Congresswoman Aumua Amata has been notified of three grants affecting American Samoa from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
NOAA is announcing their Coral Reef Conservation funding for 2020, with one grant of about $500,000 specific to American Samoa, and two other efforts that include American Samoa.
The federal agency providing $497,021 to the American Samoa Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources for the coral reef conservation cooperative agreement, requiring a match of $49,588 from ASG.
“Congratulations to our Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources, Director Vaamua Henry Sesepasara and Deputy Director Selaina Tuimavave and everyone involved,” said Aumua Amata. “Thank you to NOAA and Administrator Dr. Neil Jacobs for this federal support as they work with local input on these efforts, along with the Director of this program for NOAA, Jennifer Koss.”
The focus of two other grant projects will include American Samoa.
These are a $700,000 grant to The Nature Conservancy (a nonprofit NGO) for coral reef preservation efforts in seven locations to include American Samoa; and a $1,153,496 for similar purposes through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation as a public private partnership.
These awards build on long-term project partnerships with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and The Nature Conservancy.
