St. Croix Farmers In Action hereby gives notice of its intent to file an application with USDA Rural Development in 2026 for financial assistance related to Congressional Funding allocated in 2024 for the restoration of cisterns at 18A Estate Bethlehem.

Project Details and Status

The funding source is $1 million approved as Community Project Funding (CPF) during the Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) appropriations process, championed by Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett.

The funding is specifically earmarked to rehabilitate an existing one-million-gallon cistern and two thirty-thousand-gallon cisterns on the historic Bethlehem Sugar Factory Site. The project is intended to provide a critical, sustainable water source for the island’s farmers, particularly during droughts.

St. Croix Farmers In Action intends to file an application with USDA Rural Development for financial assistance to rehabilitate Estate Bethlehem’s water infrastructure, including restoration of the existing one-million-gallon cistern and two thirty-thousand-gallon cisterns on the Bethlehem Sugar Factory Site. The notice states that the funding is critical because the cistern restoration would help meet the needs of farms and businesses whose economic success depends on a consistent water source to maintain farmland, especially during droughts or infrastructure failures.

The public is invited to consult with USDA Rural Development regarding any concerns about environmental resources that may be affected by the proposal.

USDA Rural Development Contact

St. Croix U.S. Virgin Islands Area Office
Rena Elias, RD VI
4401 Sion Farm, Ste. #2
Christiansted, St. Croix, VI 00820
Work phone: 340-773-9146
Business cell: 340-201-4211
Fax: 855-475-6940

Applicant Contact

For additional information, contact:

Percival Tahemah Edwards
St. Croix Farmers In Action
President of the Board of Directors
Cell phone: 470-960-1867
Email: [email protected]