Salt River Bay Marine Research and Education Center

1. Salt River Bay Marine Research and Education Center Planning a World Class, Sustainable Marine Laboratory in the United States Virgin Islands JICMS Project Update February 2011

2. Concept • Salt River Bay Marine Research and Education Center (MREC) will be: • A world-class, sustainable facility serving many partners through programs in: • Collaborative marine research • Caribbean studies, history, archeology and related fields

3. The MREC also will create opportunities to: • Demonstrate emerging technologies in green building design, and sustainable energy systems in the tropics • Showcase the unique concept of “research in a park” including: • “Ridge-to-Reef”environmental education programs • Local educational programs (K-12/adult) • Museum collections facility and archeological field school

4. Salt River Bay MREC • The Office of Insular Affairs, NPS and four university partners are working together to create a state-of-the-art, sustainable marine lab on St. Croix • Much of work focuses on efforts in research and education, but one very important element is ensuring the MREC engages the local Virgin Islands community and provides for education and research opportunities for Virgin Islanders, especially the people of St. Croix, within its broader mission

5. Joint Institute for Caribbean Marine Studies • Consortium of four universities: • University of North Carolina Wilmington • University of the Virgin Islands • Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey • University of South Carolina

6. Federal and Territorial Partners • MREC brings together long-term support of: • Department of the Interior • Office of Insular Affairs • National Park Service • Government of the Virgin Islands

7. Salt River Bay Marine Research and Education Center Project Partners Joint Institute for Caribbean Marine Studies University of North Carolina Wilmington University of the Virgin Islands Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey University of South Carolina Department of the Interior Office of Insular Affairs Karen Koltes, Coral Reef Program Manager National Park Service Joel Tutein, SARI Superintendent Denver Service Center Design and Construction David Aitken Todd Alexander Amy Sebring, Project Manager Andrea Lind, Project Coordinator SARI NHP & EP Joel Tutein, Superintendent Zandy Hillis-Starr, Chief of Resource Management Southeast Region Dennis McCarthy, DAB Coordinator Technical Partners Executive Leadership Team (deans of the four universities) Robert Roer, UNCW Robert Goodman, Rutgers Camille McKayle, UVI Mary Ann Fitzpatrick, USC DOE EPA Government of the Virgin Islands (Co-manager of SARI) John deJongh Jr., Governor Karl Knight, Policy Advisor Labs21 ERM Michael Bayer, Project Manager for JICMS FEMP I2SL Management and Operations Team Steve Meinhold, UNCW (JICMS liaison) Bob Wicklund, UNCW Cisco Werner, Rutgers Charlene Glascock, Rutgers James Morris, USC Sonya Brown, USC Jay Pinckney, USC LaVerne Ragster, UVI Nasseer Idrisi, UVI Cultural Resources and Collections Mary Troy, SERO Dan Scheidt, SERO ACSA NREL Lord Aeck Sargent Design Lead Partnerships Chris Abbett, SERO Linda Neal, WASO Karyn Ferro, WASO Charrettes? International Student Design Competition Southeast Archeological Center Meredith Hardy Industry Alliance? Fundraising (JICMS ELT) Outreach (UVI) Camille McKayle Archeological Field School (USC) David Goldstein Landscape Architecture Studio (Rutgers) JeanMarie Hartman Holly Nelson David Tulloch Curriculum (USC) Sonya Brown Seawater (UNCW) Bob Wicklund Research (UNCW) Steve Meinhold Potential Partners NOAA Other universities JICMS Work Teams

9. Salt River Bay NHP & EP Proposed Marine Research & Education Center Buck Island Reef NM East End Marine Park (Territorial) Christiansted NHS - HQ Proposed Castle Nugent Farms NHS 11,500 acres from Ridge to Reef St. Croix Heritage Area (HR 1594), 2003 SRS Alexander Hamilton Boyhood Home & Associated Sites, 2009

10. Significant Marine Resources

11. History of Partnership in Marine Research Former West Indies Laboratory, East End, St. Croix, VI Unique, long-term studies led to expansion of BUIS and establishment of SARI and East End Marine Park; MREC will build upon historic data to deal with current resource threats

12. Perfect Site for the MREC SARI was created to “preserve, protect and interpret … nationally significant historical, cultural and natural sites and resources … with particular emphasis on the preservation of both the cultural and natural resources and long-term scientific study of terrestrial, marine and archeological resources”(Public Law 102-247)

13. MREC Planning Efforts MREC East Site:Preliminary Concept Plan

14. Significant Progress Has Been Made

15. Planning the MREC: Parallel Tracks • Goal: Get the MREC concept and JICMS in position for design/partnership/fundraising to move forward

16. JICMS Mission To establish a multidisciplinary partnership of academic, government and private institutions to better understand the sustainability and health of tropical and subtropical marine ecosystems in the waters of the Virgin Islands and other Caribbean regions through scientific studies, student education and public awareness of the economic and cultural heritage associated with coral reef systems.

17. JICMS Objectives • To foster understanding and proper management of coral reef and other tropical and subtropical marine ecosystems by initiating a comprehensive long-term research and education program in the U.S. Virgin Islands • To foster public awareness of the importance of coral reefs and other marine ecosystems from economic, esthetic and global health standpoints through educational programs for students and the general public • To share information and research and to form partnerships with other nations within the Caribbean and adjacent regions with common interests and problems in the marine environment.

18. Why St. Croix? • A large array of base-line data on marine ecosystems and organisms available (NOAA, FDU, UVI, UPRSG, VIG) • National Park Service partnership/interest • Only English speaking U.S. territory in the Caribbean • U.S. Laws, technology capacity and access • Located in the international Caribbean proximate to nearby nations

19. Synergies and Linkages • Improved collaboration among GVI, UVI, DOI (NPS, USGS, FWS), NOAA • A capacity building project for VI • More data and information for local resource management • Strengthening K-12 environmental sciences & discovery experiences • Increased opportunities for research for VI students & faculty • Facility example of “green-construction” and sustainability • Increased opportunities for collaborative research with JICMS partners • Additional revenue for Territory

20. Broadening the Concept • Marine and Non-Marine Components • Museum Collections Facility (NPS) • Archeological Field School • Program to kick off in May 2011 • Opportunities for students to take full semester class loads, including courses taught at UVI • Visiting faculty/use of other facilities integrated into facility design

21. Entering the Next Phase • Programming/Conceptual Design • Refine building program and design facility to secure NPS approval and create vision to share with funders • Lord Aeck Sargent of Atlanta selected as contractor • Process kicked off in December 2010, wraps up in May for presentation to NPS in July 2011 • JICMS component: Students from landscape architecture studio completed site design analyses and presented concepts to the JICMS (demonstrating partnership before facilities built)

22. Site Programming/Master Planning • Master Plan Considerations Sustainability goals lead to important considerations: • Carrying capacity of park: what is it? • Gateway to project on UVI campus? • Integrating other UVI sites into the plan • Providing a mechanism to support UVI’s St. Croix campus needs/planning • Implications for transportation systems/connections on island

23. JICMS Work Teams • Seawater Team • Designing the Optimal System • Water quality monitoring in Salt River Bay • Interaction with NPS on site/park issues; may affect design • Curriculum Committee • Designing program components; examining fee and revenue model as input to the Strategic Business Plan • Local Outreach • Engaging students, local educators, environmental groups, and the public as the facility is being designed • Local JICMS/UVI presence on St. Croix

24. Design Team Schedule • December 2010: Kickoff at Rutgers • January 10-14: Workshop on St. Croix • Feb. 3: Lab follow up webinar • Feb. 7-11: Eco Charrette (in Atlanta) • March 7-11: Programming II (in Atlanta) • April: Preliminary Design Workshop (on site at SARI) • May 9-13: Final Design Workshop and CBA (in Atlanta)

25. Preliminary MREC Building Program 6 buildings: All owned by NPS, 2 operated by NPS; 4 will be operated by JICMS, including the marine lab facility (*) Marine Operations and Museum Collections facilities could function independently of MREC Estimated Cost for Site Preparation & Construction: $54M

26. Initial Architectural Program

27. Lab and Lab Support Components

28. Accommodations

29. JICMS Input into Lab Spaces 1. How many researchers working at a bench at the same time should be accommodated; based on the “business plan”? based on institutional needs? 2. Will there be a need for chemistry lab/s with fume hood capacity? 3. What specialized facilities are required: environmental chambers? Incubators? 4. What level of microscopy should be provided for: 400 X; 1000 X; greater than 10000 X? 5. What special aquatics features/equipment need to be accommodated? Aquaria? Tanks? Raceways? 6. Should all laboratories be served with salt water? Are their minimum flow rates and or pressures required? 7. What laboratory utilities should be provided? Which need to be centralized and which are point of use needs? Compressed air? Vacuum? Specialty gasses? 110V, 208V, 480V power? Data? 8. Will there be centralized facilities for all users to share? Analytical testing? Specialized environments? Microscopy? Growth chambers? Aquatics? 9. What laboratory work will require controlled environments; temperature, humidity, contamination control? 10. What laboratory work can be done in non-controlled or minimally controlled environments? 11. Will the facility need to accommodate regulated animal or plant species?

30. Environmental Conditions in Lab Space ZONE A – The most stringent environments currently being considered includes: • Temperature: ambient to 78⁰ F (no heating) • Humidity: ambient to 60% (de-humidification and cooling) • Pressurization: positive • Outside air: 15% fresh air (85% recirculated air) • Utilities: salt water (raw and filtered); 110V and 208V with 1ph and 3ph service; compressed air; potable water. (Vacuum, lab grade water, specialty gasses will be provided by the researchers as point of use systems)

31. ZONE B – These environments will meet the following criteria: • Temperature: ambient; (temperature may fluctuate from ambient due to de-humidification required) • Humidity: ambient to 60% (dehumidification only) • Pressurization: neutral (no directional airflow) • Outside air: 15% outside air (when conditions require de-humidification) 100% natural ventilation when de-humidification is not required) • Utilities: salt water (raw and filtered); 110V and 208V with 1ph and 3ph service; compressed air; potable water. (Vacuum, lab grade water, specialty gasses will be provided by the researchers as point of use systems)

32. ZONE C – These environments will meet the following criteria: these environments will occur under shade structures and in totally open environments: • Temperature: ambient; • Humidity: ambient • Pressurization: neutral (no directional airflow) • Outside air: 100% natural ventilation • Utilities: salt water (raw and filtered); 110V and 208V with 1ph and 3ph service; compressed air; potable water. (Vacuum, lab grade water, specialty gasses will be provided by the researchers as point of use systems

33. Salt River Bay Marine Research and Education Center Planning a World Class, Sustainable Marine Laboratory in the United States Virgin Islands JICMS Project Update February 2011

34. SARI East Side Shoreline Comparison 1958 1982

35. JICMS Seawater Team Scope • Define environmental parameters for location of seawater intake and discharge points, and need for holding tanks • Establish realistic minimum and maximum quantities of seawater required for experimental and aquarium operations • Define the need for redundant piping and pumping systems • Define the parameters for unfiltered vs. filtered seawater based on water quality assessments • Define the need for temperature control of seawater based on ambient measurements • Determine the locations and timeframe to take ambient water quality samples

36. Site Analysis and Selection of Intake Points • The team identified water quality parameters, frequency of measurements, length of time and sites to be monitored as part of a study • From hillside vantage points, the team evaluated potential seawater intake sites by observing: • wave action • relative depth • tidal current patterns • distance to upland staging areas • proximity to navigational channels • water clarity • Inspected sites underwater

37. Potential Locations of Seawater Intake

38. Potential Well Point • Site in eastern bay selected as potential well point • Well point about eight feet deep in sediment would eliminate problems with filtering because of significant sand cover; also would eliminate the problem of constant maintenance due to bio-fouling, (to be tested by jet probe) • Could well-point location be intake to deliver raw unfiltered water to the facility? Next Steps • Monitoring study to determine best site for intake point • Provide future researchers and NPS with water quality data in Salt River Bay

39. Research Collections Management JICMS Outdoors Zone C Zone A Zone M Field prep Clean Prep Cataloging and research copy area Archive (Paper and Digital Storage) Natural History Specimen Storage Archeology & geology storage JICMS Generated Collections Long-Term storage Other off-island collections in jeopardy Existing Museum Collections (on STX) NH/CR GVI Existing Natural and Cultural Collections Collectrons Process