Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga has signed an agreement with the US Federal Aviation Administration releasing over $22 million for the relocation of the airport jet fuel tanks and to finance airport improvement projects.

The funds were made available following a request by the governor to US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, who overnighted in Pago Pago last month on his way back to Washington D.C. following meetings in the region.

Lolo signed the agreement on Sept. 16 at the Governor’s Office with FAA Honolulu District Office director, Ron V. Simpson who was on island at the time to meet with the governor and other local officials regarding FAA funded projects.

In a news release, the governor thanked the Fono for approving an additional $2 million in local matching included in the fiscal year 2017 budget, already passed by the Fono and sent to the governor for his signature. The governor had requested the matching funds early this month.

The governor had informed the Fono that amount of FAA funds dedicated to the jet fuel relocation project is $7.7 million and $13 million for airport improvements airport lights, resurfacing parts of the runway and apron, and other small projects including the two Manu’a airports.

At the brief agreement-signing meeting, Lolo expressed appreciation to Foxx and the US Transportation Department for accommodating his request for assistance along with his gratitude to Simpson and the FAA Regional Office for this unexpected blessing.

According to the Governor’s Office $22 million is for fiscal year 2016. And since some of the projects are implemented in phases, there will be funds made available in fiscal year 2017 to complete these projects.

For example, the implementation of the jet fuel tanks relocation is in two phases: Phase I involves the construction of a completely new jet fuel tank farm with the same capacity and same configuration of the existing tank farm. Phase II involves the dismantling of the existing jet fuel tanks and expansion as well as repaying the parking lot.

At last week’s cabinet meeting, Lolo told directors that for the last three-years the FAA has been “very helpful to us, even in Manu’a” and that the FAA has invested well over $5 million both in Ofu and Fitiuta.

“Now we have another source of funding that will help us improve our major airport here,” with the awarding of $13 million for airport improvements on top of the more than $7 million for jet fuel tanks relocation, Lolo said.