May 28, 2009 — After hearing almost six hours of testimony Wednesday night from The West Indian Co. Ltd., Virgin Islands Port Authority, and various community groups regarding the dredging of Charlotte Amalie Harbor and the proposed depositing of sediment into Lindbergh Bay, the Senate Committee on Planning and Environmental Protection decided to postpone its vote.
Senator Shawn-Michael Malone, chairman of the committee, said “in the interest of being methodical and democratic,” he wanted to allow more time for committee members to review all of the information provided before casting such an important vote.
The ratification of Major Coastal Zone Management Permit No. CZX-4-09W would allow West Indian Co. and VIPA to dredge 162,520 cubic yards of material from the Charlotte Amalie Harbor and deposit it in a previously dredged hole at Lindbergh Bay. CZM unanimously approved the permit earlier this month. (See “CZM Approves Depositing Sediment In Lindbergh Bay.”)
Both WICO and VIPA stressed the economic urgency of the proposed bill in order to be able to accommodate the next generation of ultra mega cruise ships known as the Genesis Class from Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. As the first ship is schedule to call on St. Thomas in December 2009, timing is of utmost importance, the agencies said.
Everyone testifying at the hearing, including various community groups, seemed to be in favor of the dredging. The location of the deposit site, however, has garnered major opposition. Concerned members of the community and representatives of the businesses in the Lindbergh Bay area have urged WICO and VIPA to come up with an alternate site for the depositing of sediment.
Of utmost concern are the high levels of mercury and arsenic found in portions of the proposed dredging material. According to Edward Thomas, president of WICO and appearing on behalf of WICO and VIPA, they are taking appropriate measures outlined in the CZM permit to ensure the protection of the environment and the safety of the public. The dredge sediment containing the elevated levels of mercury would be deposited into the hole first and then capped with an impermeable barrier to keep this sediment from escaping into the water column.
Senators present had many questions for the applicants regarding the proposal and its impact on the environment and, ultimately, the people of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
When asked whether they had considered alternative dumping sites, Jennifer Jones, environmental attorney for the proposal’s applicants, said an informal request had been made to the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as to the possibility of using an offshore location approved by those agencies and they were told the process could take up to two years. Jones then said, “We would have to prove that this was a last resort after exhausting every option of dumping on a local level.”
Jones explained that in addition to the CZM permit, they also have to get approval from the Army Corps of Engineers. “If approval is denied by the ACOE,” she said, ”then we cannot move forward with the project.”
Lindbergh Bay has been targeted as a proposed dumping site in the past and has not been approved. Community groups in opposition of the current proposal urged senators to continue that legacy.
The Senate Committee on Planning and Environmental Protection will reconvene sometime during the week of June 15 to hear additional testimony and vote on the matter.
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