More than 30 ASG directors and employees are attending the Territorial Climate Infrastructure Workshop hosted by the Department of Interior Office of insular Affairs in Honolulu.
At the opening Monday, Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior Office of International and Internal Affairs, Carmen Cantor delivered special remarks.
This is the third TCIW workshop which brings together relevant federal agencies, to help the territories maximize their opportunities to apply for and receive funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
Presenting on behalf of American Samoa was Lisa Tautalatasi Tuato’o, the American Samoa Government BILIRA team coordinator and director of the Office of Disaster Assistance and Petroleum Management (ODAPM).
She provided an overview of the priority projects in the six main areas of TCIW 3.0: Built Infrastructure, Energy, Water, Invasive Species, Nature-Based Solutions, and Broadband. She highlighted the BILIRA team’s accomplishments, including securing $277 million in funding. 
Ms. Tuato’o also addressed the challenges posed by federal requirements that delay the successful implementation of BILIRA projects, and she requested collaboration from federal partners to ensure compliance while advancing these initiatives.
The American Samoa delegation consisted of department directors and staff with projects in the six main areas mentioned.
Built Infrastructure: Director of Public Works, Faleosina Voigt; Director of Port Administration, Falenaoti Loi-On Fruean; DPA engineers, Natalia Palamo and Mika Aga; and DPW staff, Na’oafioga Sagaga and Nao Tuiasosopo; Director of Parks and Recreation, Ken Tupua, and DPR Grants Manager, Mile Farani, State Hazard Mitigation Officer, Sandi Tonumaipea, and ODAPM Grants Coordinator, Max Haleck III.
Broadband: Deputy Director of Commerce, Michael McDonald; CEO of Blue Sky Communications, Justin Tuiasosopo; Special Projects and Grants Specialist, Edna Noga of the American Samoa Telecommunications Authority; Grants Coordinator, Tofiga Liaiga; GIS Manager, Joseph Meredith; and Gloryanna Akapo from the Department of Commerce.
Energy: Deputy Director of Territorial Energy Office, Dorien Salave’a, and AS State Energy Program Manager, Sisifo Taatiti.
Water: Director of the American Samoa Environmental Protection Agency, Faamao Asalele; Marketing and Customer Service Manager of the American Samoa Power Authority, Ryan Tuato’o; Grants Manager, Emey Silafau; AS EPA Enforcement Officer, Kacey Ilalio; Lt. Alice Franco; and Commander Brown.
Invasive Species: Director of Agriculture, Solia Mutini; Director of the Governor’s Resilience Office, Dr. Amaamalele Tofaeone; Director of the Governor’s Biodiversity Office, Tavita Togia; Division Head of AS Community College ACNR, Molly Lagai; and Denis Sene.
Nature-Based Solutions: DOC Coastal Management staff, Grace Felise and Gina Faiga, and Hazard Mitigation Planner, Camilla Stevenson Poufa of ODAPM.
Also attending were ASG Hawaii Office Director, Tuiafono, and his staff, Janina Paleaae, Loretta Lees and Vaiata Pulu.
Source: Governor’s Office Press Release
