarded the IRA Climate Change Technical Assistance Program (TAP) to assist the U.S Geological Service in conducting Coral Reef Restoration and Coastal Flooding Mitigation Modeling in American Samoa.

Additional support is also provided for the integration of Sea Level Rise Viewer and “providing outreach and education to improve our community’s understanding of and ability to adapt to the rapid relative sea level rise rates in American Samoa that we have experienced since the 2009 tsunami”.

“The Administration is working collaboratively with key territorial stakeholders and our federal partners to ensure territorial objectives are aligned and available resources are effectively deployed,” the governor said and reiterated that the impact of climate change poses and added challenge.

Lemanu reminded GAO that American Samoa’s remote location, as the southernmost U.S. possession, along with supply chain limitations, creates unique restrictions to the territory’s ability to implement these critical projects and programs.

“Our ability to effectively address these long-standing challenges are critical for supporting our economy and quality of life in American Samoa,” the governor points out. “We continue to seek support from our federal partners to gain access to needed funds to offset the challenges posed by climate change.”

The governor also discussed local economic conditions and the challenges faced by StarKist cannery.  (See Samoa News online edition July 3 for details.)