Contact: John Wright

202/208-6416

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

DOI Official Enroute To The U.S. Virgin Islands To Assess Damages

Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt today announced that he is sendingthe Department's Inspector General Wilma Lewis and the Director for theOffice of Insular Affairs Allen Stayman to the U.S. Virgin Islands to assessdamages resulting from Hurricane Marilyn.

"Detailed damage assessments are underway and strategies are beingdeveloped to address immediate needs and long-term recovery efforts,"Babbitt said. "We want to move expeditiously to do whatever we can tohelp get the area up and operating again."

Lewis and Stayman departed this morning at 10 a.m. aboard a FederalEmergency Management Agency (FEMA) aircraft enroute to the hurricanetorn islands. Hurricane Marilyn hit the Island of St Thomas Friday,September 15, 1995, and President Clinton declared the U.S. Virgin Islandsa major disaster Saturday, September 16.

The President's action authorizes FEMA to coordinate all disaster reliefefforts. The Interior Department's Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) is offeringto provide the U.S. Virgin Islands with $137,000 in Disaster ResponseFunds for emergency needs that cannot be met by FEMA or other federalagencies. Additionally, if needed, OIA is prepared to reprogram $1.8million in hazard mitigation funds to immediately assist in the recoveryefforts.

The U.S. Virgin Islands is a United States territory comprised of three mainislands, Saint Croix, Saint John, and Saint Thomas. The capital, CharlotteAmalie, is located on Saint Thomas. The following Department of theInterior agencies have facilities and employees in the U.S. Virgin Islands;National Park Service -- St. Croix, St. John, and St. Thomas: U.S. Fish andWildlife Service -- St. Croix; Inspector General -- St. Thomas

For information concerning relatives and friends located in the U.S. VirginIslands, please call your local chapter of the America Red Cross (in D.C.202/728-6471) and ask for the Office of Disaster Services, or contactFEMA at (202) 646-4600.

U.S. Department of the Interior