ECONOMIC IMPACT ANALYSIS OF THE NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY OF AMERICAN SAMOA Final Report for Phase I: Background Research December 2013 Prepared by the Institute for Research on Labor, Employment, and the Economy The University of Michigan ECONOMIC IMPACT ANALYSIS OF THE NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY OF AMERICAN SAMOA Phase I – Background Research Final Report December 2013 Lawrence A. Molnar, Principal Investigator Associate Director, University of Michigan Office of the Vice President for Research Institute for Research on Labor, Employment, and the Economy Thomas Perorazio, Ph.D. Project Manager Patrick Balke, Student Researcher Rui Chen, Student Researcher Kevin Hawryluk, Student Researcher Bonnie Schmitz, Student Researcher Elyssa Shea, Student Researcher YanLing Xu, Student Researcher Appreciation to the following organizations that provided funding for this study: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa For more information, please contact: Lawrence A. Molnar Institute for Research on Labor, Employment, and the Economy University of Michigan 506 East Liberty, 3rd Floor Ann Arbor, MI 48104 (734) 998-6239 [email protected] TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................................... IV LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................................................... IV BACKGROUND INFORMATION ................................................................................................................... 1 ARCHIPELAGIC PROFILE ............................................................................................................................ 1 GEOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................................................... 2 Pago Pago ............................................................................................................................................ 2 Climate and Weather ............................................................................................................................ 2 HISTORY ..................................................................................................................................................... 3 Fa’a-Samoa .......................................................................................................................................... 3 Government .......................................................................................................................................... 4 Land Ownership .................................................................................................................................... 4 Religion ................................................................................................................................................. 5 INCIDENTS IMPACTING THE REGION AND MARINE ENVIRONMENT ...................................................................... 5 Tsunami ................................................................................................................................................ 5 Coral Bleaching ..................................................................................................................................... 6 Crown-of-Thorns Starfish ...................................................................................................................... 6 POPULATION ............................................................................................................................................... 7 Population Growth and Changes by Race ............................................................................................ 7 Population by Age ................................................................................................................................. 8 Population Geography ........................................................................................................................ 10 NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY OF AMERICAN SAMOA ..................................................................... 12 SANCTUARY TIMELINE: ............................................................................................................................... 12 Public Response to Sanctuary Expansion .......................................................................................... 13 Public Comments ................................................................................................................................ 14 SANCTUARY OUTREACH ............................................................................................................................. 14 Tauese P.F. Sunia Ocean Center ....................................................................................................... 14 Education ............................................................................................................................................ 15 Research ............................................................................................................................................ 16 Community Relations .......................................................................................................................... 16 i LOCAL ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT ......................................................................................................... 17 INDUSTRY STRUCTURE ............................................................................................................................... 17 ECONOMIC TRENDS ................................................................................................................................... 21 INCOME STATUS ........................................................................................................................................ 23 QUALITY OF LIFE ....................................................................................................................................... 25 EDUCATION ............................................................................................................................................... 25 Education System ............................................................................................................................... 25 Educational Attainment ....................................................................................................................... 26 INFRASTRUCTURE ...................................................................................................................................... 27 Transportation ..................................................................................................................................... 27 Harbors ............................................................................................................................................... 29 Utilities ................................................................................................................................................ 30 Entertainment, Cultural Amenities, and Attractions ............................................................................. 30 DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES .................................................................................................................... 32 DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS AND SPECIAL PROGRAMS ............................................................................ 32 American Samoa Small Business Development Center (SBDC) ........................................................ 32 The Chamber of Commerce of American Samoa ............................................................................... 32 American Samoa Historic Preservation Office (ASHPO) .................................................................... 32 LOCAL INCENTIVES AND SPECIAL PROGRAMS ............................................................................................... 32 Alternative Fuels Data Center ............................................................................................................. 32 Green Power Network ......................................................................................................................... 32 Weatherization Assistance Program ................................................................................................... 33 Wind Powering America ...................................................................................................................... 33 LOANS, FUNDS, AND POLICY ....................................................................................................................... 33 The Development Bank of American Samoa ...................................................................................... 33 U.S. Department of the Interior, Office and Insular Affairs (DOI) ........................................................ 33 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) .............................................................................................. 33 U.S. Department of Education (ED) .................................................................................................... 34 U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) .......................................................................................... 34 Business