Feds approve use of CPF funds for “multi-purpose community facility”

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — American Samoa plans to use its share of the more than $14 million in federal Capital Projects Fund (CPF) to built a multi-purpose community facility in Tafuna overseen by the ASG Department of Commerce.

This is a according to a recently released summary fact-sheet for American Samoa issued by the U.S Treasury Department, which says that the federal agency has approved “American Samoa’s plan to invest $14.3 million of CPF funding in a multi-purpose community facility to improve resources for communities that enable work, education, and health monitoring.”

Project summary description states that the American Samoa Innovation & Technology Campus (ASITC) will provide residents with access to computers with high-speed internet as well as programming and services for workforce development, entrepreneurialism, and access to improved healthcare and wellness services.

Additionally, the facility will be located in the village of Tafuna, making it accessible to the vast majority of American Samoa’s residents. Furthermore, the project is 100% funded by CPF money.

No other additional information was yet publicly available at press time from US Treasury on American Samoa’s project but ASG officials had said in the past that the IT campus will be located within the Lions Park area, which will be fully renovated and upgraded.

According to U.S Treasury, CFP provides $10 billion to states, territories, freely associated states, and Tribal governments to fund critical capital projects that enable work, education, and health monitoring in response to the public health emergency.

These funds are addressing many challenges laid bare by the pandemic, especially in rural America, Tribal communities, and low- and moderate-income communities, helping to ensure that all communities have access to the high-quality modern infrastructure, including broadband, needed to access critical services.

Besides American Samoa, many states have also had their plans approved by US Treasury for multi-purpose community facilities while other jurisdictions are using the funds to further improve broadband connectivity, according to federal public records online.