AGP Executive Report
Last update: 10 hours agoDeep-Sea Mining Watch: NOAA’s Okeanos Explorer is mapping American Samoa’s seafloor this month as the U.S. moves toward a Nov. 19 auction of seabed mineral leases off Tau—while a lawsuit challenges the plan and conservation groups warn of risks to endangered species and cultural ties. NOAA Exploration: A 29-day expedition (EX2606) pairs ROV dives with overnight sonar mapping in the National Marine Sanctuary, with dives expected to resume Sept. 3 and public telepresence access. Legal Pushback: Earthjustice says federal wildlife review for the proposed leases was too narrow, and Fa’asao Amerika Samoa is backing the Endangered Species Act challenge. Local Environment Governance: The American Samoa DPW won an EPA grant to build a territory-wide stormwater asset inventory and GIS mapping, plus better planning for coastal outfall sites. Community Resilience: A youth summer program planted ironwood trees along shorelines to help prevent erosion, tying environmental stewardship to cultural learning. Food Safety: Gov. Pulaalii’s EO empowers the Department of Health to use the FDA Model Food Code to strengthen retail food inspections and enforcement.
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