Congresswoman Aumua Amata got her request for a detailed briefing and status report of all U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) projects, studies and support to American Samoa.
On route home, the congresswoman met with District Commander LTC James Hoyman and his team.
Aumua also requested the Corps to brief her on economic justification of local projects that the Army Corps is involved in, the high cost of construction and other challenges.
According to a press statement, “Congresswoman Amata discussed with District Commander LTC Hoyman ways the U.S. Congress can specifically help American Samoa, by amending remote and subsistence for cost sharing (i.e., the critical Faleasao project) as well as amending the cost share waiver to apply to technical studies for American Samoa in both large and small projects. ”
The congresswoman said, “The bottom line is that the work needs to be done but at the same time, we must reduce the costs to American Samoa with the federal government doing the heavy lifting wherever possible.”
After the meeting Aumua commented, “Governor Lolo and Interior Assistant Secretary Esther Kia’aina are to be commended for their hard work—OIA funding is part of it and ASG can use CIP funds as well as any public/private partnerships that may be out there.
“However, a total study of design and construction costs a lot of money, and cost sharing between ASG and the Federal Government may sound good on the face of it but whether it’s a 50-50 or 75-25 ratio, that smaller percentage still translates into being a very costly item to American Samoa, even with federal waivers thrown in.”
She says this is why Congress must help reduce those costs to American Samoa with legislation to amend remote and subsistence for cost sharing and amend the cost share waiver to apply to technical studies for American Samoa.
The congresswoman, who is seeking reelection says that will be another of her responsibilities in the next Congress.
