Deep-Sea Mining Fight: American Samoa environmental groups and the Conservation Council for Hawaii have sued the U.S. government over proposed offshore deep-sea mining near the territory, challenging whether the risks to threatened and endangered marine species were properly assessed ahead of a Nov. 19 lease sale. Local Governance & Public Info: The American Samoa Government launched deepseainfo.as.gov to explain deep-sea minerals, share science and documents, and host weekly updates—while reiterating the territory does not support commercial extraction “at this time.” Policy Pushback: Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata used an IGIA meeting to renew opposition to seabed mining in American Samoa’s waters, tying the issue to ocean stewardship and disaster preparedness lessons from the 2009 tsunami anniversary. Coastal Energy Scrutiny: The American Samoa Chamber of Commerce raised concerns about a solar project at Pago Pago International Airport, asking for proof of environmental remediation, aviation safety reviews, and glare/glint analysis near runway approaches. Marine Life Discovery: A globally endangered leopard shark was filmed off Samoa for the first verifiable record of the species in Samoa’s waters, supporting conservation planning for protected ocean areas. Flood Risk Tools: NOAA’s Flood Inundation Mapping tool expanded to cover nearly 100% of U.S. residents, including U.S. territories, to help communities prepare for river flooding. Health & Safety: CDC spotlighted American Samoa’s lead poisoning prevention work, including building the first local lead surveillance baseline after testing more than 500 young children.