To address the urgent climate crises impacts in american samoa, the project aims to strengthen the territory?s critical infrastructure by empowering a resilient workforce through collaboration with…

This Cooperative Agreement award from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) under the Sea Grant Support program (CFDA 11.417) provides $1,748,942 to the University of Hawaii at Manoa to address climate change impacts in American Samoa. The project aims to strengthen the territory's critical infrastructure by empowering a resilient workforce through collaboration with the American Samoa Power Authority (ASPA), the territory's utility company. Key activities include providing training and certifications for ASPA's 439-person workforce, particularly focused on climate-ready positions, to enhance the territory's capacity to manage and adapt to climate-related threats such as sea-level rise. The award has an expected completion date of July 31, 2027. A sub-award of unspecified value was made to TCB Services, LLC to support the "Empowering a Climate Resilient Workforce for American Samoa" effort.

To address the urgent climate crises impacts in american samoa, the project aims to strengthen the territory?s critical infrastructure by empowering a resilient workforce through collaboration with the american samoa power authority (aspa), the territory?s only utility company. Activities to be performed include partnering with aspa to provide training and certifications for their workforce, particularly focusing on climate-ready positions, to address the challenges posed by sea-level rise and other climate hazards. Expected outcomes involve filling the approximately 110 vacancies within aspa's 439-person workforce with trained individuals, enhancing the territory's capacity to manage and adapt to climate-related threats. Intended beneficiaries encompass the entire community of american samoa, which heavily relies on aspa for essential services such as electric power, trash pickup, and drinking water, and stands vulnerable to the impacts of sea-level rise and other climate hazards.