Virgin Islands Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett issued the following statement in reaction to the recent Termini settlement reached for illegally applying restricted-use fumigants in multiple residential locations in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
“Accountability in this most unfortunate situation is certainly welcomed. While this settlement may be deemed just, in no way does it alleviate the pain of the families affected and the fears of those who have been potentially exposed. We know that there is still a number of sites—particularly on the island of St. Croix—where residents were potentially exposed to the restricted fumigant, and I would like to see the same consideration paid to mitigating the affects to those individuals or residences. The unfortunate events in this case underscore the importance of the role of our Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the role of our local Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR) in enforcing environmental laws and protecting the people of the territory against the harmful effects of environmental contamination.”
