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St. Croix Ground Lizard Reintroduction Assessment Available for Public Comment

A St. Croix ground lizard.
A St. Croix ground lizard (file photo)

Commissioner Jean-Pierre L. Oriol of the Department of Planning and Natural Resources has announced that the Division of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) has made the Environmental Assessment for the St. Croix Ground Lizard Reintroduction available for public comment until Jan. 15, 2021. 

A public comment hearing is scheduled for 3 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 15. In an effort to help to reduce the global spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), this meeting will be held via the video conferencing platform Go To Meeting.

The agenda is as follows:

Review the Environmental Assessment Report (EAR) as part of a Section 7 consultation with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for projects that involve federally listed endangered species.

The proposed project by DPNR-DFW is to reintroduce the endangered St. Croix Ground Lizard (Pholidoscelis Ameiva polops) from offshore cays to the main island of St. Croix.

The associated documents are available for public review on the DPNR website http://dpnr.vi.gov/fish-and-wildlife/wild/. Further, documents for the proposed project are on file for review by appointment at the Department of Planning and Natural Resources, Division of Fish and Wildlife locations at 45 Mars Hill, St. Croix, or 6972 Estate Nazareth, St. Thomas, by calling 773-1082, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., except holidays.

Note that this is a public hearing; therefore, public testimony will be heard. The following information should be used to view the meeting:

Please join the meeting from a computer, tablet or smartphone.

https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/541778325

People can also dial-in using their phones.

United States: +1 (312) 757-3121

Access Code: 541-778-325

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