Environmental activists denounced the Las Dunas tourist complex, located in the coastal town of Chuburná, for causing devastation to the area’s flora and fauna. This prompted the state government to officially request that the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) and the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) verify compliance with the federal permits for the real estate project.
Members of the “Save the Dunes” collective have held informational sessions and collected signatures from residents of the town after images of the work being carried out in the dune area, where the construction of a hotel or apartment complex is planned, circulated on social media.
Heavy machinery, primarily sand removal, was observed at the site, located in front of the Chuburná Puerto harbor.
According to Save the Dunes, this coastal system is one of the best preserved and most ecologically important in Yucatán, as it is home to a wide diversity of flora and fauna and performs essential environmental functions for the protection of the coastline.
Activists recalled that in previous years, conflicts arose over attempts to extract sand from the dunes of Chuburná Puerto. These actions were prevented by community members due to the environmental value of the area, considered a natural barrier against hurricanes.
Given the controversy surrounding the “Las Dunas” project in Chuburná, in the municipality of Progreso, the Yucatán government announced that it has formally requested the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources and the Federal Attorney General’s Office for Environmental Protection to verify and supervise, within their respective jurisdictions, the strict compliance with the federal authorizations that support the project.
In a statement, state authorities clarified that the rulings issued by the state authorities stipulate the complete conservation of the coastal wetland, the mangrove forest, and the Federal Maritime-Terrestrial Zone present on the property, whose protection is a mandatory requirement for the project’s development.
The Environmental Urban Feasibility reports issued by the Ministry of Sustainable Development and the Institute of Mobility and Territorial Urban Development establish that 45,728 square meters of coastal wetland and 2,880 square meters of Federal Maritime-Terrestrial Zone cannot be occupied or modified in any way. Therefore, more than half of the property’s surface area must be designated for conservation.
Likewise, the regulations stipulate that the mangrove species present in the area must not be affected, nor their habitat modified, in compliance with Mexican Official Standard NOM-022-SEMARNAT-2003.
According to the current legal framework, the environmental impact assessment of works and activities in coastal wetlands, the granting and oversight of concessions within the Federal Maritime-Terrestrial Zone, as well as the protection of mangroves, are the exclusive responsibility of the Federal Government.
Within its jurisdiction, the Government of Yucatán will maintain constant vigilance over compliance with state regulations and will not permit any damage to the mangroves or the coastal dunes. “The Yucatán coast is the livelihood of thousands of families who depend on fishing and tourism, and its protection is a priority that takes precedence over any particular project,” the Executive stated in its press release.
Source: jornada
