Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is submitting questions to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), regarding the proposal for seabed mining in waters around American Samoa.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), which governs critical minerals exploration of the seabed, is part of DOI.
“I have important questions for the DOI, which reflect the thinking of our people,” said Amata.
“I will do what I can to get our people more information, while I continue to take your message to Washington.”
The following questions will be submitted for the record this week to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, as part of a congressional hearing.
- Mr. Secretary, what is the status of and what are the next steps in the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) review process regarding seabed mining around American Samoa?
- Any seabed mining pursuant to a BOEM lease would be done in federally controlled EEZ waters outside the American Samoa 3-mile boundary limit, is this correct?
- Mr. Secretary, do you intend to engage directly with the people of American Samoa on the seabed mining proposal? Will you commit to meeting with local government leaders as the proposal moves through the approval process?
- What survey information can you provide to the American Samoan people about which critical rare earth minerals are where within and over that 3-mile limit so that we know what minerals are in American Samoa controlled waters and what is in federally controlled waters?
Two other questions are related to the territory’s economic development.
- Your agency is responsible in part for the economic development of the territories; how will such an endeavor benefit the economy of American Samoa and the people?
- The governor of American Samoa is investing over $40 million in a next generation cable connection for our island’s economic development as well as our nations national security; essential to this is the administration’s support for our economic development by advocating for renewal of our 30A/American Samoa Economic Development Credit in the big beautiful bill. Will the administration support my bill, H.R. 399, which renews the credit, as we hope to include it in the reconciliation or extender process this year, so we can take full advantage of this investment?
