Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — While construction of the new airport jet-fuel tank farm is complete, it has yet to be commissioned to be used, with ASG waiting for off-island specialists to carry out tests and have the facility certified, says Port Administration director Christopher King.

The new Jet-A Fuel Tank Farm, relocated from the area next to the Pago Pago International Airport parking lot, to just outside of the airport fence across from ANZ bank — near Pala Lagoon, was dedicated in late 2019 during the Lolo Administration.

 The new jet fuel facility will be operated and managed by the same entity that manages the current facility — American Samoa Petroleum Cooperative (ASPC), with the support of the fuel supplier Pacific Energy, which is also a member of the ASPC.

During the Port Administration Department’s fiscal year 2022 budget hearing on Monday, before the Fono Joint Budget Committee, questions were raised on the status of the new tank farm, to which King says the facility is “not operating now.”

“Because of COVID, the contractor was unable to bring... specialists down for the testing phase,” King said, noting that the current tanks, next to the airport main parking lot are still being used, fueling aircraft that come in.

(Samoa News points out that commercial air service has been suspended since March of last year due to COVID-19 restrictions and only repatriation flights are being conducted, under the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 Task Force).

According to the Port director the new tank farm “is yet to be commissioned for use until testing” of the pipeline is done, and specialists from off island are required to come here to conduct the test.  He pointed out that there is a “testing phase” that must be done and certified before the new facility is operational.

He said the testing phase of the project comes under the purview of the ASPC, which oversees operation of the ASG tank farm facility at Utulei along with the airport tank farm facility.  “So, until we’re able to test and make sure that system runs probably for the new tank farm, we can’t stop using the existing one,” he said.

House Vice Speaker, Fetu Fetui Jr. voiced his disappointment with the long delay in completing this project, saying that the tanks at the current facility — next to the airport parking lot — were already promised to be sent for use in Manu’a.

“I think there is something wrong some where,” he said, adding that the Port director will be called at a later time for a specific House committee hearing on the same matter.

Responding to a follow up question from Sen. Togiola T.A. Tulafono, the Port director confirmed that construction of the new facility is already completed, but not approved to be used as there is a process needed in order to certify the facility.

As part of the certification process, the fuel supplier also has to test the pipeline — which runs underground, delivering fuel from the new facility to the ramp area where aircraft park for fueling. “The supplier has to test the lines to make sure that they are up to standards,” said King.

Togiola asked if the pipelines have been tested before, as he has heard that there was a problem with the pipeline and therefor it was not approved. “Is this true?” Togiola asked and King responded, “I’m not too sure of the details.”

“However, they do need pressure testing and there are certain standards that they have to meet and that is up to the Co-Op (referring to the ASPC) to work with the contractor to make sure that passes before they move on to the next phase,” King explained.  “They can only do so many tests locally until they get the certified people from off island to complete that testing, which they have not been able do.”

Togiola asked, “What happens if the specialist does not certify or pass the pipelines for the new tank farm? What’s going to happen with this project?”

King responded: “They continue to fix it until it passes.” He also said that a lot of the specific details on the project are with ASPC.

Some lawmakers told Samoa News that they do plan on seeking specific details from ASPC and will probably raise questions during the FY 2022 budget review for the Office of Disaster Assistance and Petroleum Management — which includes ASPC — set for later this week.

“I thought that once you dedicate something, that means it’s ready to go,” Senate President Tuaolo Manaia Fruean told King, and noted that this project was dedicated during the Lolo Administration. “So we [Fono] thought it’s ready for use.”

Before he made the next query, Tuaolo told King, don’t “mind” the next question.  “Did you get any money from Paramount [Builders]? he asked to which the witness responded “no”.

“So you didn’t get any money?” he asked and again the reply was no.  And Tuaolo followed-up with a claim: “Because the way I look at it, I don’t know whether Paramount is bribing people — you know — all over the island.”

“That’s my question. Simply question,” he said, as House Speaker, Savali Talavou Ale, tried to interject in the line of questioning, saying that such a statement is not appropriate during public hearings.

And Tuaolo, responded, saying that there is nothing wrong with the question, which has a simple answer, “yes or no.”

Savali followed-up his question for further clarification for the benefit of the committee, and the public, asking if the construction phase is completed.

Port Administration deputy director for airport operation, Falenaoti S. A. Loi-On Fruean said Paramount Builders has completed the construction work, dealing with the facility and fuel tanks.

Samoa News will report in future editions on other issues of interest raised by lawmakers during the hearing.