Puerto Rico hearing exposes split over House Bill 25’s proposed redefinition of coastal public lands

Summary

Lawmakers and stakeholders debated House Bill 25, which would change the legal definition of Puerto Rico’s zona marítimo terrestre (ZMT). Engineers and builders urged a predictable, datum-based standard; environmental groups warned the bill weakens climate resilience and urged adoption of a science-led alternative.

SAN JUAN, May 28, 2025 — The House of Representatives’ Commission on Natural Resources held a hybrid public hearing on Wednesday on House Bill 25, a technical but potentially far-reaching measure to change the legal definition of the zona marítimo terrestre (ZMT), the strip of land on Puerto Rico’s coast considered part of the public maritime-terrestrial domain.

The commission heard three substantive positions: the Colegio de Ingenieros y Agrimensores de Puerto Rico (CIAPR) pressed for technical precision and for waiting on a joint climate commission and pending rulemaking; Amigos del Mar urged stronger coastal protections and a science-led definition that responds to climate change; and the Asociación de Constructores de Puerto Rico and its counsel argued the bill should adopt a predictable tidal datum to reduce administrative discretion and litigation.

CIAPR President Carlos Roberto Furnier Morales framed the issue as primarily technical and urged that the definition of the ZMT be based on precise topographic, geologic and geodetic methods. “El deslinde la zona marítimo terrestre es una labor de carácter técnico,” Furnier said, adding that the college’s recommendations would reduce ambiguous terminology that now produces inconsistent agency decisions.…

Puerto Rico hearing exposes split over House Bill 25’s proposed redefinition of coastal public lands

Summary

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