Landmark legislation cleared the House of Representatives last week that could provide funding for parks, wildlife habitat, recreational facilities and historic sites in the territory.
The Conservation and Reinvestment Act was approved overwhelmingly in Congress and now heads to the Senate. The goal of the bill is to strengthen national, state and territorial efforts to protect natural and historic sites and to expand efforts to protect ocean and coastal resources.
If the proposal clears the Senate, hundreds of thousands of dollars will be available annually for local governments to rehabilitate recreation areas and facilities, said Delegate to Congress Donna Christian-Christensen.
Christensen said funding from the proposed legislation could be used by the V.I. government to fulfill a mandate issued late last year by a Territorial Court judge that ordered the Turnbull administration to develop a management plan for its Camp Arawak property on St. Croix. The Camp Arawak property contains historic structures and artifacts, is the site of an educational camp and sits near a barrier reef.
"That would be another area that would be eligible for spending," Christensen said.
The administration, however, contends it doesn’t have the minimum $500,000 estimated to restore the historic structures or maintain the property as a recreational site.
The funding could also be used to purchase land adjacent to Magens Bay on St. Thomas, Christensen said.
Ira Hobson, commissioner of the Department of Housing, Parks and Recreation, said he has been in contact with Christensen to identify areas in the territory, including Camp Arawak, that would qualify for funding. He noted, however, that allocations are made based on population.
Both Hobson and Christensen stressed that outlines of what the local government wants to do must be in place before funds are requested. In addition to the Camp Arawak master plan and a plan for a sports complex on St. Croix, Hobson said his department has developed a five-year plan to improve recreational facilities throughout the territory.
"When you don’t have a plan you can’t go to the federal government for funding," Hobson said.
If approved by the Senate in its present form, the Conservation and Reinvestment Act will provide annual dedicated funding nationally for the following:
* Impact Assistance and Coastal Preservation $1 billion
* Land and Water Conservation Fund Revitalization $900 million
* Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Fund $350 million
* Urban and Recreation Recovery $125 million
* Historic Preservation Fund $100 million
* Federal and Indian Lands Restoration $200 million
* Conservation Easements and Species Recovery $150 million
* Payment-in-Lieu of Taxes and Refuge Revenue Sharing $200 million
Christensen said that in order for the territory to capitalize on the possible funding, specific projects need to be identified. In addition to the obvious conservation projects like Magens and Camp Arawak, she said recreational areas in the territory’s housing communities need to be looked at as well.
"Since funding would be available on an annual basis we need to prioritize," she said.
Meanwhile, Hobson said that for the first time since 1994, his department will receive $50,000 from the Land and Water Conservation Fund for areas such as Cramers Park, D.C. Canegata and Bordeaux.
"I’m going to try to make this money work as best possible," he said.
