Cinnamon Bay Campground at Virgin Islands National Park/Anne Finney

It's been more than two years since Hurricane Irma shut down the Cinnamon Bay Campground at Virgin Islands National Park, and the recent discovery of asbestos on the site means it will be a bit longer before it's ready for campers.

Park staff say a small amount of the cancer-causing material was found in underground sewer pipes.

The affected area remains cordoned off by fencing, and there is no immediate threat or concern for beachgoers or trail crew volunteers at Cinnamon Bay who remain outside of the designated work area.

Park concessionaire, Cinnopco, LLC, was completing a section of a larger underground pipe replacement project when the asbestos-containing piping material was found. In some sections of Cinnamon Bay Campground, the pipes have not been replaced or repaired in more than 40 years. Virgin Islands National Park sent a sample of the material to a local laboratory for testing. The results showed that only the waste water pipe was composed of 10 percent asbestos.

Cinnopco halted the project and dismissed workers from the site until the material can be properly removed. Cinnopco and the National Park are finalizing plans for the removal of the material, which will be replaced with safe, up-to-code pipes that meet National Park Servicestandards.

On Friday, Superintendent Nigel Fields acknowledged the setback in the redevelopment, but applauded Cinnopco for working closely with the park to ensure worker and visitor safety.

“Our main concern during the repair and rebuilding of Cinnamon Bay is that everyone stay safe while enjoying access to the beach," said Cinnopco site manager Adrian Davis. "The signs reemphasize the importance of everyone staying on the main path to and from the beach. While we are being sure to not compromise safety, we are eager to complete this part of the project so we can move forward with the reopening of the rest of the campground.”

The hazard signs will remain installed until pipe removal is complete. The park and Cinnopco will update the public when the work is scheduled to commence in the coming weeks.