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Attorney General Vincent Frazer used a news briefing on Friday to announce a settlement agreement that will finally lead to the stabilization and covering of St. Croix’s red mud pile. Officially known as the dry stack bauxite residue disposal area located at the site of the former Alumina Refinery, Frazer said, this waste was the residue that resulted from decades of industrial operations that processed bauxite ore into alumina.
Located just south of the Melvin Evans Highway between Sunny Isle and the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport, the red mud pile has been a documented threat to the island’s environment as well as a visual blight to both our islands’ citizens and visitors alike. “This agreement specifies corrective activities that will lead to stabilization and vegetation designed to keep the red mud both covered and in place in order to avoid future releases of this waste,” Frazer said.
The settlement resolves joint claims filed by the Virgin Islands government, the Department of Planning and Natural Resources, and the Natural Resource Trustee for the U.S. Virgin Islands against St. Croix Alumina (SCA), Alcoa World Alumina, and St. Croix Renaissance Group. Claims against Lockheed Martin and Vialco, former owners and operators of the site will continue forward since these parties are not contributing to the settlement.
“St. Croix Alumina will be required to stabilize, contour, and vegetate the red mud pile and adjacent areas to protect against catastrophic releases of red mud, to protect against dusting and wind erosion, and to protect areas downgradient of the red mud piles including extensive mangrove areas. Over time, the reduction in releases of red mud will help restore the natural resources in the vicinity of the red mud pile. To assure that the work performed by SCA meets rigorous engineering standards, SCA will pay for all costs in conjunction with a consultant engaged by DPNR to provide advice and oversight.”
DPNR Commissioner and Virgin Islands Trustee of Natural Resources, Alicia Barnes, encouraged “all interested parties to review the proposed settlement documents and scope of work that is available for inspection or copying at the Clerk’s Office located in the Federal Court Building at Golden Rock. A public comment period will be opened through December 27, 2011.”
According to Special Counsel, Attorney John K. Dema, “A vital element of this plan is the provision for the long-term maintenance, monitoring, and inspection of the Red Mud Pile and adjacent areas. These important functions will be conducted by the current owners, St. Croix Renaissance Group (SCRG) and will include future use restrictions to protect the integrity of the remediated areas of the site.”
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