You are here

Home » National Park Service Exploring Future Of Caneel Bay At Virgin Islands National Park

National Park Service Exploring Future Of Caneel Bay At Virgin Islands National Park

Share
By Compiled From N... - November 23rd, 2021

A National Park Service planning team is working to define the role of Caneel Bay at Virgin Islands National Park/NPS file

Planners for the National Park Service are developing a framework for the role Caneel Bay should play at Virgin Islands National Park after the current contract for the resort there expires in September 2023.

“This is an important first step in envisioning a Caneel Bay that is fully integrated with the park and is a source of pride for St. John,” said Nigel Fields, the park's superintendent. “Steeped in cultural heritage and natural resources, Caneel Bay offers NPS an opportunity to better showcase the full splendor of St. John.”

Earlier this year environmental testing detected a variety of wastes, some hazardous to humans, on not quite eight acres of the grounds of the once-tony Caneel Bay Resort. That testing found varying levels of arsenic, elevated levels of certain pesticides, and a "mixture of benign organic materials, plastics, metals, and CERCLA (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act) hazardous substances, including the pesticide DDT and polychlorinated biphenyls."

In September, it was estimated that cleanup would cost $6 million, though additional studies are planned for the coming winter to ensure there are no other wastes that need to be removed from the property.

The forthcoming cleanup has put a hold on talks with CBI Acquisitions to reach agreement on an operations lease to the resort that could take effect in the fourth quarter of 2023. The company has operated Caneel Bay Resort since 2004 under a Retained Use Estate agreement, or RUE, that the late Laurence S. Rockefeller dictated back in 1983. Under Rockefeller's wishes, the resort was to revert entirely to the Park Service in September 2023.

This past July the Park Service announced that a competitive bid process would be used to find an operator for the beleaguered resort, which sustained extensive damage when back-to-back hurricanes pounded the Virgin Islands in September 2017. That process will be affected by the cost of the cleanup and who pays for it.

According to a release from the park sent Monday, a team of NPS planners is focusing its early priorities on framing the stewardship, community and operational objectives for redevelopment. The Park Service will then work to define the project scope more completely, conduct a comprehensive environmental assessment and outline the site’s commercial, recreational and preservation areas. Planning in this initial phase will lead to a potential range of concepts to be made available for public comment this winter.

“We are taking the community’s ideas and concerns very seriously and value this input as we work together to determine the best future for Caneel Bay," Fields said. "We commit to keeping the public informed of our progress throughout the planning process,” said Fields.

The planning kick-off also coincides with the continuation of environmental testing at Caneel Bay to address data gaps cited in the Engineering Evaluation and Cost Analysis report, released in September. Among other inquiries, the EE/CA addendum will address potential groundwater contamination not previously analyzed due to weather conditions and seek to determine whether hazardous levels of lead or asbestos have been released to the environment.

Recommendations stemming from the addendum are expected to be considered next summer once findings have been analyzed, issued for public input and finalized. The current data gaps will not delay environmental cleanup and removal actions outlined in an Action Memorandum published to the Caneel Bay EE/CA project website last month.

Current information about the NPS redevelopment of Caneel Bay and related environmental investigations and actions are available at https://www.nps.gov/viis/caneelbay.htm.

Support National Parks Traveler

National Parks Traveler is a small, editorially independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit media organization. The Traveler is not part of the federal government nor a corporate subsidiary. Your support helps ensure the Traveler's news and feature coverage of national parks and protected areas endures. 

EIN: 26-2378789

A copy of National Parks Traveler's financial statements may be obtained by sending a stamped, self-addressed envelope to: National Parks Traveler, P.O. Box 980452, Park City, Utah 84098. National Parks Traveler was formed in the state of Utah for the purpose of informing and educating about national parks and protected areas.

Residents of the following states may obtain a copy of our financial and additional information as stated below:

  • Florida: A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION FOR NATIONAL PARKS TRAVELER, (REGISTRATION NO. CH 51659), MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING 800-435-7352 OR VISITING THEIR WEBSITE WWW.FRESHFROMFLORIDA.COM. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.
  • Georgia: A full and fair description of the programs and financial statement summary of National Parks Traveler is available upon request at the office and phone number indicated above.
  • Maryland: Documents and information submitted under the Maryland Solicitations Act are also available, for the cost of postage and copies, from the Secretary of State, State House, Annapolis, MD 21401 (410-974-5534).
  • North Carolina: Financial information about this organization and a copy of its license are available from the State Solicitation Licensing Branch at 888-830-4989 or 919-807-2214. The license is not an endorsement by the State.
  • Pennsylvania: The official registration and financial information of National Parks Traveler may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling 800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.
  • Virginia: Financial statements are available from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, 102 Governor Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219.
  • Washington: National Parks Traveler is registered with Washington State’s Charities Program as required by law and additional information is available by calling 800-332-4483 or visiting www.sos.wa.gov/charities, or on file at Charities Division, Office of the Secretary of State, State of Washington, Olympia, WA 98504.

Add comment

CAPTCHA

This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.