The US government has approved American Samoa's request to reduce its cost-share of recovery efforts following Cyclone Olaf in February from 25 per cent to 10 per cent.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency issued a notification of the amendment to President Bush's disaster declaration, authorising American Samoa to pay only 10 per cent of the recovery costs.
Under the 10 per cent cost-share, the American Samoa Disaster Recovery Office manager Jack Kachmarik estimates that the territorial government will pay approximately US$1 million, versus about US$3 million under the 25 per cent cost-share arrangement.