Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett announced that during a meeting today with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers there was agreement to increase staffing and resources in order to review projects currently in development in the Virgin Islands that have permit applications pending with the Corps. During her discussions with Colonel Allen M. Dodd, Commander, Jacksonville District, Rep. Plaskett had expressed concerns that the Corps’ permitting process and subsequent delays were creating uncertainty for several economic development projects underway in the territory.
“Since arriving in Washington, I have raised the point that the some of the ongoing and continuously delayed permitting processes have caused hardship to the territory and put some very significant investments and critical regional resources at risk,” said Rep. Plaskett. “Today, I am encouraged by the Corps’ response and commitment to resolving these project delays. We have secured their commitment that increased staffing and resources will be put into place beginning next week to work on reducing the backlog of permits handled by the Jacksonville office.”
Plaskett held a conference call this afternoon with Col. Dodd and representatives from the Army Corps of Engineers Antilles Regulatory Section in San Juan, PR, which handles permit applications from the U.S. Virgin Islands and has reporting responsibility to the Corps’ Jacksonville Headquarters Command.
“We are very pleased with these latest developments and I have expressed our appreciation to Colonel Dodd. I also thanked him for his commitment to our territory and his support for a number of very important projects in the Virgin Islands and I look forward to Col. Dodd’s continued updates in the future,” Plaskett said.
