Dear Source:
My name is Terry O'Hara. I have been living on beautiful St. Thomas, for 29 years. I was very interested to read Mr. Roan Creque's editorial in Wednesday's paper about the Dredging debate. There we all have it right in front of our eyes. The facts. Pure and simple.
There was a gale in 1916, the waves took the sand at Lindbergh Beach across St. Thomas Airport runway and reached the hangar building where the current UVI gymnasium is located today. In the mid to late 1930s, the military decided to dredge Lindbergh Bay as a remedy to that problem…So there we have it! In order to prevent all of the hotels, airport road and every business in Lindbergh Bay from going under sand and water after a storm, there shouldn't be dumping in Lindbergh! Simple, when you have some facts.
I was also interested to read that the Senators delayed voting on the dredging issue. Perhaps some of the Senators read what Mr. Creque had to say…I was also interested to read that a bill was approved by the Senate Committee on Planning and Environmental Protection on Wednesday that would give all 15 senators input into some of the territory's largest and most controversial development projects.
In layman's terms it would require major CZM permits that involve submerged lands to be ratified by the 15- member body. That would mean that the final vote to ratify a permit would require a minimum of eight votes to pass. In my humble opinion, it's too bad this was not already in place when the Senators voted on the major CZM permit that was voted on for Thatch Cay in March. I was one of the many who attended the Reef Fest on Sunday at Lindquist Beach (Smith Bay Park) I was grateful to see so many people concerned with the reef. I found it quite ironic however, as I sat on that beach looking out at the serene Thatch Cay, and someone handed me a bumper sticker that stated The Reef Is Closer than You Think. Yes it sure is… The senators Michael Thurland, Carlton Dowe, Sammuel Sanes, Patrick Simeon Sprauve, and the then Committee chairman Alvin Williams approved the development on Thatch Cay. Senator Donastorg voted no. I wonder if they ever go to Lindquist Beach or even Coki Beach for that matter. I wonder what will happen in the next election? I was also very interested to read that the new chairman of committee on Planning and Environmental Protection, Senator Shawn- Michael Malone wanted to be prudent in considering the Lindbergh Bay permit. He wanted to methodically consider the technical information, and that he also wants the Legislature's legal counsel to draft an opinion on the matter. To be quite honest, that was the best piece of information that I read, because if Attorney Tharpes is listened to this time, it would be putting the right foot forward. We are all watching, because someone needs to in order to keep the beauty that we are so fortunate to enjoy and hopefully pass on to generations to come.
Terry O'Hara
St. Thomas
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