Deep-Sea Mining Push Meets Pacific Backlash: Pacific bishops are urging “wisdom” and caution as commercial deep-sea mining plans move closer, warning that lack of full scientific certainty shouldn’t justify proceeding without due care; meanwhile, U.S. proposals to auction large ocean areas near American Samoa have sparked “no consultations” complaints from Pacific leaders, with concerns tied to food security and ecosystem harm. Local Water Compliance Training: AS-EPA hosted a six-hour Clean Water Act training with USEPA Region 9 for ASPA, StarKist Samoa, and local partners, covering permits, mixing zones, TMDLs, and industrial effluent limits, plus federal inspections of wastewater facilities and the shipyard. Fisheries Security at WCPFC: Samoa is pressing for stronger fish stock monitoring and EEZ security at the WCPFC scientific session, coordinating regional patrols against illegal fishing, drugs, and trafficking, and working on E-Zone boundary coordination that includes American Samoa. Public Works Safety Clarification: Senators heard that “speed bumps” are actually raised crosswalks funded by the FHWA under the Islandwide Safety Project, citing studies showing fewer crosswalk-related accidents after installations. Food Prices Tick Up: American Samoa’s Basic Food Index rose 0.8% in July 2026, driven by higher prices for items like turkey tails, ice cream, sugar, taro, eggs, and pork spareribs. Industry & Ports Resilience (Regional): Commonwealth Ports Authority leaders say typhoon recovery should shift toward rebuilding facilities more resiliently for day-to-day cargo and passenger operations. Ocean Safety Tech Spotlight: Ocean conservationist Dr. Sylvia Earle says certified submersibles can be safer than flying, pointing to a new “Honu” vehicle planned for dives in French Polynesia later this year.