The Federal Aviation Administration estimates that it would cost 1-point-2 million US dollars to build an air traffic control tower for Pago Pago International Airport.
The estimates comes after American Samoa Congressman Faleomavaega Eni, finally agreed to release close to 2-million US dollars in federal money for the construction of the facility.
For more than a year, Faleomavaega has publicly opposed turning over the money to the local government which was set-aside by Congress for the tower.
Faleomavaega had insisted that the FAA hold on to the money until the issue of a permanent tower built by the FAA was resolved.
Faleomavaega, however, has changed his position on the matter after being informed by the FAA that the funding can cover construction of a basic airport tower, with money left over to hire personnel trained to operate and maintain the tower.
The FAA has provided Faleomavaega with names of four contractors including New Zealand's Fletcher Construction, which recently built the new fire rescue station at Pago Pago airport.
