COMMITTEE RECEIVES UPDATES FROM DPNR AND EDUCATION  - Legislature of the United States Virgin Islands Close About Us History Functions and Structure FY 2026 Budget Honor Roll Rules of the 36th Legislative Youth Advisory Council Application Careers Archives Legislative Archives Tours × St. Thomas Senators  St. John Senators  St.Croix Senators  Districts All Senators St. Croix St. Thomas - St. John Senator at Large × Committees Committee of the Whole Budget, Appropriation and Finance Culture, Youth, Aging, Sports, and Parks Disaster Recovery, Infrastructure and Planning Economic Development and Agriculture Education and Workforce Development Government Operations, Veteran Affairs and Consumer Protection Health, Hospitals and Human Services Homeland Security, Justice and Public Safety Housing, Transportation and Telecommunications Rules and Judiciary Session Folder × No event found! Calendars Bi-Weekly Senate Calendar Session Agenda × Dialog window Dialog window General Senators Committees Media Calendars Contact DISASTER RECOVERY AND INFRASTRUCTURE | Press Releases | Senator Milton E. Potter | Uncategorized COMMITTEE RECEIVES UPDATES FROM DPNR AND EDUCATION  Published: Jun 4, 2024 Search for: ST. THOMAS – The Committee on Disaster Recovery, Planning, and Infrastructure, led by Senator Milton E. Potter met in the Earle B. Ottley Legislative Hall. Lawmakers received testimony from the Department of Planning and Natural Resources concerning the replacement of potable drinking water lines, an update on the Comprehensive Land and Water Use plan, the relocation of the department’s offices, and any projects the department has underway as well as any issues it has had. Separately, Senators received an update from the Department of Education concerning planned, ongoing, and completed projects, the status of all disaster related federal funding, and any challenges the department has had pertaining to the territory’s disaster recovery efforts.  Jean-Pierre Oriol, Commissioner of the Department of Planning and Natural Resources delivered updates on the Department. Oriol said it is difficult to update the entire Department, stating that there are 14 divisions within the Department, each with its own mandate. However, Oriol stated that the department was “doing all right with what we have.” The Permits Division has processed $150 Million in construction applications in the 2024 fiscal year, $160,000 in violations, and the GVI expending $3.34 billion in recovery projects. Oriol stated that despite challenges, there have been multiple successes in all divisions. The Division of Environmental Protection is responsible for the disbursement of drinking water. infrastructure grant funding. In Fiscal Year 2024, total funding of $3,811,645 has been allotted for drinking water infrastructure upgrades. DEP has also obligated $566,815 in funding to other potable water providers in the territory. Capital projects in process include the Hull Bay Vessel Launch Ramp removal and replacement, and the Quetel Fish Market on St. Thomas, in the amount of $229.537,50. Work is anticipated to begin by July 1, 2024. Repairs for the Charles W. Turnbull Library are expected to be completed by September 2024. Repairs to the Athalie M Petersen Library stalled and are expected to resume by June 2024. Oriol said the department struggles with funding to hire more personnel in non-federally funded divisions.  The Department is expected to relocate to the Subbase-Crown Bay Area. A plan to a convert a Subbase building into office space ran into significant cost overrun. The Department spent $200K on mold remediation at the office. A chiller unit at the office stopped functioning. Over $12,000 was spent on portable ac units, forcing personnel to work in shifts, and forcing office closures to make the unit functional again. Oriol made mention of the recent WAPA outages and that the fact that their landlord had generator issues. A draft of the Comprehensive Land and Water Use plan is expected to be released by Mid-June. There will be three working sessions on each island to finalize the draft plan which will go out for public comment.  A final Comprehensive Land and Water Use plan is expected by August 2024.  Additionally, Dionne Wells-Hedrington, Commissioner of the Department of Education told the body that beginning in 2017, the Department had started a journey to rebuild public education infrastructure in the territory. Approximately $3.4 Billion is coming from the FEMA Public Assistance program for permanent work and $0.1 billion from the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant (HMGP) for saferooms. A petty cash system has been established so that maintenance directors in both districts can have access to funding and has helped to expedite emergency repairs to educational facilities. Maintenance and Operations personnel have been moved to the newly established School Maintenance and Construction Bureau. Historically, maintenance received $2 Million territory wide, which has now increased to $5 Million territory wide. It received a one-time amount of $7.5 Million and reprogramming funding from the Public Finance Authority of $3,417,978.25.  The Virgin Islands Department of Education assists all public schools in the territory across 44 locations and serves almost 10,000 students. The Department suffered catastrophic damages in September 2017 after the passage of two category 5 hurricanes, Irma, and Maria. In 2024, the Department implemented the Educational Facility Master Plan, to support teaching and learning with equity for all students by building facilities to support. A $3.4 Billion capital improvement plan has been launched with the Office of Disaster Recovery to assist in this rebuilding of school facilities. Currently, 12 projects are being designed, three of which have construction contracts signed and two are under construction. Completed projects include the Wheatley Discovery Center. Projects under construction include the Arthur A Richards PreK to 8 at the Evelyn Williams Campus, the Raphael O Wheatley Skills Center at the Gladys A. Abraham Campus, the Alexander Henderson PreK-8, the Boschulte PreK-8, the Charlotte Amalie High School, the Claude O. Markoe PreK-8, The Edith Williams Alternative Education Academy, the Julius E. Sprauve PreK-12, the Lockhart PreK-8, St. Croix Central High School, St. Croix Education Complex, St. Thomas/St. John Education Administration Center, and the St. Croix Education Administration Center.  New projects being planned include the Alfredo Andrews PreK-8 (New Build), Dunbavin Alternative Education Center E. Benjamin Oliver PreK-8 (Modernization and Addition), Guy H. Benjamin Cultural and Center and Park (Modernization), Ivanna Eudora Kean High School (New Build) , Jane E. Tuitt PreK-3 (New Build) , John H. Woodson Discovery Center (Modernization) Juanita Gardine PreK-8 (New Build), Pearl B. Larsen PreK-8 (New Build), Ulla F. Muller PreK-8 (New Build) and Yvonne Milliner Bowsky PreK-8 with 6-8 (Modernization and Addition). Testimony emphasized that most of the territory’s schools were built more than 40 years ago and relied heavily on traditional classroom space. The newly built facilities would focus on multiple types of learning spaces.  Senators present at today’s committee hearing included Milton E. Potter, Diane T. Capehart, Novelle E. Francis, Jr., Alma Francis Heyliger, Donna A. Frett-Gregory, Ray Fonseca, Kenneth L. Gittens, Marise C James, Franklin D. Johnson, and Carla J. Joseph.  The Division of Public Affairs is committed to providing the community with accurate information on legislative proceedings and other events at the Legislature of the Virgin Islands. Visit legvi.org.   ####  Find More Search for: Categories News Observances Press Releases Special Events Related Content COMMITTEE REVIEWS FY 2027 EXECUTIVE BUDGET REQUESTS FOR GOVERNOR’S OFFICE, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR’S OFFICE, AND BUREAU OF MOTOR VEHICLES July 23, 2026 ST. CROIX, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS – Members of the Committee on Budget, Appropriations, and Finance, chaired by Senator Novelle E. Francis Jr., met in the Frits E. Lawaetz Conference Room to receive testimony on the proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budgets for... Read More COMMITTEE RECEIVES UPDATES FROM WASTE MANAGEMENT CONCERNING SEWAGE HEALTH RISKS, CANCER CARE IN THE TERRITORY                                   July 22, 2026 ST. THOMAS, VI – The 36th Legislature of the Virgin Islands’ Committee on Health, Hospitals, and Human Services, led by Senator Ray Fonseca, met at the Earle B. Ottley Legislative Hall.  Lawmakers received testimony concerning the potential and observed public... Read More SENATORS CONSIDER PROPOSED HORSE RACE LEGISLATION IN SPECIAL SESSION  July 22, 2026 Members of the 36th Legislature, led by Senate President Milton E. Potter, convened at the Earle B. Ottley Legislative Hall. Lawmakers met in special session by request of the governor to consider Bill No. 36-0313, an act approving lease and franchise agreements for the development and operation of the Randall “Doc”... Read More Quick Links Home Senators Committees Media News Contact Important Links Revised Organic Act of 1954 (PDF) 36th Oath of Office Booklet 100 Day Report Rules of the 36th Public Information or Archives Request Search for: Follow Follow Follow Follow