EFTA00583721.pdf

GOVERNMENT OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS BEFORE THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND NATURAL RESOURCES DIVISION OF COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT IN THE MATTER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND NATURAL RESOURCES, COMMISSIONER DAWN L. HENRY, ESQUIRE, ) NOVA 04-16-STT ) ) ) ) ) NOTICE OF FAILURE TO CURE COMPLAINANT, ) BREACH OF SETTLEMENT ) AGREEMENT AND vs. ) ENFORCEMENT OF SETTLEMENT ) AGREEMENT GREAT ST. JIM, LLC ) ) ) ) RESPONDENT. ) SUPPLEMENTAL CONSENT AGREEMENT WHEREAS, the Complainant, the Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR), is responsible for the administration and enforcement of laws and regulations pertaining to the protection and preservation of the coastal resources of the United States Virgin Islands, including the Coastal Zone Management Act (the "CZM Act"), Title 12, Chapter 21, of the Virgin Islands Code, and the Division of Coastal Zone Management ("CZM") is a division thereof; and WHEREAS, the Complainant, commenced an administrative enforcement proceeding by serving Respondent on April 25, 2016 with Notice of Violation No. NOVA-04-16-STT dated April 22, 2016 ("NOVA"); and EFTA00583721 Great St. Jim NOVA-04-I6-STT Supplemental Consent Agreement Page 2 of 10 WHEREAS, on or about August 4, 2016, respondent entered into a Settlement Agreement ("Settlement Agreement") with DPNR regarding issues pertaining to the NOVA; and WHEREAS, on or about November 4, 2016, Complainant served Respondent with a Notice to Cure Breach of Settlement Agreement ("Notice") requiring Respondent within ten (10) days to remove all unpermitted development and structures and failure to comply will subject Respondent to further enforcement action pursuant to V.I. Code Ann. Tit. 12 § 913 and Section 3(d) of the Settlement Agreement; and WHEREAS, on or about December 15, 2016, Complainant served Respondent with a Notice of Failure to Cure Breach of Settlement Agreement and Enforcement of Paragraph 3(d) of the Settlement Agreement "Failure to Cure-requiringasId WHEREAS, promptly upon receipt of both the Notice and the Failure to Cure Respondent te—pay—DP14R—the—remaining—penalty—balanse—af---Twehas been in frequent communication with Complainant in order to clarify and resolve ambiguities therein and to timely respond with appropriate action to address Complainant's concerns; and WHEREAS, Respondent has taken action to appropriately and comprehensively address all of Complainant's concerns as set forth in the Notice and the Failure to Cure, and moving forward has demonstrated a genuine and substantial commitment to work proactively with Complainant to preserve and protect the coastal resources in the United States Virgin Islands and to be a responsible steward of those resources on Great St. James Island; and WHEREAS, the commitment of Respondent and its affiliates to the preservation and protection of the Coastal Resources of the United States Virgin Islands is evidenced, among other ways, by a grant to the St. Thomas Historical Trust, an exempt entity under Section EFTA00583722 Great St. Jim NOVA-04-I6-STT Supplemental Consent Agreement Page 3 of 10 501(c13) of the Internal Revenue Code (the "Historic Trust"). which Gratitude America. Ltd., an affiliate of Respondent, is making in the amount of One Hundred T-enSixty Thousand Dollars ($2-1-0160,000700)and) for the purpose of paying fees, costs and expenses in connection with the construction of a raveling wall at Fort Christian located in Tier 1 on St. Thomas in the United States Virgin Islands (the "Fort Christian Project"); WHEREAS, Complainant and Respondent are collectively referred to herein as the Parties; and WHEREAS, the Parties agree that: (a) settlementresolution of the matters set forth in the NOVA, the Settlement Agreement, the Notice and the Failure to Cure are in the best interectinterests of the Parties and the public; (b) the clarity and finality provided through the entry of this Supplemental Consent Agreement without litigation is the most appropriate means of resolving this matter; and (c) by-enter-ing-inte-this-Sopplemental-GE416014t-Agfeement7 Respenclent-neither-agrte-with-ner--aelmit-te-any-of -the-feregeing-r-eeitals-but-agrees-that-this Supplemental Consent Agreement shall be enforceable in the event Respenclent-failsof any failure by the Parties to comply with the provisions contained herein; and WHEREAS, the Parties recognize that this Supplemental Consent Agreement has been negotiated in good faith and that it is fair, reasonable, and in the public interest. NOW THEREFORE, the Parties agree as follows: The—Respenclent—agfees—to—fund—the—fellowing—Sopplemental—En*irentnental—Pfejeet ("SEP-n)-in-Lieu-ef--Stipulated-Penalties-ef-4tet-less-than-Ofte-Hondred4ix-ty-Thousand-Dellafs EFTA00583723 Great St. Jim NOVA-04-16-STT Supplemental Consent Agreement Page 4 of 10 (41-607000700) C-enstfuesien-ef--the-Raveling-Well-m-Fen-Chrimien-leeated-en-StrThemas-in Tier 1. 1r gsorow-Requirements. Ar Withiii-five-business-(-5)-Elays-of--reeeipt-ef-this-fully-exec-uted-Supplemenlal-Censent Agreementr Respenclem-shall-establish-ari-eserrovr aeoeunt—and-pay-i.nte-the-aonount net4ess-thim-One-Hundred-Siiety--Theusand-D011affi-(4-1-60;000700),The-puivese-of-the esereve-iteeautu-is-selelr fer-the-benefit-of-the-SEP7 B. Thc ceerow account must be an interest bearing account and its terms, te-inekule disbursements must be approved by DPNR. The account must be at a banking institutien-loeateil-en-Str-Themas-US-V1, CAfty-intefest-ertmed-must-ge-tewards-the-SER Respendent-skali-net-be-a-signatepy-en-the-esorow-aseeunt, ted of the escrow account. The escrow account should be for a period of no more than twe-years-er-until-funds-aro-experule4 FRespendent-shall-seleer-a-bended-rillffirt0-aet-as-the-agent-fer-the-eserew-aeeount, The-agen4ls-primarT-responsibili4y-is-to-slisburse-funds-from-the-066f0W-assetint-hased en-DPNR2s-written-approval, EFTA00583724 Great St. Jim NOVA-04-I6-STT Supplemental Consent Agreement Page 5 of 10 6Dite-te-the-histepieel-and-pr-eseFvetion-netere-ef--the-projeetr DPNR-State-Histefie Preservatien-Offiee-will-eversee-the-impierneittatierref-the-SEPrte-ifielude-but-net iimited—te—design—of--the—Raveling—wallr geleetien—of—eentfaeter(Or nianagement7 appreval-ef-wer-k-and-payment-requests, M. Further Action Discontinued In view of Respondent's efforts to clarify, eliminate and/or comprehensively address all of Complainant's issues set forth in the Notice and the Failure to Cure, and Respondent's demonstrated commitment moving forward to work proactively with the Complainant to preserve and protect the coastal resources of the United States Virgin Islands, including those on Great St. James Island, the Parties agree that further action against Complainant under the Notice and Failure to Cure. including, without limitation, the assessment of any penalty against Respondent contemplated by the Notice or the Failure to Cure with respect to the matters contemplated by the Notice and Failure to Cure, shall be permanently discontinued. 2. Compliance with Applicable Laws This Agreement in no way relieves Respondent of its responsibility to comply with any other applicable federal or territorial laws, regulations and permits not specifically mentioned herein, and compliance with this Agreement shall not constitute a defense to any action pursuant to said laws, regulations, or permits raised by any territorial or federal agency other than DPNR. EFTA00583725 Great St. Jim NOVA-04-1 6-STT Supplemental Consent Agreement Page 6 of 10 43. Release Upo., . .fiance with au temas and c-enditiens ,.f thi. Agreement DPNR fully and unconditionally releases and discharges Respondent and its successors, assigns, members, managers, employees, affiliates, subsidiaries, agents, representatives and attorneys thereinafter "Respondent Parties"), except as specifically provided in Paragraph ;5 of this Agreement, from any and all claims, demands, liens, causes of action, suits, damages, judgments, debts or liabilities whatsoever, both at law or in equity, which any of DPNR, the Commissioner of DPNR and any of itsthe successors or assigns may-have-thereof ever had or now has against any of the Respondent Parties arising out of, relating to anyor connected with any violation or alleged violation of any agreement or understanding with DPNR or the Commissioner of DPNR, or any violation or alleged violation of any permit or approval issued by, or of any Federal or Virgin Islands law or regulation within the enforcement jurisdiction of DPNR or the Commissioner of DPNR based upon any matter, facts or circumstances from the beginning of time through the date of this Agreement, including, without limitation any violation or alleged violation indicated herein or in the Notice of Violation Assessment NOVA-04-16-STT, the Settlement Agreement, the Notice, and the Failure to Cure. 54. Covenant Not to Sue In consideration of the actions that-will-beheretofore performed by Respondent eader-the teEFFV3-44-thisagreenwatin response to the Notice and the Failure to Cure and except as EFTA00583726 Great St. Jim NOVA-04-I6-STT Supplemental Consent Agreement Page 7 of 10 specifically provided in Paragraph 65 of this Agreement, DPNR and the Commissioner of DPNR each covenants not to sue or to take further administrative action against the Respondent fer—allegeel—vielatiensParties in respect of the Act, relating to any allegedmatters contemplated by the release provided in Paragraph 3 hereof, including without limitation, in respect of any violation indicated herein or contemplated in the Notice of Violation Assessment NOVA-04-16-STT, the Settlement Agreement, the Notice, and the Failure to Cure, whether existing now knewnr These-eevenattts-net-te-sue ar-e-eenelifiened-uperi-satiscastepy-peFfismanee-by-RespenElent-ef-its-ebligatiens—grkeler this-Agfeenientor at any time prior to the date hereof. 65. Reservations of Rights by DPNR-CZM DPNR reserves and this Agreement is without prejudice to, all rights against Respondent with respect to all matters not expressly included within the Covenants Not To Sue in Paragraph (5)A. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement, DPNR reserves, and this Agreement is without prejudice to, all rights against Respondent with respect to: (a) Liability for failure of Respondent to meet a requirement of this Agreement; and EFTA00583727 Great St. Jim NOVA-04-I6-ST1' Supplemental Consent Agreement Page 8 of 10 Liability for costs incurred or to be incurred by the United States Virgin Islands not specifically eevereilcontemplated by this Agreement—or—unbeknownst—to—the Complainant; (c) Liability for future violations (occurring after the Commissioner's approval of this Agreement.) (d) Liability for damages for injury to, destruction of, or loss of natural resources, and for costs of any natural resource damage assessments not specifically eevereticontemplated by this Agreement-imuttbelenownstethe-Gempleiriant. Nothing in this Agreement is intended to be or shall be construed as a release, covenant not to sue, or compromise of any claim or cause of action, administrative or judicial, civil or criminal, past or future, in law or in equity, which the Government of the Virgin Islands may have against any person, firm, corporation or other entity not a signatory to this Agreement, other than Respondent Parties. This Supplemental SeftlementConsent Agreement does not limit or affect the rights of Respondent or the Government of the Virgin Islands against any third parties not named herein, nor the rights of third parties not parties to this Agreement against any other parties, other than Respondent Parties. 76. No Admission EFTA00583728 Great St. Jim NOVA-04-I6-S11' Supplemental Consent Agreement Page 9 of 10 Neither this Agreement, nor anything provided herein or on the fuEnislting-efrecitals hereof. nor any actions taken by Respondent in response to the etnisideratien-for-this AgreementNotice or the Failure to Cure, shall be deemed or construed at any time for any purpose as an admission by Respondent of any liability, unlawful conduct of any kind or violation of any law by Respondent any-law. 87. Modification This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the Parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersedes any and all prior agreements, representations and understanding, whether written or oral, relating to the subject matter hereof. Prior drafts of this Agreement shall not be used in any action involving the interpretation or enforcement of this Agreement. All modifications to this Agreement shall be in writing and signed by the Parties hereto. 98. .Jurisdiction This Agreement shall be construed and its performance enforced under the laws of the United States Virgin Islands. EFTA00583729 Great St. Jim NOVA-04-16-STT Supplemental Consent Agreement Page 10 of 10 409. Representations Each person executing this Agreement represents that the party hereto on whose behalf the person is executing this Agreement has duly authorized the execution of this Agreement and that such person is authorized to execute this Agreement on behalf of such party. JEAN-PIERRE L. ORIOL Director — Coastal Zone Management of 44/44142,66 8100 Lindberg Bay, Suite #61 Memberr PFesident Cyril E. King Airport Terminal Building, 2nd Floor St. Thomas, USVI 00802 SO ORDERED THIS DAY OF JEFFERYJEFFREY EPSTEIN, President of GREAT ST. Poplar, Inc., the Sole Member GREAT ST. JIM T.I CP-apularr Inegele 2017 HONORABLE DAWN L. HENRY, COMMISSIONER DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND NATURAL RESOURCES EFTA00583730