MAY 2015
CAÑO NEWS MONTHLY UPDATE OF THE ENLACE CAÑO MARTIN PEÑA PROJECT
The Caño Makes Headway with US Corps of Engineers on Feasibility Study After a meeting at the Pentagon with the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works), Administrator of the EPA’s Region 2, representatives from the White House Task Force on Puerto Rico and the Commonweath of Puerto Rico among other officials, a work plan was established that will enable the approval, within the next six months, of the feasibility study that is required for the Caño’s environmental restoration under the Water Resources Development Act of 2007. This represents an important victory for the communities, that in the past month carried out a “symbolic dredging” of the channel and a pacific demonstration in front of the US Army
Corps of Engineers headquarters in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The review of the feasibility study was stalled for 18 months, risking an investment of $3M in the environmental studies, years of work, as well as the possibility of delaying indefinitely the restoration project. Now the residents turn to the US Congress, in order for the Project to be included with $9.1M in the FY2016 in order for the USACE to continue with their work. The environmental degradation of the Caño and resulting floods with water polluted with fecal coliform bacteria affects the health of 25,000 families
living along the tidal channel, and undermine the Island’s potential for a resilient future.
We extend special thanks to: Resident Commisioner’s Office, PRFAA, DRNA, City of San Juan, Fundación Banco Popular, Urban Waters Federal Partnership, ENLACE’s Board of Advisors, San Juan Bay Estuary Program, Clearly Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez, Congressman José Serrano, Senator Kristen Gillinbrand, Melissa Mark-Viverito, and other supporters from the Puerto Rican diaspora.
See what a flood looks like in Martín Peña: www.aguamala.org
Express your support for the Caño’s restoration Sign our online petition to request the US Congress to fund on the next fiscal year the Pre-construction Engineering and Design (PED) phase of the environmental restoration of the Caño Martín Peña. https://www.change.org/p/join-the-ca%C3%B1o-mart%C3%ADn-pe%C3%B1a-communities-in-the-fight-for-environmentaland-social-justice#petition-letter
Caño delegates will march on the National PR Day Parade The environmental restoration of the Caño Martín Peña will be in center stage in the 58th edition of the National Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York City.
During their five day stay in the City, the delegates will meet with elected officials and representatives from various foundations, environmental groups and non profit organizations in order to gain more support for Sponsored by the Ford Foundation, a the Caño’s restoration. delegation from the of the grassroots G-8 and ENLACE will participate, in The support from the Puerto Rican the parade and will attend multiple diaspora is key to bring the issue into events surrounding the festivities. the spotlight in the United States.
We invite those interested to march along the Caño Martín Peña float on June 14, 2015. There is a limit of 75 people for the contingent. To register and for more information please contact us at info@martinpena.org.
Proyecto ENLACE • (787) 729-1594 • info@martinpena.org • www.cano3punto7.org• FB: Proyecto ENLACE del Caño Martín Peña