Published by the University of the Virgin Islands Cooperative Extension Service
Photo courtesy of Westin St. John Resort & Villas.
Help Strengthen Community Awareness
to Protect & Restore Our Environment!
Youth from the St. Croix Boys & Girls Club listening to a UVI-
VIMAS nonpoint source pollution presentation.
Table of Contents
Plan Now to Participate in the 8th VI NPS Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
UVI-VIMAS is Getting the NPS Message Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
UVI-CES Helps Residents Understand Their Septic Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
DPNR-CZM Wins NOAA Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
EPA Releases Virgin Islands Annual Report on Pollution
Releases to Air, Water and Land . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
October is National Home Indoor Air Quality & Children’s
Health Month . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
St. Thomas Youth Celebrate CoastWeeks! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Web Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Available Grants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Celebrate Our Culture: Support VI Agriculture!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Upcoming Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Nonpoint Source Pollution Committee Newsletter
Vol. 6, No. 3
October 2003
Plan now to attend the 8th V.I.
Nonpoint Source Pollution Con-
ference, to be held December 4-5,
2003 at The Westin St. John Re-
sort & Villas. Conference planners
have received an abundance of pos-
ter, exhibit and oral presentation
abstracts focused on this year’s
theme: “Strengthening Commu-
nity Awareness to Protect &
Restore Our Environment.” 
The Virgin Islands Nonpoint
Source Pollution Conference pro-
vides education & outreach to the
Virgin Islands community about
Non-point Source (NPS) pollution
issues in the Territory. The pri-
mary Conference objective is to in-
crease Virgin Islanders’ awareness,
knowledge levels and skills, resul-
ting in behavior and practice
changes by government, industry
and residents in order to improve
water quality throughout the terri-
tory.
Conference planners aim to bring
together: territorial & federal
government personnel; university
scientists, instructors, staff & stu-
dents interested in water quality
and pollution prevention; commu-
nity groups & homeowner associa-
tions; non-governmental organiza-
tions; members of the construc-
tion, plumbing & boating indus-
tries; K-12 students & educators;
farmers; and vendors to examine
environmental issues in the terri-
tory and throughout the wider
Caribbean region.
For conference or hotel registra-
tion information, contact Kysha
W allace, DPNR-DEP, 
a t
kwallacedpnr@hotmail.com or
340-774-3320 or Julie Wright,
UVI-CES, at jwright@uvi.edu or
340-693-1082. Conference
information is also available at:
http://rps.uvi.edu/CES/VINPS
conf2003.htm.
UVI-VIMAS is Getting the Nonpoint
Source Message Out
For several years UVI’s St. Croix VIMAS office has been
educating local school children about NPS pollution.
Hundreds of children have listened to VIMAS agents
explain NPS pollution, how it affects the environment and
how it can be minimized. But are they getting it? Do they
understand and retain the message? 
In order to try to evaluate this, two St. Croix fifth grade
classes were given a multiple-choice pre-test, post-test and
a final post test to assess their knowledge of the topic. The
pre-test was given prior to the presentation, the post-test
immediately after the presentation and the final test about
one month after the presentation. After the presentation,
the teacher reinforced the concepts learned by incorpor-
ating them into the students’ lessons. Student scores on the
tests were recorded and analyzed to determine their level
of understanding of the topics covered in the presentations.
Untreated sewage overflowing from a failed
septic system on St. Thomas.
St. Croix East End Marine Park.
Statistical comparisons of pre-test scores
with post-test scores showed  highly signi-
ficant improvement in the students’ under-
standing of NPS materials and is a result of
learning about NPS through the presenta-
tions by VIMAS staff. Pre-test scores com-
pared with the final post-test scores show-
ed that students continued to improve even
a month after the NPS presentation, indi-
cating retention of the presentation mater-
ial and the effectiveness of reinforcement
of the concepts by the teacher. Compar-
ison of post-test and final test scores also
yielded a significant difference, but the
improvement indicated was not as dramatic
as was seen with comparison of the pre-
test scores, which is to be expected.
So it seems that students are indeed learn-
ing and retaining information received dur-
ing VIMAS NPS presentations. This is
especially important given the increasing
awareness within the federal and local gov-
ernments that project impacts must be
evaluated in order to more efficiently allo-
cate limited resources. “This evaluation pro-
cess has given us justification to continue our
work and confidence that we are indeed making
a difference,” VIMAS Agent Marcia Taylor
said.  “It has also helped us understand which
areas of instruction need additional effort in or-
der to improve learning.” For more informa-
tion on this program, contact St. Croix
UVI-VIMAS agent Marcia Taylor at 340-
692-4046 or mtaylor@uvi.edu.
UVI-CES Helps Residents
Understand Their Septic
Systems
Many homes in the Virgin Islands use a
standard septic system to treat waste water
from the bathroom, kitchen, and clothes
washer. However, public health officials
report that more than 400 septic systems
fail in the territory each year. Many
septic systems fail in the Virgin Islands
because of poor siting or up-keep. Waste
water from failing septic systems can
pollute cisterns, wells, guts, ponds, and
beaches. Sewage can overflow onto the soil
surface around a septic system, creating a
public health risk. Waste water also can
cause algal blooms in ponds, lagoons, and
coastal waters that kill fish and shell fish. 
To address these problems, UVI’s Coop-
erative Extension Service (CES) conducted
“Understanding Your Septic System”
workshops in August on St. Thomas and
St. Croix. Residents attending the work-
shops learned about how septic systems
function, how to site and design a septic
system, how to operate and maintain septic
systems to prevent failures, failure warning
signs, and methods for evaluating and rank-
ing septic systems for pollution potential.
81% of attendees said that they increased
their knowledge of septic system issues,
and all participants said they would imple-
ment the “good house-keeping” practices
recommended at the workshops. As a
result of the workshops, CES staff also
visited a resident’s home site to provide
recommendations to remediate the home
owner’s failed system.
The “Understanding Your Septic Sys-
tem” workshop is part of UVI-CES’s
VI*A*Syst (V.I. Home & Farm Water
Quality Protection) Program. VI*A*Syst
is a voluntary program that offers Virgin
Islanders a simple and effective way to help
protect water quality and improve health
and quality of life by reducing pollution
risks in and around the home. For more
information on septic systems or VI*A*-
Syst, contact  Julie Wright, 340-693-1082
or jwright@uvi.edu, or Dale Morton,
340-693-1086 or dmorton@uvi.edu.
VI Marine Park Committee
Receives National Award
Congratulations go out to DPNR’s Coastal
Zone Management Program and the V.I.
Marine Park Advisory Committee, recipi-
ents of a 2003 Coastal America Partnership
Award for their work in enacting legisla-
tion to establish the St. Croix East End
Marine Park. The park is home to a magni-
ficent barrier reef, patch reefs, colorful
corals, a vast array of fish, sponges, endan-
gered turtles, and a healthy mangrove eco-
system.
Coastal America’s Partnership Awards
recognize outstanding partnership efforts
and/or multi-agency projects. The award
ceremony will be held on St. Croix
October 23rd. The V.I. award highlighted
DPNR’s strategy to initiate a collaborative
process among key agencies, guided by an
advisory committee, which was critical to
the effort to enact new legislation to pro-
tect the resources in the Marine Park.
Legislation to establish the St. Croix East
End Marine Park was approved in January
2003 and utilizes a zoning strategy to allow
for multiple uses within the boundaries of
the Park while minimizing conflicting uses.
Coastal America is a unique partnership of
federal agencies, state and local govern-
ments, and private organizations. The part-
ners work together to protect, preserve,
and restore our nation’s coasts. For more
information on Coastal America, visit
www.coastalamerica.gov. For details on
the St. Croix East End Marine Park, visit
www.viczmp.com.
EPA Releases VI Annual Re-
port on Pollutant Releases
to Air, Water and Land
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agen-
cy (EPA) has issued its annual report
detailing the most recent toxic chemical
releases into the environment of the U.S.
Virgin Islands by industries and other
facilities. Due to past reporting errors, the
2001 report shows an increase in levels of
toxics released in the Virgin Islands be-
tween 2000 and 2001. New this year is
information on estimated lead emissions to
the environment. In addition, the thresh-
holds for reporting many toxic chemicals
were reduced.
“Informing the public with basic information
about toxic chemicals in their communities is
among the most effective, common-sense steps
Celebrate Our Culture: Support
V.I. Agriculture!
That’s the theme of the 22nd annual St. Thomas-
St. John Agriculture and Food Fair, to be held
Saturday 
and 
Sunday, 
November 
22 
& 
23,
2003, at the UVI Reichhold Center for the Arts
grounds. Food & drinks, fruits, vegetables,
plants and arts & crafts will all be on sale.
There will also be educational displays, live-
stock exhibits, pony rides, and live entertain-
ment. Admission is $1:00 for children under 13
and $2.00 for everyone else. A calf; 5 fruit
trees; 3 bags of feed; and 68 medicinal plants,
a bottle of local honey and a native recipes
cookbook will be raffled off. 
For 
details, 
call
the V.I. Agriculture Department at 340-774-5182
or UVI-CES at 340-693-1080.
Students from Sibilly School picked up 29 bags of
trash on Coki Beach October 3rd. During the 3
weeks of CoastWeeks over 300 students from 9
schools 
and 
Junior 
ROTC 
participated 
in
CoastWeeks clean-ups on St. Thomas.
to protect the health of families and children
from the threats posed by pollution,” EPA
Regional Administrator Jane M. Kenny
said. “That is why EPA has consistently expan-
ded the type and amount of information avail-
able to the public under the Right-to-Know pro-
gram,” she pointed out.
The total reported toxic releases in the
Virgin Islands were up from approximately
671,681 pounds in 2000 to 1,032,199
pounds in 2001. The increase was due to
higher amounts of carbonyl sulfide, carbon
disulfide and nitrate compounds emissions
reported by HOVENSA, based on more
extensive sampling at their facility.
HOVENSA has informed EPA that it will
revise past TRI reports and use specialty
catalysts to reduce future emissions. Visit
EPA’s website www.epa.gov/tri to access
specific on-line TRI information related to
the VI community.
October is National Home
Indoor 
Air 
Quality 
&
Children’s Health Month
The UVI Cooperative Extension Service is
celebrating Home Indoor Air Quality &
Children’s Health Months by conducting
presentations for youth & community
groups and promoting awareness of and ac-
tions to protect Children’s Health & Home
Indoor Air Quality here in the V.I.
National Home Indoor Air Quality Ac-
tion & Awareness Month was developed
by the Healthy Indoor Air for America’s
Homes Program and is supported by Presi-
dential Proclamation. Each week focuses
on a different home indoor air topic (gen-
eral IAQ action & awareness, children &
asthma, secondhand smoke & children’s
health, and lead & children). For details on
the Healthy Indoor Air for America’s
H o m e s 
P r o g r a m , 
v i s i t
www.montana.edu/wwwcxair/.
During Children’s Health Month, EPA is
also joining with other agencies of the
President’s Task Force on Environmental
Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children
to help Americans take actions to protect
our most precious future resource, our
children. Families can take advantage of a
special October calendar that includes an
action step for each day of the month.
Topics range from nutrition and school
health, to environmental safety, to injury
and disease prevention. For details, visit
w w w . e p a . g o v / n e w s r o o m / h i -
c h i l d r e n s h e a l t h m o n t h . h t m 
o r
www.childrenshealth.gov/index.html.
For more information on Indoor Air Qual-
ity and Children’s Health, or to schedule a
presentation, please contact Dale Morton
or Julie Wright at the UVI Cooperative
Extension Service at 693-1080.
St. Thomas Youth Celebrate
CoastWeeks!
Web Resources
A revised version of the History of Protected
Area Initiatives in the U.S. Virgin Islands,
IRF Occasional Papers Series #58, is now avail-
able from Island Resources Foundation in photo-
copy form for $5 prepaid. The paper highlights
efforts to get the a territorial part program, as
long ago as the 1950's and details 10 major
territory-wide studies. Contact bpotter@irf.org
for details.
Making Waves: Integrating Coastal Conser-
vation & Development, a new Earthscan publi-
cation, identifies the dilemmas of managing con-
servation and development in coastal areas. Visit
www.earthscan.co.uk/asp/bookdetails.asp?ke
y=3797 for details.
The U.S. EPA has unveiled a new High School
Environmental Center web site to help high
school students explore and learn about their
environment and ways to protect it. The Web
site contains information about air and water
issues, waste and recycling, conservation, health
and safety, eco-systems, and community environ-
mental conditions. It also links interested stu-
dents to internship and scholarship opportu-
nities, environmental careers and community
involvement projects. For details, visit
www.epa.gov/highschool. 
The US Government General Accounting Office
has released it’s report: Invasive Species: State
and Other Non-federal Perspectives on Chal-
lenges to Managing the Problem, GAO-03-
1089R, 
available 
for 
download 
at
www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-03-1089R.
Available Grants
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the North
American Wetlands Conservation Council are
seeking proposals for wetland and wetland-
associated upland conservation projects under
the Small Grants program for the North
American Wetlands Conservation Act. Up to
$50,000 per project will be awarded. Proposals
are due November 28, 2003. For details, visit
http://northamerican.fws.gov/NAWCA/USs
mallgrants.html.
The US Fish & Wildlife Foundation is solici-
ting applications to support habitat restoration
projects that benefit native aquatic species (e.g.,
native fish, aquatic insects, mollusks, and amphi-
bians) in their historic range. Applicants should
follow the Foundation’s general challenge grant
guidelines and the associated time-line. Pre-
proposals are due October 15, 2003; full pro-
posals are due December 1, 2003. Visit
www.nfwf.org/programs/grant_apply.htm for
details about BBN and other Fish & Wildlife
Foundation grants.
The 14th Annual Toyota TAPESTRY Grants
for Teachers program will award $550,000 to
K-12 science teachers in the United States and its
territories. Toyota is offering 50 large grants of
up to $10,000 each and a minimum of 20 mini-
grants of up to $2500 each. Proposals are due
January 
16, 
2004. 
For 
details, 
visit
www.nsta.org/programs/tapestry.
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Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution results from rain water flowing over and through the ground, picking up
pollutants and depositing them into guts, salt ponds, beaches, coastal waters, and ground water.
Editor & Designer:  
Julie Wright, UVI-CES
Reviewers: 
Clarice Clarke, UVI-CES, 
Janice Hodge, DPNR-CZM,
Rudy G. O’Reilly, Jr., USDA-
NRCS,
Marcia Taylor, UVI-VIMAS
Photographer:  
Dale Morton, UVI-CES
Upcoming Events
Local
November 5, 2003. WRRI Seminar: Fecal Coli-
form Bacteria Removal Efficiencies for Storm-
water BMPs in the VI, UVI St. Thomas & St.
Croix. Contact UVI-WRRI at 340-693-1062
for details.
November 6, 2003. Understanding Your Septic
System, UVI-CES St. John. For details, contact
Dale Morton 
at 
340-693-1086 
or
dmorton@uvi.edu.
November 22-23, 2003. St. Thomas - St. John
Agriculture & Food Fair, UVI Reichhold Cen-
ter Grounds, St. Thomas. Contact UVI-CES at
340-693-1080 or VI Ag. Dept. at 774-5182
for details.
December 4-5, 2003. Strengthening Community
Awareness to Protect & Restore Our Environ-
ment,  8th Virgin Islands Nonpoint Source Pol-
lution Conference, St. John, VI. Visit
http://rps.uvi.edu/CES/VINPSconf2003.htm
for details.
December 7, 2003. Eco-Hike Guide Training
Workshop, UVI-CES St. Croix. Contact Olasee
Davis at 340-692-4053 or odavis@uvi.edu for
details.
December 2003. Ground Cover Workshop, UVI-
CES St. Thomas. Contact Carlos Robles at 340-
693-1083 or crobles@uvi.edu for details.
National
October 20-23, 2003. Third National Confer-
ence Nonpoint Source Pollution & Education
Programs, Chicago, IL. For details, visit
www.chicagobotanic.org/research/conferenc
e/nonpoint.
November 8-12, 2003. 2nd Conference on Water-
shed Management to Meet Emerging TMDL
Environmental Regulations, Albuquerque,
NM. For Conference details, contact Barbara
Sowden at sowden@asae.org.
November 4 - 11, 2003. Advanced Marina Man-
agement School Ft. Lauderdale, FL. For
details, visit www.imimarina.org.
January 22-24, 2004. 3rd Annual New Partners
for Smart Growth, Portland, OR. Visit
www.outreach.psu.edu/C&I/SmartGrowth for
details.
February 16-20, 2004. 35th Annual International
Erosion Control Association Conference,
Philadelphia, PA. Visit www.ieca.org for
details.
February 19-21, 2004. North American Inter-
disciplinary Conference on Environment and
Community - Call for Papers, Saratoga Springs,
NY. Submission deadline: November 1st. For
details, www.esc.edu/EnvironConf. 
March 14-16, 2004. National Green Building
Conference, Austin, TX. For details, visit
www.nahbrc.org/conferencesseminarsgreen.a
sp?CategoryID=1676.
VI NPS Update is a quarterly newsletter published by the University of the Virgin Islands Cooperative Extension Service,
Kwame Garcia, State Director, and produced by the Virgin Islands Nonpoint Source Pollution Committee to inform the public
about projects funded by U.S. EPA Nonpoint Source Pollution Management (§319) grants and other NPS pollution
control/prevention projects in the territory, and to provide information and material regarding the control/prevention of
NPS pollution.  No endorsement of products or firms is intended, nor is criticism implied of those not mentioned.  Issued
by the Virgin Islands Cooperative Extension Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture in furtherance of the acts of May
8 and June 30, 1914.  Extension programs and policies are consistent with federal and state laws and regulations on non-
discrimination regarding race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability or gender preference. Funding for VI
NPS Update provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Nonpoint Source Pollution Management Program through the Virgin
Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources, Dean C. Plaskett, Esq., Commissioner.