FEMA Axes funds for STX Track & LWUP

M.A. Dworkin

Citing the fact the Randall “Doc” James Racetrack on St. Croix was not under government control at the time of Hurricanes Irma and Maria, FEMA therefore has no obligation to fund the reconstruction of the track which was under the jurisdiction of VIGL, a private organization, at the time of the disaster. 

“FEMA recently sent correspondence telling us that the racetrack on St. Croix is no longer eligible for those funds because it was not the responsibility of the Territory at the time of the disaster,” said Office of Disaster Recovery (ODR) Director Adrienne Williams-Octalien as she appeared before the Committee on Disaster Recovery, Infrastructure and Planning.

Senator Novelle Francis queried the Director: “What is the situation with the FEMA funding that had been earmarked to support and assist with the build out of the racetrack?”

“They’re (FEMA) going to de-obligate those funds,” the ODR Director replied. “We sent an appeal to them and we will probably  try to continue to appeal it. But as it stands right now, that is their decision.”

Senator Kurt Vialet recalled efforts to transfer the funds obligated to the St. Thomas track over to St. Croix in a letter sent from Sports, Parks and Recreation to FEMA making such a request. 

“Was it approved?” Senator Vialet inquired. 

The ODR Director did not reply.

“It sounds like St. Croix’s race track really has zero dollars approved…Monies de-obligated for St. Croix, and St. Thomas monies have not been approved yet,” the Senator surmised. 

With the USVI government finally being forced to sever ties with the “push the can down the road” game plan that VIGL has been feeding Virgin Islanders for years, where funding to rebuild the St. Croix track will come from is obviously up in the air for now. 

There needs to be a viable entity that can see the potential in such a grand money-making vision as the Randall “Doc” Racetrack & Racino, and understand its importance to the community and to the culture of the Big Island. Where are you?         

In other Trump Administration funding cuts, DPNR’s  Land and Water Use Plan (WLUP) is struggling to obtain funding after FEMA’s BRIC grants and NOAA-funded planning grants have either ceased to exist or have had their budgets severely cut. 

Jean-Pierre Oriel, Commissioner of the V.I. Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR) recently appeared before the same committee.

“Our two main focuses have been on implementation and seeking funding,” said Commissioner Oriol. “The Building Resilient Infrastructure in Communities, or BRIC, funding opportunities under FEMA has ceased. The Big, Beautiful Bill proposes a $646 million cut to FEMA non-disaster grant programs…Many NOAA-funded planning grants have also been cut, limiting our opportunities for federal resource support.” 

After 54 years in the making, the WLUP, or Comp Plan. as Commissioner Oriel refers to it, has always been controversial from many angles, from rezoning requirements, to affected-property owner and community support. The enormous funding for this long-term arcing project, at least from the St. Croix Times point of view, has always seemed to be the least of its problems.

Nevertheless, other areas for funding continue to be explored.