Maritime Infrastructure: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, with Port Administration American Samoa and MARAD, is pushing the Aunu’u Wharf Reconstruction Project through the 35% design phase, including a NEPA Environmental Assessment. The rebuilt wharf will support both Alia inter-island passenger service and cargo landing craft operations, with an estimated $3.7 million cost and construction targeted for late 2027 through before 2029. Congressional Funding: Rep. Uifa’atali Amata reports the House Appropriations Committee advanced two bills that would add $1 million to American Samoa’s OIA Operations fund (to a record $30 million), plus $3 million for ASCC and a federally funded report on Pago Pago Port improvements planning—along with another $1 million earmark for Port of Pago Pago use in 2027. Deep-Sea Mining Pushback: American Samoa’s Delegate Amata renewed her call for a moratorium on deep seabed mining near the territory, arguing the federal environmental review must be thorough and science-based, especially over unknown impacts like sediment “plumes” on fish stocks. Local STEM & Workforce: OceaniaCDN and partners held American Samoa STEAM Fest 2026 (“Igniting Hope Through STEAM!”) with hands-on stations, solar car and engineering challenges, career exploration, and local food vendors—aimed at building future skills for the territory. Seafloor Science Opportunity: A local student, Jhen Allison Paguiligan Seguiwan, was selected as a 2026 Seafloor Mapping & Hydrography intern aboard E/V Nautilus to map seafloor between Hawai‘i and Guam and support biodiversity and seabird surveys.