Amata Welcomes $3.1 Million FEMA Grant For Fagaima

Press Release

Congresswoman Uifa'atali Amata welcomed over $3.1 million in federal funding for a major storm water management and culvert project, and congratulated the American Samoa Department of Public Works.

Congresswoman Amata has received the official notice from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Specifically, this grant of $3,165,018.98 is federal backing for the Fagaima Flood Mitigation project, covering 37 percent. The project was proposed by the American Samoa Department of Public Works, to construct a drainage system in the Village of Fagaima, which has flooded during storms and heavy rainfall, then reconstruct any roads and sidewalks disrupted by the effort. This project proposal has basis in the disaster declaration following Storm Gita, and the grant is pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act.

"Congratulations to the Department of Public Works and Director Faleosina Voigt for this successful proposal, and thank you to everyone involved," Amata said. "We appreciate funding from DHS and FEMA and their recognition of this construction need for our people."

The proposed project is in southwest Tutuila Island, within the Tafuna Plain at Fagaima Village, Tualuata County. This project site begins at Route 019 and ends at an existing detention basin west of Route 014. The surroundings include commercial, residential, religious, and school buildings.

The project as designed would intercept streamflow of Leaveave Stream before it reaches the Route 019-Route 018 intersection, to allow for safe vehicular and pedestrian traffic, and prevent homes, villages, accesses, and driveways from being flooded.

The details of the Fagaima Flood Mitigation Project include the construction of an 8-foot wide, 6-foot-deep box culvert that would intercept runoff along Route 019 and convey it to an existing detention basin west of Route 014. That extensive new culvert would span approximately 0.8 miles in length, along with installation of 11 new collection or catch basins along the roadway to drain runoff into the new culvert.

The FEMA notice concludes that the effort would necessitate work with a backhoe and manpower to clear vegetation within the basin, with approximately one foot of ground disturbance anticipated for vegetation removal. The flow would go to the existing detention pond and eventually to an existing open channel east of Route 014 to the Pala Lagoon. The project is designed to capture the 5-year (20 percent) flow. Construction of the drainage system would require the removal and then replacement of existing pavement, sidewalks, walls, and fencing along Route 019 and the potential relocation of existing utilities within the project construction area, which would consist of a 20-40-foot corridor centered on the new culvert. The project also would include improvements to existing access roads, driveways, and repairs to Route 019 and Route 014 following construction of the drainage system. All affected pavement, sidewalk, walls and existing utility lines would be repaired or replaced.

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