Table of Contents Part I Overview of the Territory Chapter One: Introduction to American Samoa 1.1 The Territory of America Samoa ............................................. I - 1 - 1 1.2 The Territory’s Land and Location ........................................... I - 1 - 1 1.2.1 Tutuila, the Main Island ............................................ I - 1 - 1 1.2.2 Manu’a Islands ................................................... I - 1 - 2 1.3 Climate and Environment .................................................. I - 1 - 3 1.4 Population and Human Settlement ........................................... I - 1 - 3 1.4.1 Pago Pago Bay ................................................... I - 1 - 4 1.4.2 Tafuna Plain ..................................................... I - 1 - 4 1.4.3 Outlying Residential Villages ........................................ I - 1 - 5 1.5 Political and Personal Status ............................................... I - 1 - 5 1.6 Samoan Society and Leadership ........................................... I - 1 - 6 1.7 Features of American Samoa ............................................... I - 1 - 7 1.7.1 Pago Pago Bay and the Rainmaker Mountain ........................... I - 1 - 7 1.7.2 The National Park and North Shore ................................... I - 1 - 7 1.7.3 Ofu and Olosega: Paradise Found .................................... I - 1 - 7 1.7.4 Tutuila’s South Shore and Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary ......... I - 1 - 7 Chapter Two: State of the Territory 2.1 Population Characteristics and Immigration .................................... I - 2 - 1 2.2 The Economy ............................................................ I - 2 - 3 2.2.1 Base Economy ..................................................... I - 2 - 3 2.2.1.1 Tuna Canneries ............................................. I - 2 - 3 2.2.1.2 American Samoa Government .................................. I - 2 - 4 1) Revenues and Expenditure ..................................... I - 2 - 4 2) Government Owned Enterprises ................................ I - 2 - 4 (2.1) American Samoa Power Authority (ASPA) ....................... I - 2 - 5 (2.1.1) Electric Power . .I - 2 - 5 (2.1.2 Water . I - 2 - 5 (2.1.3) Solid Waste . I - 2 - 6 (2.1.4) Wastewater . I - 2 - 6 (2.2) American Samoa T elecommunications Authority (ASTCA) .......... I - 2 - 7 i (2.3) Main Sea Port in Pago Pago Harbor . I - 2 - 7 (2.4) Petroleum Storage (Tank Farm) ............................... I - 2 - 8 (2.5) Airports .................................................. I - 2 - 8 (2.6) Golf Course ............................................... I - 2 - 9 2.2.2 Private Sector ........................................................ I - 2 - 9 2.2.2.1 Retail and Wholesale Trade .................................... I - 2 - 9 2.2.2.2 Agriculture ................................................. I - 2 - 10 2.2.2.3 Fisheries and Marine Resources ............................... I - 2 - 10 2.2.2.4 Visitor Industry ............................................. I - 2 - 11 2.2.2.5 Labor Force Characteristics ................................... I - 2 - 12 2.2.2.6 Remittances ............................................... I - 2 - 12 2.3 The Environment, Land and Resources ................................... I - 2 - 13 2.3.1 The Role of the Government in Resource Management .................... I - 2 - 13 2.3.2 Coastal Environment and Resources .................................. I - 2 - 13 2.3.2.1 Coastal Terrain ............................................. I - 2 - 13 2.3.2.2 Coastal W etlands ........................................... I - 2 - 14 2.3.2.3. Coral Reefs ................................................ I - 2 - 14 2.3.3 Renewable Land and Water Resources ................................ I - 2 - 15 2.3.3.1 Forests and Agricultural Land .................................. I - 2 - 15 2.3.3.2 Fisheries and Marine Life ..................................... I - 2 - 16 2.3.3.3 Wildlife: Birds and Mammals ................................. I - 2 - 17 2.3.3.4 Watersheds and Water Resources ............................. I - 2 - 17 2.3.4 Human Settlement and Government Land Use .......................... I - 2 - 18 2.3.4.1 Human Settlement .......................................... I - 2 - 18 1) Pago Pago Bay and Harbor ................................... I - 2 - 18 2) Tafuna and Southwest Tutuila ................................. I - 2 - 18 3) Coastal Villages and Upland Bedroom Communities ............... I - 2 - 19 2.3.4.2 Government Land Use ........................................... I - 2 - 19 2.3.5 Conservation, Land and Resource Management ......................... I - 2 - 20 2.3.5.1 Land and Resource Management ............................... I - 2 - 20 1) Land Tenure System and Traditional Leadership .................. I - 2 - 20 2) Land Use Management by Government .......................... I - 2 - 20 2.3.5.2 Conservation and Historic Preservation .......................... I - 2 - 20 2.3.5.3 Environmental Protection: Air and Water ........................ I - 2 - 21 1) Air Quality ................................................. I - 2 - 21 2) Water Quality .............................................. I - 2 - 21 (2.1) Drinking Water . I - 2 - 21 (2.2) Pago Pago Bay Water . I - 2 - 22 2.4 Society and Social Development ......................................... I - 2 - 22 2.4.1 Society and Traditions .............................................. I - 2 - 22 2.4.2 Religious Life ..................................................... I - 2 - 22 2.4.3 Arts, Culture and Entertainment ...................................... I - 2 - 23 2.4.4 Education ........................................................ I - 2 - 24 2.4.4.1 The Educational System ..................................... I - 2 - 24 1) Educational Attainment ....................................... I - 2 - 24 2) The Library System .......................................... I - 2 - 25 2.4.5 Health and Well-Being, Medical Care .................................. I - 2 - 26 ii 2.4.6 Social Conditions and the Delivery of Social Services ..................... I - 2 - 27 2.4.6.1 Children, Youth and Adult Assistance ........................... I - 2 - 27 2.4.6.2 Care of the Elderly .......................................... I - 2 - 28 2.4.6.3 Youth Programs ............................................ I - 2 - 29 2.4.6.4 Federally Funded Food Assistance ............................. I - 2 - 29 2.4.7 Outdoor Recreation\ ............................................... I - 2 - 29 2.4.8 Law and Order .................................................... I - 2 - 30 Chapter Three: Principal Concerns and Issues 3.1 Introduction ..............................................................I - 3 -1 3.2 Population Growth and Impacts .............................................. I - 3 - 1 3.2.1 High Population Growth Rates ........................................ I - 3 - 1 3.2.2 Immigration: Unplanned Increase ...................................... I - 3 - 2 3.2.3 Immigration Policy and Weak Control ................................... I - 3 - 2 3.2.4 Progressive Exodus of Human Capital .................................. I - 3 - 2 3.2.5 Population Concentration in the Youth .................................. I - 3 - 2 3.2.6 Urbanization and Over-Crowding ...................................... I - 3 - 2 3.3 Economic Growth and Economic Stability ...................................... I - 3 - 3 3.3.1 Base Economy and Dependency ...................................... I - 3 - 3 3.3.1.1 Cannery Domination and Flight ................................. I - 3 - 3 3.3.1.2 Government Management Ability ................................ I - 3 - 3 3.3.2 Escape from Base Economy Dependency ............................... I - 3 - 3 3.3.2.1 Economic Diversification: Difficult. I - 3 -4 3.3.2.2 Private Sector: Marginal Prospects .............................. I - 3 - 4 3.3.2.3 Agriculture: Under-Utilized Asset ................................ I - 3 - 4 3.3.2.4 Fisheries: Restricted Possibilities ............................... I - 3 - 4 3.3.2.5 Visitor Industry: A Fading Mission ............................... I - 3 - 5 3.4 Resource Management: Sustainable Development for the Future .................. I - 3 - 5 3.4.1 Sustainable Development ............................................ I - 3 - 5 3.4.2 Carrying Capacity of the Territory’s Natural Resources ..................... I - 3 - 5 3.4.3 Overview of Natural Resources Status and Environmental Concerns .......... I - 3 - 6 3.4.4 Less than Effective Stewardship of Renewable Resources .................. I - 3 - 6 3.4.5 Human Settlement, Land Use Policy and Unwanted Effects ................. I - 3 - 8 3.4.5.1 Pago Pago Bay Area .......................................... I - 3 - 8 3.4.5.2 Urban Sprawl on the Tafuna Plain ............................... I - 3 - 8 3.4.6 Undesirable Land Use Practices and Conservation of Land ................. I - 3 - 8 3.5 Provision of Basic Needs and Infrastructure .................................... I - 3 - 9 3.5.1 The Government: the Source of the Territory’s Basic Needs ................ I - 3 - 9 3.5.2 Population Growth and Funding: Two Impediments to the Provision of Basic Needs Service and Infrastructure .. I - 3 - 10 3.5.2.1 Population Growth: Surpassing Service Providers’ Capacity ......... I - 3 - 10 3.5.2.2 Funding Deficiencies: Limiting Future Development of Services ... I - 3 - 10 3.5.3 Facilities and Infrastructure Needs and a New CIP Plan