Attachment_1_Project_Summary_(ACM).pdf

Attachment 1

Project Summary Caneel Bay Resort NTCRA Virgin Islands National Park, St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands

Introduction The National Park Service (NPS) is exercising its authority as lead agency under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), 42 U.S.C.

§§9601 et seq., to undertake response activities at the Caneel Bay Resort contaminated site (“the Site”) located within Virgin Islands National Park (VIIS or Park). This Project Summary provides an overview of the Site and scope of CERCLA-compliant tasks, requirements of which are included in the attached specifications and workplan. The actions specified in the contract documents are consistent with the NPS Contaminated Site Cleanup Framework activity 3b., “Cleanup Action Implementation”.

Background The Site is located within the authorized boundary of VIIS, on the island of St. John in the U.S.

Virgin Islands. The Resort is operated by a third party through a Retained Use Estate (RUE) agreement, which is set to expire on September 30, 2023. At the end of the RUE, the Site will be managed exclusively by NPS/VIIS. The Resort is not presently open to overnight guests, and day guest access is limited to a single beach and restaurant on the property. The Resort is on a northern peninsula of St. John, providing beach access to Caneel Bay, Scott Bay, Turtle Bay, and Hawksnest Bay.

Figure 1: Map of St. John, U.S.Virgin Islands. Location of Caneel Bay Resort encircled with dark red oval on the northwest side of the island.

Site Information The Site is located at the northwest portion of St. John, approximately 1.5 miles from the main town of Cruz Bay, traveling northeast along North Shore Road.

Figure 2: Caneel Bay Resort shown on satellite image of St. John, with areas of investigation in the central and western portion of the property circled.

The Site encompasses the approximately 150-acre area that was granted to the United States pursuant to an Indenture Agreement dated September 30, 1983. The Indenture Agreement established the RUE, which authorizes the RUE-holder to exclusively use and occupy the Site for purposes of operating a resort for 40 years. The RUE is currently held by EHI Acquisitions, LLC, whose sister entity CBI Acquisitions, LLC is the current report operator. When operational, the resort boasts over 100 hotel rooms and multiple restaurants on property. The Resort has its own water and wastewater systems, fueling station, unpermitted landfill, maintenance and landscaping area, among other luxury amenities (spa, tennis court, etc.).

In 2017, Hurricanes Irma and Maria made direct hits to St. John. The hurricanes caused damage to the Resort, forcing it to close to guests. Since 2017, the Resort has reopened a small section to day guests, providing access to Honeymoon Beach and a restaurant.

In preparation for the expiration of the RUE, NPS began conducting standard due diligence on the property, as documented in Environmental Site Assessments. Based on the findings of the Environmental Site Assessments, NPS initiated a Removal Site Evaluation and eventually completed an Engineering Evaluation and Cost Analysis (EE/CA), and an EE/CA Addendum in accordance with the requirements of CERCLA and the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP).

Topography of the Site varies from steep mountain terrain to gently sloping beaches. The Site slopes to various bays and the Caribbean Sea. The area is characterized as a semi-arid forest.

Work Description Areas of concern within the Site include asbestos debris scattered around the property. The asbestos containing debris is scattered across the Site, generally around buildings with moderate to major hurricane damage, miscellaneous debris piles, and other areas where waste is stored (such as the area near the wastewater plant).

Estimated quantities of materials and contaminated soils to remove for the following areas are summarized below.

• Asbestos: 160 CY

Note that there is no landfill permitted to receive hazardous waste in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Hazardous materials must be transported stateside for legal disposal.

To transport materials off St. John, vehicles and roadway-legal equipment will use the vehicle barge from St. John to St. Thomas. From St. Thomas equipment and materials can be transported to the States.

All work must be performed in accordance with the provided non-time critical removal action design, specifications, and workplan provided with this solicitation. Work shall meet the requirements of CERCLA, NPS Cleanup Framework, and local environmental regulations.

Utilities Electricity. There is no electrical service available at the project Site. Contractor shall provide source for power and lighting. Temporary electrical work shall meet requirements of NFPA 70- 1996 (NEC), Article 305.

Telephone. There is no telephone service available on Site for Contractor's use. Cellular phone service may be available, depending on cell phone carrier.

Water. There is no water available on Site for Contractor’s use. Contractor shall provide water for Site use.

Natural and Cultural Resource Protection All equipment shall be cleaned prior to mobilization to the site to ensure weeds or exotic species are not introduced onto NPS lands. Contractor shall minimize the disturbance of existing vegetation. All excavation, grading, filling, and other construction activities shall be carefully supervised to prevent unnecessary resource impacts.

If unknown cultural resources are uncovered during the project, all work shall be stopped in the discovery area pending further investigation and consultation. If concealed archaeological resources are encountered during project activities, all necessary steps shall be taken to protect them; notify the Park’s Cultural Resources Program Manager immediately upon their discovery.

If human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony are discovered during project activities, the regulations implementing the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (43 CFR Part 10) shall be followed.