House Natural Resources panel hears bill to redefine Puerto Rico—s maritime-terrestrial zone

The House Commission on Natural Resources held a public hearing May 19 on Project of the House 25, a proposal to amend statutory definitions of Puerto Rico—s zona mar—dtimo terrestre in Law 151 (June 28, 1968) and Law 1 (June 29, 1977) as cited in the measure.

The measure would alter how the coastal "maritime-terrestrial zone" is defined for purposes of permits, servitudes and management of the public maritime-terrestrial domain. Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales, DRNA) officials, the state surveyor and the Association of Surveyors of Puerto Rico testified and recommended technical and drafting changes.

DRNA assistant secretary Eguilveliz Espinoza Lugo and staff described the agency—s statutory responsibilities for the maritime-terrestrial domain and said the draft bill generally moves toward legal clarity but needs technical corrections. "Respetuosamente sugerimos que se añada como —altima oraci—3n en las —1reas del archipi—9lago de Puerto Rico donde se encuentran acantilados si los acantilados tienen una elevaci—3n mayor o superior a la marejada no cicl—3nica en ese caso la servidumbre no es aplicable," Espinoza Lugo said, urging that high cliffs be excluded from the servitude. She also recommended clarifying whether the bill relies on the equinoctial tide and specified that wave run-up after a wave breaks should be excluded from the horizontal displacement…