EPA Research in the U.S. Virgin Islands

EPA researchers are working hard to protect communities across the nation. Learn about some of the work EPA researchers are doing in the U.S. Virgin Islands.  

• Guide to Coral Reef Restoration Planning and Design
• Interactive Tool that Provides Water Quality Information about U.S. Freshwater Resources

For more EPA work, see EPA in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Guide to Coral Reef Restoration Planning and Design

Coral reefs are among the most vital and diverse habitats in the world. However, climate change and human actions are severely threatening these magnificent ecosystems. EPA recently joined NOAA and the Nature Conservancy to release a guide for reef managers as they plan, design, and implement restoration projects. The guide has been used to assist reef managers in developing draft Restoration Action Plans for the U.S. jurisdictions of American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and Hawaii. NOAA also uses the Guide to support restoration planning in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Read EPA Joins the Nature Conservancy, NOAA, in Releasing Guide to Coral Reef Restoration Planning and Design.

Interactive Tool that Provides Water Quality Information about U.S. Freshwater Resources

Freshwater is essential for life on our planet, providing drinking water and supporting agriculture, industry, and aquatic life. This lifeline connects humans and ecosystems with the resources they need to prosper, so when freshwater degrades, it can have significant consequences. To better understand the quality of our freshwaters, EPA scientists have developed Freshwater Explorer, an interactive web-based mapping tool that provides information about background and observed salt and mineral content for freshwater streams, lakes, and wells in all 50 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Read about it in EPA Scientists Develop Interactive Tool that Provides Water Quality Information about U.S. Freshwater Resources.