The Park Service anticipates that approximately 288 cubic yards of contaminated soil and 40 cubic yards of contaminated sediment will be removed.

“Banked cubic yards” refers to the volume of soil as it naturally exists in the ground in an undisturbed state, while “bulk cubic yards” refers to the volume of material after it has been excavated.

Any hazardous waste removed from the site will be disposed of in a permitted landfill in the continental United States, the National Park Service said.

During the second phase of work, Honeymoon Beach and Caneel Beach will remain open to visitors.

Portions of existing parking lots may be closed off to serve as staging areas for sealed confined materials and equipment, and visitors may notice increased equipment noise.

NPS works with its contractors to minimize impacts to the visitor experience. To prevent the migration of contaminants via dust and erosion, the contractor carrying out the removal work must take measures such as covering material stockpiles overnight and when not in active use.

In addition to the contractor performing the removal work, NPS has hired an independent “project monitor” to oversee the work.

The project monitor will conduct monitoring and supervision during work and collect confirmation samples to ensure disposal goals are met, the NPS said.

All confirmation samples collected by the monitor will be analyzed by an independent laboratory holding National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program certifications for metal and pesticide analysis.

This second phase of removal work is being funded in part by the Home Office’s Central Hazardous Materials Fund, with additional funding coming from the Inflation Reduction Act.

During the first phase of environmental cleanup at Caneel Bay, NPS removed asbestos-containing debris from 2017’s Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

On-site work associated with the removal of asbestos-containing debris began in January 2024 and was completed in April 2024.

Approximately 58 tonnes of asbestos-containing debris have been removed from three areas near Little Hawksnest, Scott Beach and Turtle Point to reduce risks to human health and the environment.

Proper safety protocols were followed during removal and all asbestos-containing debris was disposed of in a permitted landfill in Florida in May 2024, the NPS said.

Cleanup is being conducted pursuant to NPS delegated authority under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act. Plans for the removal works resulted from the 2021 National Park VI Technical Assessment/Cost Analysis Report and the 2022 EE/CA Report Addendum, which documented the release of hazardous substances at the site.