As a result of the devastating 2017 hurricanes, which impacted historic and archaeological resources throughout the Virgin Islands, the National Park Service awarded the territory just over $10 million dollars in supplemental funding to the V.I. State Historic Preservation Office, according to the Department of Planning and Natural Resources.
According to DPNR, this money will allow the Historic Preservation Office to administer a historic recovery grant program to help repair hurricane damaged national register-listed or eligible sites throughout the territory.
Over $5 million will go towards the restoration of these site and $1 million will go towards restoring Government House in Charlotte Amalie and the Battery on St. John. Up to $2 million will be used for administrative costs. Any balances will be eligible for use towards restoration of other sites. The State Historic Preservation Office is currently developing the eligibility criteria and more information will be released to the public once finalized, according to DPNR.
All funded repair work must substantially mitigate the threat and include steps to mitigate future damages.