American Samoa’s Congresswoman Aumua Amata, recently announced the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has awarded American Samoa a grant of nearly $1.1 million.
“Our coral reefs are the lifeblood of our oceans. These funds will assist the conservation program to ensure that our reefs are vibrant and healthy,” stated Amata.
“We must all do our part to make sure that the ocean which provides us with so much, can continue to do so for generations to come, and the programs that these funds will support are focused on that goal,” continued the Congresswoman. American Samoa will receive the grant over the course of two years; and it will be used to administer the Coral Reef Conservation Program, which support local coral reef conservation programs, long-term coral reef monitoring; coral reef education and outreach programs; and conservation projects.
“I want to thank those NOAA officials, who saw the need and importance for this funding. I would also like to thank Director Va’amua Henry Sesepasara for his hard work in leading the Department of Marine & Wildlife Resources, and for his work in obtaining this important funding for our island,” concluded Amata.
(Source: Official American Samoa Visitors Bureau Newsletter Issue 83, July 2017 )
