Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata announced on May 29 that she continues to call for a moratorium on deep seabed mining near American Samoa, citing ongoing concerns and constituent questions.
Amata said the federal government is currently conducting the required environmental review under the Department of the Interior and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management process, which oversees federal waters from three to 200 miles offshore of American Samoa. She stated, “I want to emphasize several key points as the federal government is currently conducting the environmental review required by law under the DOI/BOEM process that controls the Federal waters outside of American Samoa from 3-to-200 miles offshore.”
She added, “First, federal officials must follow the law and not contemplate any shortcuts just because we are a territory and not a state.” Amata further said there should be no rush leading to potentially destructive consequences for ocean environments. “We need a full and thorough environmental impact statement (EIS) completely based on science, not politics,” she said.
Amata also raised concerns about unresolved scientific questions regarding deep-sea mineral activity. She highlighted potential impacts beyond extraction sites due to sediment movement known as sediment ‘plumes,’ saying these unknown effects could threaten fish stocks vital for both local economies and broader food security. “Not only does American Samoa rely on healthy fish stocks for our economy, but they are a part of national and even global food security,” she said.
She questioned whether an adequate analysis could be completed in just a few weeks: “I don’t see how the Feds can analyze these new mining processes and their impacts on us in just a few weeks, so I will work to make sure there is a diligent and environmentally thorough process. Further, I will do everything in my power to stop this in its tracks if all legal and environmental hurdles are not well cleared.” Amata concluded by emphasizing continued vigilance: “Finally, vigilance by all is required now more than ever, and I will as always keep you posted to any new developments.”
