REVISED: “Outreach Process Should Include Different Viewpoints”

Dear Editor, Regarding the $270,000 grant from the Department of the Interior for public education on deep-sea mining, announced by Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Interior Katherine MacGregor during her Flag Day speech: If there is public education on deep-sea mining, the people of American Samoa deserve access to information about both the possible benefits and the possible risks. A meaningful outreach process includes a range of viewpoints, not only federal perspectives. American Samoa could learn from the experiences and concerns raised in other Pacific communities connected to deep-sea mining, including Papua New Guinea and the Cook Islands. How much time is DOI giving to this outreach? The scope and timeline of the outreach effort also matter. Genuine island-wide public education and community discussion can't be done in only a few months. People need adequate opportunity to ask questions, participate, and reflect before major decisions move forward. Clear and accurate Samoan-language translations across print, television, radio, and digital media are also important so the public can fully understand and participate in the discussion. The public also benefits from access to a broad range of information related to deep-sea mining, including economic, environmental, cultural, legal, and fishing issues. Environmental studies and scientific assessments lose public trust when they are skipped, weakened, or rushed. Research findings are most valuable when shared openly and transparently. An important question remains: what happens if major federal decisions, including licensing, move forward while public education is still underway? Public understanding and community discussion carry the greatest value when they occur before irreversible decisions are made, that is before it is too late. — Dan Aga Section: Opinion Tags: letter to the editor
2026-05-11 17:16:08