Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Former Governor Lolo Matalasi Moliga has appealed to Congresswoman Uifa’atali Aumua Amata to consider the negative impact of deep-sea mining near the waters of American Samoa, and “lead our charge to ward off money-grabbing enterprises at the peril of our people.” 

In a letter dated May 26, 2025, Lolo states his “vehement”opposition to deep sea mining “for the obvious consequential obliteration of our marine environment and marine resources that we historically and presently depend on for our economic and subsistence livelihood.”

He notes that he sent a similar letter to Gov. Pulaali’i N. Pula, dated May 1, 2025, declaring his opposition.

Lolo acknowledged the “protracted and very arduous battle” that the territory has faced to preserve and protect the economic viability of our very few economic development assets; tuna canning industry,” and the “relentless perseverance and tenacity Uifaatali has displayed in this quest, which led to the opening up of fishing grounds banned by federally established Marine Sanctuaries.

“…Our people are truly fortunate to have a person of your caliber, passion, dedication, and unwavering commitment to safeguarding and advancing their social and economic interests.”

Lolo then highlights another challenging battle that he believes is playing out that needs to be fought “to protect and preserve local marine resources, our ocean environment, and our sovereignty over natural resources.”

Adding, “I pray that you will again lead our charge to ward off money-grabbing enterprises at the peril of our people.” 

Lolo said his letter to Gov. Pulaali’i emphasized the serious consequences deep sea mining would have on our marine environment and the marine resources that American Samoa relies on, both historically and currently, for economic support and subsistence livelihood.

He continued,“Our quest for economic development independence has always been American Samoa’s principal preoccupation since our people bequeathed their hopes, dreams, and aspirations in 1900 in the compassionate arms of the greatest country in the world – the United States of America.

“It recognized the uniqueness and significance of our cultural identity embedded in our land tenure system and thus legislated its protection. 

“Safeguarding and sustaining American Samoa’s unique culture and way of life is categorically tied to the protection of its marine resources and its environment.

“The United States accorded the Territory the legal privilege to assess and decide which federal laws were applicable to American Samoa. Our prevailing authorized capacity to independently handle our own immigration, customs, taxes, and border issues exemplifies special autonomy granted to the Territory of American Samoa by the United States of America.” 

He said “authorizing seabed mining within or just outside American Samoa’s 200-Mile Economic Zone without first seeking the wishes, opinions, and feelings of the people, defies the spirit of autonomy granted to the territory.

“The utilization of the long-acknowledged finiteness of our economic development options as rhetoric to justify the perceived necessity for seabed mining, without first quantifying the benefits and comprehensively assessing resultant consequences, constitutes a very perilous path to pursue. 

“The most famous marine Scientist and ocean explorable Jacques Cousteau dubbed Swains Island as ‘One of the Last Jewels of the Planet’.

“We have examples galore of marine wildlife annihilation caused by human activity, Lolo explains, and asks if the seabed mining contractors can “provide unwavering guarantees and solid assurances that the largest coral head unearthed in the world [in the Manu’a Islands], and the Swains Island will continue to maintain its few discovered assets, will not be eradicated?”

He states that “we have lived with economic development disadvantages consequential to our decision to preserve our cultural identity and our way of life.” 

According to Lolo, we “have emphatically declared that our economic and financial desires will not overshadow our pledge to our ancestors and our commitment to the generations to come that we honor our charge to preserve, safeguard, and sustain our indigenous culture, our lands, our way of life, and all our natural assets.

“Protecting our oceans, our marine resources, and our environment reflects sacred trusts that should not be sacrificed and weighed against economic and financial considerations. 

“Unilaterally making decisions on activities that would undeniably hurt the Territory of American Samoa does not reflect the honored and treasured spirit of democracy.”

The former governor Lolo concludes his letter to Congresswoman Uifaatali, “It is my fervent hope that you will champion our cause to discourage the declared promotion of conducting seabed mining in our backyard.”

Uifaatali has spoken of opposing current technology of deep-sea mining that digs the ocean floor, and Governor Pulaali’i has said he will make sure that American Samoa has a say in any development of deep-sea mining in or near the Territory’s waters.

(Congresswoman Uifaatali Amata’s official statement about deep sea mining and American Samoa is published in today’s Samoa News.)