Four directors met with the Honolulu Division of the Federal Aviation Administration last week to discuss the FAA land use audit of Pago Pago International Airport.
This is after the FAA informed ASG that it would not consider future funding request form American Samoa until it complies with findings of the airport land use audit.
Ron Simpson, Manager Honolulu Airports District Office informed the Director of Port Administration in a January 6 letter that the FAA was very concerned about ASG not being responsive in addressing findingS of the audit.
The FAA said in its report of February 2014 that ASG had not complied with grant guidelines when it transferred acreage designated for the airport for other uses.
The FAA said at the very least, ASG should compensate for the use of this land for non airport related purposes.
The audit, found that 325 acres of the total 865 acres that were dedicated for the airport was transferred to other government entities without FAA review and approval.
It said since the 865 acres had been legally obligated to serve airport purposes as a condition for receiving federal financial assistance, the removal of the land without FAA approval did not comply with the provisions of Grant Assurance.
ASG was required to submit a corrective action plan to FAA to correct the audit findings.
FAA granted a six month extension until September 30, 2015 for ASG to respond to the report and advise FAA of affirmative actions it would take.
The FAA Manager Honolulu Airports District Office informed the Director of Port Administration, Taimalelagi Dr. Claire Poumele in his January 6 letter that FAA has not received a Corrective Action plan from ASG.
The FAA official told the port director FAA was very concerned with ASG’s unresponsiveness.
And he said any future funding requests form ASG will not be considered until this matter is resolved.
A pending request from ASG seeks $15 million from the Airport Improvement Program to pay for needed airport improvements.
Simpson said that while FAA supports these important projects for ASG, discretionary funding under the Airport Improvement Program will be contingent upon satisfactory progress by ASG to address findings of the land use audit.
The port director told KHJ News that she, Attorney General Talauega Eleasalo Ale, Executive Director of ASPA Utu Abe Malae and Director of Commerce Keniseli Lafaele met with FAA officials in Honolulu last week concerning the land use audit.
She said five main issues that were discussed were: land issues, scrap metal, fuel tank relocation from the airport, AARF
training center and the community swimming pool in the area next to the proposed site for the fuel tanks.
Another meeting of the ASG officials was held this afternoon to discuss ASS’s formal response to the FAA on the land audit findings.
