Deep-Sea Mining Court Fight: A Honolulu judge refused to delay a case that could block American Samoa’s deep-sea mining lease sale, keeping an Oct. 30 hearing on track and raising the odds of a pre-sale ruling. The lawsuit argues regulators didn’t properly weigh impacts from mining itself, not just leasing. Territory Pushback on Mining: American Samoa Gov. Pulaali‘i Nikolao Pula submitted formal comments to BOEM saying the territory does not support commercial deep-sea mineral extraction now, urging any early work to stay focused on science and environmental baselines. Pacific Fisheries & Ocean Economy: The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council backed changes that could expand where larger American Samoa longline vessels fish near Rose Atoll, while keeping waters within 12 nautical miles closed. Coral Reef Funding: NFWF awarded $2.1 million to projects in American Samoa and other U.S. Pacific areas to boost coral resilience and restore reef habitat. Local Business Rules: Lawmakers questioned the enforcement and inspection role of American Samoa’s Zoning Board after concerns about multiple ventures operating from one location under zoning and licensing rules. Consumer Protection: The Senate approved new product labeling standards for goods sold in American Samoa, including English requirements and Samoan translation where feasible, with penalties for misleading labels. Broadband Investment: American Samoa is set to receive $30 million in federal grants for the Le Vasa Google Cable project, aimed at building a stronger digital economy.