The V.I. National Park's fiscal year 2000 performance plan includes installing animal-proof garbage receptacles, repairing the Cinnamon Bay film projection booth, maintaining the new mooring buoys, constructing a pier for emergency vessels, rebuilding the Francis Bay boardwalk, and eliminating the health threat of hookworm.
Also on the agenda are completion of projects started in fiscal year 1999 that include upgrading 22 miles of trail, employing temporary lifeguards, reducing beach erosion and repairing handicapped-access showers at Trunk Bay, and improving the park's water treatment plant.
The plan and documents detailing the federal budget appropriations and projected fee revenues are now available for public review, according to Supt. Russell Berry.
The goals are derived from the 1997 National Park Service Strategic Plan, which establishes a performance management process for the service nationwide. They include the following allocations:
– $935,060 for resource preservation and management.
Activities covered include maintaining the mooring buoys recently installed in park waters, maintaining the park's natural and cultural history collections, restoring resources, creating monitoring databases to detect whether resource conditions are improving or deteriorating, and routine land and water patrolling to ensure compliance with conservation laws.
Pending approval by the National Park Service and the Interior Department, about $263,000 in estimated park fee revenues will go toward the installation of pier facilities for NPS emergency response vessels and for rebuilding the Francis Bay boardwalk. About $64,000 in concession franchise fees will go for security fencing at Cinnamon Bay.
– $660,000 for visitor services.
Projects to be supported include development and implementation of new educational programs and continuation of current ones. Included is the cost of operating a visitor contact station and conducting patrols to provide visitors with park information.
Pending NPS and Interior approval, about $284,400 of the estimated park fee revenues will go to install animal-proof garbage receptacles, enhance and expand interpretive services and restore historic scenery at Annaberg, repair the Cinnamon Bay projection booth, upgrade the park's interpretation slide file and eliminate the hookworm health issue.
About $213,000 is earmarked to complete projects started in fiscal year 1999. These include rehabilitating 22 miles of trail; improving swimmer safety through temporary lifeguards; and reducing beach erosion, rehabilitating handicapped-access showers and upgrading utility systems at Trunk Bay. Pending federal approval, about $25,200 in estimated fee revenues will be used to improve the park water treatment plant facility.
– $950,000 for administration.
Expenditures will include payment of utilities and procurement, maintenance of concession program permitting processes and regulation of park commercial activities.
A copy of the plan, prepared in accordance with the federal Government Performance and Results Act, may be obtained by writing to PO Box 710 Cruz Bay, St. John VI 00831. It can also be accessed through the National Park Service web site, which can be reached by – clicking here. The 1997 Strategic Plan on which it is based can be found at the same Internet site.
