74.7 F
Charlotte Amalie
Thursday, March 28, 2024
HomeNewsArchivesEPA Honors Three from Virgin Islands with Environmental Quality Awards

EPA Honors Three from Virgin Islands with Environmental Quality Awards

Three groups from the Virgin Islands were named Wednesday as the U.S. Environmental Agency’s Environmental Quality Award recipients.

“I’m very excited. Thrilled,” said Valerie Peters, who in conjunction with the V.I. Hotel and Tourism Association and V.I. Conservation Society, spearheaded the move to introduce the international Blue Flag program to the territory.

Five beaches and two marinas across the territory carry the Blue Flag designation, signifying they meet 32 stringent environmental standards that cover environmental education and information, water quality, environmental management, and safety and services.

According to the Blue Flag’s website, those beaches are Cinnamon and Trunk Bays on St. John, Great Bay/Bluebeard’s Beach and Lindbergh Bay Beach/Emerald Beach Resort on St. Thomas, and the Palms at Pelican Cove on St. Croix. The marinas are Crown Bay Marina on St. Thomas and Green Cay Marina on St. Croix.

Peters, who is the marketing director at Coral World Ocean Park on St. Thomas, said she was pleased that the program was being recognized with the Environmental Quality Award.

A member of the Hotel and Tourism Association, Peters said the Blue Flag program requires a partnership with an environmental organization, which is where the Conservation Society enters the picture.

The St. Croix-based Carib Sun Energy also received an award. The solar installation company’s phone mailbox indicated it could not receive messages and no one returned an email requesting comment.

According to the EPA press release, the Carib Sun Energy team comprises certified electricians and plumbers with decades of experience in the manufacturing and residential sectors.

The company, founded in 2012, has harnessed indigenous energy sources and has committed to help Virgin Islands communities burdened by high-energy costs with competitive pricing and quality customer service. Though still a young company, Carib Sun Energy has already successfully produced more than 39 million watts of solar energy and saved 34,302 pounds of carbon emissions, having achieved the equivalent benefit of 52 trees.

Ivanna Eudora Kean High School on St. Thomas received an award for its aquaponics and vegetable farming program. The Education Department beat the EPA to the punch with an April 2 press release announcing the award.

According to the EPA press release, Kean built the first aquaponics and vegetable farm in the territory. It was created in 2012 by founder and science teacher Kirk Lewis, who wanted to inspire the student members of the Future Farmers of America to promote healthy lifestyles and develop a positive awareness of the environment. The farm provides sustainable food without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers, as students learn how to harvest both fish and vegetables.

EPA regional administrator Judith A. Enck presented the awards to those from across the agency’s Region 2 at a ceremony at EPA’s offices in Manhattan.

“Today we celebrate the exemplary work of people who work tirelessly to protect the environment and give their time and energy to create a cleaner and healthier future for us all,” Enck said. “Their extraordinary contributions serve as an inspiration to all who strive for a more sustainable environmental future.”

The EPA presents Environmental Quality Awards annually during Earth Week to individuals, businesses, government agencies, environmental and community-based organizations, and members of the media in EPA Region 2, which covers New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and eight federally recognized American Indian nations.

The awards recognize significant contributions to improving the environment and public health in the previous calendar year.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Keeping our community informed is our top priority.
If you have a news tip to share, please call or text us at 340-228-8784.

Support local + independent journalism in the U.S. Virgin Islands

Unlike many news organizations, we haven't put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as accessible as we can. Our independent journalism costs time, money and hard work to keep you informed, but we do it because we believe that it matters. We know that informed communities are empowered ones. If you appreciate our reporting and want to help make our future more secure, please consider donating.