Department Of Interior

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Office of the Secretary
Joan Moody
For Immediate Release:October 21, 2003
202-208-3280

Assistant Secretary Scarlett Lauds Partnership
that Created New U.S. Virgin Islands Marine Park


Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Policy, Management and Budget Lynn Scarlett will present the 2003 Coastal America Partnership Award to the members of the U.S. Virgin Islands Marine Park Advisory Committee on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2003. The award ceremony will take place in conjunction with the Grand Opening Ceremony for the St. Croix East End Marine Park at Cramers Park on St. Croix from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m.

The St. Croix East End Marine Park will be administered by the government of the Virgin Islands. It adjoins Buck Island National Reef Monument, which is administered by the Interior Department's National Park Service. The new marine park--home to a barrier reef; patch reefs; colorful coral heads; a vast array of fish, sponges, endangered turtles; and one of the island's few remaining mangrove systems--utilizes a zoning strategy to allow for multiple uses within the boundaries of the park while minimizing conflicting uses.

"With funding from the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force and a commitment from Governor Turnbull, the designation of St. Croix East End Marine Park marks a milestone in protecting marine ecosystems in the U.S. Virgin Islands," says Assistant Secretary Scarlett. "The success of this effort springs from a strong public-private partnership that brings real conservation results."

As early as 1960, the Department of the Interior made recommendations to designate the east end of St. Croix as a nature preserve. The strategy to initiate a collaborative process among key agencies, guided by an advisory committee, was critical to the effort to enact new legislation for the protection of the resources in the marine park. President Bush signed legislation to establish the St. Croix East End Marine Park early in 2003.

To recognize outstanding partnership efforts such as those that led to the creation of the park, Coastal America established a national awards program in 1997. Each award recipient will receive a plaque and a letter of congratulations from President Bush stating, "The partnership you forged has brought together Federal agencies, local government, environmental organizations, and community groups in a collaborative effort to establish the St. Croix East End Marine Park in order to protect and preserve coral reef and mangrove ecosystems. My administration strongly supports efforts to bring together collective resources to meet common goals and better our environment."

The Coastal America Partnership was established in 1992 to protect, preserve and restore our coastal watersheds by integrating federal actions with state and local government and non-governmental efforts. The federal partners include the Departments of Agriculture, Air Force, Army, Commerce, Defense, Energy, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Navy, State, Transportation, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Executive Office of the President. The list of those recognized for their contributions to St. Croix East End Marine Park follows.

List of Awardees:
Dean C. Plaskett, Esq., Commissioner, Department of Planning and Natural Resources
Dayle Barry, Univ of the Virgin Islands - Eastern Caribbean Center / Conservation Data Center
Rafe Boulon, Virgin Islands National Park
Virdin Brown, Caribbean Fisheries Management Council
William Coles, DPNR - Division of Fish and Wildlife
Thomas Daley, St. Croix Fisheries Advisory Council
Olasee Davis, University of the Virgin Islands - CES
Julita de Leon, Esq., DPNR - Coastal Zone Management Division
Barry Devine, Univ of the Virgin Islands - Eastern Caribbean Center / Conservation Data Center
Nick Drayton, The Ocean Conservancy
Carlos Farchette, DPNR - Division of Environmental Enforcement
Lloyd Gardner
Sue Higgins, DPNR - Division of Comprehensive Coastal Zone Planning
Zandy Hillis-Starr, Department of the Interior
Janice Hodge, DPNR - Coastal Zone Management Division
Aaron Hutchins, DPNR - Division of Environmental Protection
Onaje Jackson, Caribbean Infra-Tech, Inc.
Jonathan Kelsey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Dr. Barbara Kojis, DPNR - Division of Fish and Wildlife
Karen Koltes, Department of the Interior
James R. "C.C." Kreglo, St. Thomas / St. John Fisheries Advisory Council
Gerson N. Martinez, Fisheries Advisory Council
Robert N. McAuliffe, Fishermen's United Services Cooperative of St. Croix
Bill Millhouser, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Dr. Rick Nemeth, Univ of the Virgin Islands - Center for Marine and Environmental Studies
Bruce Potter, Island Resources Foundation
Michelle Pugh, Dive Experience
Lucia Roberts-Francis, DPNR - Division of Environmental Enforcement
Caroline Rogers, US Geologic Survey
William Rohring, DPNR - Coastal Zone Management Division
Dr. Henry Smith, University of the Virgin Islands
Marcia Taylor, University of the Virgin Islands - Virgin Islands Marine Advisory Service
Toby Tobias, DPNR - Division of Fish and Wildlife
Dr. Ed Towle, Island Resources Foundation
Joel Tutein, Department of the Interior
Stephanie Wear, The Nature Conservancy
Rob Weary, The Nature Conservancy

 



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