Committee approves multiple environmental and conservation measures, orders certification

The House Committee on Natural and Environmental Resources approved a package of measures during a public final-consideration session on June 20, 2024, and directed staff to prepare a certification of the results.

The measures read into the record included, as read in the session: a House joint resolution identified in the transcript as “dos seis uno” to order the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources to study the feasibility and financing for constructing a breakwater (rompeolas) near the Palo Seco coastal sector in the municipality of Toa Baja; a House joint resolution (transcript: “cinco cincuenta y seis diecinueve”) to transfer a parcel (cadastral 120-00-004-13) at no cost to the Department to preserve a northwest ecological corridor reserve; a joint resolution (transcript: “seis diecinueve”) to have several agencies identify and allocate state and federal funds to support separation, reuse and recycling of solid waste; a Senate bill (transcript: “trece y ocho”) to amend Law 49 of 2003 to set a 30-business-day deadline for municipal authorizations for flood-control and channel-cleaning works; a Senate bill (transcript: “nueve cincuenta y nueve”) to establish a program of massive reforestation and nursery reconstruction; and a Senate bill (transcript: “once ochenta y cinco”) proposing a special law to transfer facilities to municipalities for free usufruct in favor of recreational fishing clubs and technical renumbering of Law 268 of 2018.

Committee staff confirmed that no amendments were filed during the allowed period. The director of the committee recorded individual member votes and announced the tallies. For the measure listed in the transcript as “dos seis uno,” the director reported one abstention, one vote against and seven votes in favor. The director reported similar tallies for the other measures: one abstention and one vote against recorded on the transcript’s “once ochenta y cinco,” one vote against on “tres seis ocho,” and the remainder in favor; by those counts the measures were approved by the committee majority.

During the roll call, several members declared aloud, for example, “A favor de todas” (in favor of all measures). A remote voting issue briefly paused proceedings while staff reestablished contact with Representative Varela Fernández, who subsequently recorded his vote in favor of all the measures.

At the close of the session the committee chair directed staff to prepare and file an official certification of the public final-consideration session and to submit the approved measures with the corresponding positive committee report to the secretary’s office “a la mayor brevedad posible” (as soon as possible).