Virgin Islands Fire and Emergency Medical Services Committee on 
Government Operations, Veterans Affairs, Consumer Protection 
36th Legislature of the Virgin Islands 
 
 
 
 
March 10, 2026 
 
 
 
Presented By: Antonio O. Stevens
Good morning, Honorable Senator Avery L. Lewis, Chair of the Committee on 
Government Operations, Veterans Affairs and Consumer Protection, other 
distinguished Committee members, and the listening and viewing audience. 
 
I am Antonio Stevens, Director of the Virgin Islands Fire and Emergency Medical 
Services.  Also appearing on behalf of the agency are Assistant Director of Fire 
Clarence Stephenson and St. John Deputy Chief Magabe Calixte. 
 
 
Thank you for the opportunity to testify on Bill 36-0232, an act authorizing the 
disposal of green waste using controlled incineration technologies, including air 
curtain incinerators. 
 
VIFEMS welcomes the adoption of improved waste management strategies in 
the Territory and supports Bill 36-0232.  The Bill amends Act 8018 to grant 
authority to Waste Management Authority and landfill operators to burn green 
waste using controlled incinerators, air curtain incinerators or other 
substantially similar technology.  If not effectively managed, green waste can 
accumulate at the landfills and create conditions that are conducive to fires.  
And, as we have seen in recent years, fires at the territory’s landfills can be major 
events that last for days or weeks and require significant resources to extinguish. 
 
Bill 36-0232, specifically the language proposed to replace Subsection (a) in Act 
8018, gives WMA the legal authorization needed to implement an effective 
green waste management strategy, and VIFEMS is in support of the language as 
written. 
 
The new Subsection (b) proposed in the Bill outlines specific permitting 
requirements for the open burning of green waste on private property.  While 
these requirements closely align with the agency’s current criteria for issuing 
burn permits, VIFEMS recommends the following revisions: 
• Adding language that states “The burning will occur during daylight 
hours.” 
• Removing “during daylight hours” from Subsection(b)(2) 
• Replacing Virgin Islands Fire Services with Virgin Islands Fire and 
Emergency Medical Services. 
 
We hope that this body will consider these recommendations and will take favorable 
action on a final draft of the Bill that incorporates them.  
 
Thank you again for affording VIFEMS the opportunity to provide testimony on this 
important legislation. We await your questions.