ST. JOHN — The Virgin Islands National Park held a second public meeting to discuss its proposed increase in amenity fees and new fees, which have been met with significant community backlash since they were announced last month.
At Wednesday’s meeting, which was again held at the new Resource Management and Science building at Lind Point on St. John, Superintendent Penny Del Bene said they had received 192 public comments to date, prompting them to consider several changes to the fee proposal.
“Rather than it coming on board January 1, we’re looking at reducing it and phasing it over time,” Del Bene said. “What that looks like exactly right now, I don’t have an answer for you, but we’re looking at phase implementation. Because many people have said, ‘I get it, you know, it’s been 10 years since you’ve done fee increases, but this is a big hit all at once, and phase is probably a better approach.’”
Del Bene also said the park was considering delayed implementation of some of the fees, particularly those related to the boat charter business. The National Park Service requires a commercial use authorization to conduct commercial activities and provide specific visitor services within a national park unit.
“The reason I think that that is something that makes sense is because many folks, especially in the CUA and charter business, have already booked trips,” Del Bene said. “They’ve already booked trips, they’ve already paid those fees, and they can’t necessarily pass these new fees on to the customers.”
Other options in consideration are additional annual pass options as well as raising the age for a children’s pass to Trunk Bay to 15 years old from 10 years old, according to Del Bene.
But regardless of Del Bene’s reassurance that these changes were being seriously considered, community members expressed concern that raised fees would not bring any substantive improvements to the park.
“Looking at our local government, they got all these monies,” said Carmen Wesselhoft, a former senator and local taxi driver who also spoke at the first meeting. “Our roads ain’t no better, our schools ain’t no better. Who am I to say all these increases are coming and nothing is going to improve? I feel like St. John is a melting pot, and we have been, for lack of a better word — I'm sorry that we’re live on air — we have been raped for years from the local government and now the National Park with all these fee increases.”
Jared Buckstein, a charter boat captain and St. Thomas resident, expressed similar frustration over whether increased fees would result in change, citing the over $500,000 the park says they spend annually on buoy and mooring maintenance.
“I can say, from being around the moorings on a weekly basis, I don’t see it,” Buckstein said. “I mean, we’re floating pendants with gallon water bottles and things like that, you know, just making things work.”
The proposed expanded amenity fees are not the only fees changing in the National Park in 2025. A new process for commercial use authorizations, which allow businesses to operate in the park, will begin in January 2025. Under the new CUA process, businesses will be charged 3% of the revenue they generate in the park, in addition to a $350 administrative fee.
But when asked about how this percentage will be determined for different types of businesses, NPS could not yet provide answers.
“We are still in the process of putting all of that information together,” said Paul Jones, NPS commercial use authorization coordinator and concession specialist.
Jones said more information on the new commercial use authorization process would be provided next month, at another public meeting scheduled for November 13.
