COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE/FLOOR 
 
 
BILL NO. 35-0292 
 
Thirty-Fifth Legislature of the Virgin Islands 
 
 
 
June 20, 2024 
 
 
 
An Act to renew and extend the Governor’s Executive Order and Proclamation declaring the 
State of Energy Emergency in the Virgin Islands to avert an energy crisis 
 
 
 
PROPOSED BY: 
 
Senator Novelle E. Francis, Jr., by Request of the Governor 
WHEREAS, Title 23, Virgin Islands Code, section 1005(a), vests the responsibility for 
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meeting the dangers to the Territory of the Virgin Islands and its people presented by 
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emergencies or major disasters in the Governor of the Virgin Islands; and 
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WHEREAS, for months leading up to April 2024, the inability of independent 
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government agencies to pay the Water and Power Authority timely for its services impacted 
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the Authority’s ability to pay its critical vendors, resulting in curtailing of power generation; 
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and 
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WHEREAS, on April 22, 2024, the Governor issued Executive Order 537-2024, 
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declaring a State of Emergency to avert an emergency crisis in the Virgin Islands; and 
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WHEREAS, in order to protect the lives and property of the residents of the Territory, 
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the Governor found it necessary to renew and extend the State of Emergency on May 22, 2024, 
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for an additional 30 days, through June 21, 2024 in Executive Order 537a-2024; and 
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WHEREAS, the Territory continues to work through the process of mitigating the severe 
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threat of insufficient and unreliable power generation in the Virgin Islands; and 
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WHEREAS, the Government of the Virgin Islands continues to take action to stabilize 
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the production of energy in the Territory to ensure the delivery of critical services to its 
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residents.  Now, Therefore; 
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Be it enacted by the Legislature of the Virgin Islands: 
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SECTION 1.  Pursuant to title 23, Virgin Islands Code, section 1005(d), the State of 
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Emergency declared on April 22, 2024, renewed on May 22, 2024,  and is set to expire on June 
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21, 2024 is hereby extended for an additional 90 days, and the State of Emergency shall 
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continue in force or effect through September 19, 2024, unless earlier lifted or extended by 
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Order of the Governor of the Virgin Islands. 
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BILL SUMMARY   
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This bill extends the State of Energy Emergency in the Virgin Islands to avert an energy 
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crisis for an additional 90 days through September 19, 2024. 
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BR24-1168/June 18, 2024/PFA 
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G35-073 
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