VINP is proposing to construct a floating dock adjacent to the park’s boat ramp while dredging Cruz Bay Creek, above.
The V.I. National Park has released the Environmental Assessment for improvements to the bulkhead and finger pier adjacent to the Visitor Center at the Creek in Little Cruz Bay where park vessels dock and loading and unloading of vessels is allowed.
As a result of commercial barge and ferry boat traffic in the Creek that re-suspend and transport sediments into adjacent park waters and the addition of sediments carried by upland runoff, sediments have built up, reducing the depth of water near the Visitor Center and finger pier.
Due to the sediment buildup, over one third of the park service bulkhead is no longer accessible by boat. The National Park Service is proposing to dredge the NPS portion of the Creek in Little Cruz Bay and construct a floating boat dock adjacent to the park’s boat ramp.
The Environmental Assessment has been prepared to analyze the potential for impacts of the proposed project on the human, physical, and natural environment.
The dredging project would include the removal of approximately 8,300 cubic yards of sediment. The sediment would be dried on the park’s property and ferried to the Bovoni Landfill on St. Thomas. The NPS invites the public to comment on the Environmental Assessment.
The floating boat dock would be constructed adjacent to the park’s boat ramp and would be used to dock the park vessels. One boat slip would be available for temporary use by the public during unloading and loading of boat trailers.
Copies of the Environmental Assessment are available at the Park Visitor Center at 1300 Cruz Bay Creek in Cruz Bay. The Environmental Assessment will also be available on the National Park Service’s Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) website http://parkplanning.nps.gov. Under “Choose a Park” click on “Virgin Islands National Park” and follow the link to Dredge Little Cruz Bay Environmental Assessment.
Please send comments by January 19, 2011. It is NPS practice to make all comments, including names and addresses of respondents who provide that information, available for public review. Individuals may request that the NPS withhold their name and/or address from public disclosure.
Commenters using the website can make such a request by checking the box “keep my contact information private.” If submitting written comments, please state this request at the beginning of the comment. The NPS will honor such requests to the extent allowable by law.