Pierluisi Applauds Achievement of Major Milestone on Caño Martín Peña Project
San Juan, Puerto Rico—Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi announced today, following a phone call he held with the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, Jo-Ellen Darcy, that Assistant Secretary Darcy has declared the Caño Martín Peña project to be a “feasible project,” a major achievement that allows this critical environmental restoration project to advance to the Preconstruction Engineering and Design (PED) phase and ultimately to be brought to fruition.
Specifically, Assistant Secretary Darcy signed what is known as a “Record of Decision,” thereby approving the final environmental impact statement and final feasibility report for the project, further strengthening the partnership between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the local project sponsor, Corporación ENLACE del Caño Martín Peña.
“This milestone could not have been achieved without many years of dedicated work by ENLACE, Grupo de las Ocho Comunidades del Caño Martín Peña, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. I congratulate all of them on a job well done and commend them for their tireless efforts,” said Pierluisi.
The Caño Martín Peña project involves dredging approximately 2.2 miles of the eastern half of the Caño to a width of 100 feet and a depth of 10 feet, with slight variations in channel width and depth at the several bridges that cross the Caño. Plans call for the walls of the dredged Caño to be constructed with concrete and steel. Once complete, the project will restore the natural tidal connection between the San José Lagoon and the San Juan Bay, significantly improving water quality and habitat in the Caño and the surrounding San Juan Bay estuary. The project will provide the 20,000 residents in the eight communities along the Caño a healthy waterway to enjoy, revitalized neighborhoods, and greater economic opportunities.
The action by Assistant Secretary Darcy follows the Resident Commissioner’s announcement, on April 21st, that a key committee in the U.S. House had approved the Fiscal Year 2017 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill, which allocates $750,000 to enable the Caño Martín Peña project to proceed to the PED phase. The PED phase entails the execution of a project partnership agreement and investigative surveys and geological testing that must occur before construction can begin. On May 12th, the U.S. Senate approved its version of the legislation, which would also fund the Caño Martín Peña project for Fiscal Year 2017.
“I remain committed to this critical environmental restoration project and pledge my ongoing support to ENLACE, the G8, and the Corps of Engineers. I will continue to work with my fellow Members of Congress in the House and Senate, as well as officials in the federal executive branch, to ensure that this project remains a priority and that it continues to move forward through the multistep, multiyear process,” said Pierluisi.