Delegate to Congress Stacey Plaskett. By. ERNICE GILBERT/ V.I. CONSORTIUM
Delegate to Congress Stacey Plaskett announced Wednesday $99 million in new funding for vital projects in the Virgin Islands through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Disaster Relief law.
The $99 million addresses the Turpentine Run Flood Control Project and the Savan Gut Phase II flood control project. "This new federal investment comes as the Biden Administration continues its nationwide focus on easing supply chain bottlenecks, improving infrastructure resilience and creating jobs for families," said Ms. Plaskett, a member of the Ways and Means Committee.
“Virgin Islanders know that these projects are in urgent need of completion. Through the hard work of my office ensuring that the territory was included in the historic legislation, $99 million will soon be headed to the Virgin Islands to complete longstanding resiliency projects," she added. " With these new federal funds from the Army Corps, we will be able to initiate, physically complete and close out Savan Gut Phase II as well as the project at Turpentine Run. Also included was $500,000 for pre-construction engineering and design (PED) to be completed for the flood risk management project at Estate La Grange on St. Croix."
The congresswoman described the funding as "a historic investment for the Virgin Islands on projects which have been years in the making."
"I’m grateful for the information and support of the Department of Public Works and the Virgin Islands Port Authority in particular, both agencies provided information and support for our relentless prodding of the Army Corps to build these projects in the Virgin Islands," she said. " Turpentine Run is funded with Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022 (P.L.117-43) funding and Savan is funded with Bipartisan Infrastructure Act (P.L.117-58) funding."
According to the release, the Biden administration announced today that the Army Corps of Engineers will invest $14 billion in 500 projects across the nation that focus on strengthening critical supply chains. These new investments will create jobs and economic opportunity, while strengthening key water infrastructure projects, improving resiliency to the climate crisis, and restoring the environment.
