ARAWAKROOTS NEWS
CARIBBEAN ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS
Vol. 7; No.3
June 2009
ST. JOHN, USVI (VI DAILY NEWS- 3/31/09)- With a $2.25 million appropriation signed by President Barack Obama earlier this month, the V.I. National Park is getting closer to owning most of the land
on a hillside south of Maho Bay. It has remained pristine while the ownership and development rights have been sorted out in the terriitory's courts. In the 1960's, Harvey Monroe Marsh left the massive parcel of land in Maho Bay and Estate Usher's Cay to his 11 grandchildren. The heirs did not get specific parcels, but instead inherited 11 equal interests in the entire property.
The VI National Park purchased 3 of the interests in 1970. The Trust for Public Land, a national non-profit conservation organization, purchased 1 interest in 2003 and purchased 419 acres- 6 of the remaining interests- in 2007 for $19 million. When the trust purchased the land, the intention was to gradually sell it to the V.I. National Park as funds became available. The Trust is selling the land to the park for $9 million- about 47 cents on the dollar.
The territorial court finished partioning the land on March 11- meaning that the lines divvying up the property had been drawn and agreed upon. With the partition finished, the park can take control of the 3 shares it has owned on paper for nearly 4 decades, as well as the acreage it will be purchasing from the trust.
ST. THOMAS, USVI (VI DAILY NEWS- 2/28/09)- For 3 weeks, the U.S. EPA will study coral reefs around the US Virgin Islands using the EPA's ocean survey vessel, BOLD. The ship will conduct a series of scientific observations gathering data on the marine environment and reef ecosystems.
EPA scientists and divers will observe and analyze reefs at 60 locations around St. Thomas and St. John to create a record of existing coral conditions. Data from the studies will be used to develop water quality standards and to enhance the Virgin Islands coral reef monitoring program.
PORT OF SPAIN, TRINIDAD (AP- 4/11/09)- Trinidad and Tobago, the Caribbean's top exporter of oil and natural gas, plans to finance a renewable energy industry to help diversify its economy as falling oil prices slash public income. A government-appointed committee is researching wind, solar, wave and biofuel projects.
The twin-island nation is the top supplier of natural gas to the U.S.. But with petroleum prices falling, Trinidad will post an $880 million budget deficit, more than 10% of its budget. An alternative energy industry would also help Trinidad, a signatory to the Kyoto Protocol, reduce carbon emissions.
ST. THOMAS, USVI (VI DAILY NEWS- 3/27/09)- The St. Thomas Coastal Zone Management denied a developer's request for 2 major permits to build a residential and marina project at Mandahl Bay. Mandahl Bay Holdings sought the permits to build an 87-slip marina at the Mandahl Bay salt pond, 39 townhomes, 17 apartments and 48 condominiums, as well as a commercial center. The commercial center was slated to provide support services to a number of additional estate lots and residential units to be built on the hillside by the same developer.
In the CZM's recommendations to deny the permits, it stated the permit applications were inconsistent with the goals, policies and standards of the territory's environmental protection and development law. The permit application for the marina did no incorporate mitigation measures to lessen or eliminate adverse environmental impacts. The application did not back up the developer's claims that the project would provide social and economic benefits to the territory.
The CZM staff noted that "the salt pond at Mandahl Bay is the sole remaining wetland area on St. Thomas that is free from immediate development or other anthropogenic impacts."
ST. THOMAS, USVI (VI DAILY NEWS- 3/28/09)- The Senate Planning and Environmental Committee speedily approved a major coastal zone permit to allow a large high-end residential development on Thatch Cay with a 5-1 vote. This vote solidifies the permit, which was first approved by the St. Thomas Coastal Zone Management last May.
Ever since Thatch Cay LLC submitted its application for the permit, controversy about the project and plans has surrounded it. Thatch Cay is a rocky, undeveloped 230-acre island. The developers plan to build 101 homes and 24 support buildings. The project includes a community center, clubhouses, a yoga pavilion, spa, 2 dining areas, a 21-slip marina, 25 boat moorings and a helicopter landing area, among other amenities.
The committee's decision on this permit is likely to set the tone for future development proposals on other outlying cays, many of which remain undeveloped.
Senator Adlai Donastorg, the one dissenting voter, said that part of the reason for his vote was the environmental concerns the development poses. Another issue is the large docking area which includes a 7,104-sq-foot barge landing facility, a 7,875-sq-foot snorkling pier and 25-slip marina. It has been argued the area must first be re-zoned for a dock this large.
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO (AP-4/23/09)- The U.S. EPA may add a paper and plastic bag factory in central Puerto Rico to its list of hazardous waste sites. Scientists say contamination from the Papelera Puertorriquena Inc. plant in the mountainous town of Utuado may have polluted soil and a river with industrial chemicals including ethyl acetate.
Businesses and homes surround the plant and several public schools are within a half mile. The Superfund list targets the most severe hazardous waste sites.
ST. THOMAS, USVI (VI DAILY NEWS- 3/3/09)- A bill to keep the Caneel Bay Resort in business after the property is transferred to the V.I. National Park, passed through the U.S. House of Representatives and is now under further consideration.
When Laurance Rockefeller donated more than 5,000 acres on St. John to the federal government in 1956 to create a national park, he kept 170 acres for his resort at Caneel Bay. Since 1983, the resort has been operating under a Retained Use Estate agreement which expires in 2023. The agreement lays out terms for the property's use and states that in 2023, the title for the Caneel property would be transferred to the national park and the land and resources incorporated into the park.
The bill- sponsored by V.I. Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen- authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to enter into a lease agreement with the resort owners. The legislation states that the lease cannot exceed 40 years. The ruins and historical structures located on the property would be maintained by the park. The general character of the resort must remain as it is. The resort cannot change in overall size, sell timeshares or increase the amount of guest accomodations. No new buildings, pools or golf facilities can be added.
ST. THOMAS, USVI (VI DAILY NEWS- 5/2/09)- The Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge is closing for the rest of the summer to protect the leatherback sea turtles that may hatch on the beaches there. The refuge has closed every year since 1995 during this time of year to ensure the safe hatching of the endangered turtles.
Leatherbacks begin nesting in late February, and the hatchlings will begin to emerge this month and can continue to hatch through August. The turtles hatch a few inches under the sand and stay there until dark, when they make their way to the surface and head toward the sea.
The refuge has a turtle watch program that allows groups to observe the nesting turtles and watch the hatchlings as they emerge from the sand. To make reservations for the program, contact the refuge office at (340) 773-4554. The beaches will reopen Sept. 5th.
COPENHAGEN, DENMARK (AP- 3/14/09)- Hundreds of leading scientists warned that global warming is accelerating beyond the worst predictions and threatening to trigger irreversable climate shifts on the planet. Saying there's no excuse for inaction, the nearly 2000 climate researchers meeting here urged policy makers to vigorously implement the economic and technological tools available to cut emmissions of greenhouse gases.
The climate change panel predicted in 2007 a sea level rise of 7 to 23 inches by the end of the century. But more recent research presented at the conference suggested that melting glaciers and ice sheets could help push sea levels up at least 20 inches and possibly as much as 39 inches.
