Environmental and community groups oppose NFE request to dredge San Juan Bay
- The San Juan Daily Star
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
By THE STAR STAFF
A coalition of environmental, community, and religious organizations denounced a request filed by NFE Energía, LLC before the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers seeking authorization to dredge the San Juan Bay to support its methane gas operations.
El Puente Puerto Rico, Toabajeños en Defensa del Ambiente, and several religious and community groups said the proposal would allow the continued operation of a floating methane gas storage facility—also identified as a liquefied natural gas (LNG) unit—despite what they describe as years of regulatory noncompliance.
“How does an illegal operation keep expanding? We’re talking about a facility that only had a temporary approval when it was classified as a ‘Micro Handling Facility,’” said Gabriel Meléndez, public policy coordinator at El Puente Puerto Rico.
According to the organizations, the dredging request would enable the entry of vessels up to five times larger than originally proposed and facilitate land‑based expansions that have not undergone proper environmental review or public participation.
“This shows a dishonest, irresponsible, and reckless pattern that goes against public interest and public safety,” Meléndez added.
Residents also raised concerns about the absence of an Environmental Impact Statement, emergency plans, and federal operating permits. Rita Córdova, a resident of Cataño, said NFE has operated “without environmental evaluations, without a location consultation, and without an evacuation plan for nearby communities.”
Community leaders emphasized the risks posed to densely populated areas surrounding the bay. Kelmadis Pérez Rivera, of the Mesa de Diálogo Martin Luther King, warned that an accident could threaten both public safety and food security due to the bay’s role as the island’s principal port.
The groups also linked the dredging request to broader proposals to expand gas infrastructure in Puerto Rico, including a January submission to connect San Juan with temporary generators in Palo Seco. Juan Camacho of Toabajeños en Defensa del Ambiente argued that the initiative represents “a gigantic and dangerous gas pipeline project,” not a simple 11‑kilometer connection.
Mónica Flores Hernández of El Puente Puerto Rico said continued investment in fossil fuels contradicts Puerto Rico’s statutory goal of reaching 100 percent renewable energy by 2050. “A tropical island in bankruptcy, facing sea‑level rise, stronger hurricanes, and heat waves, cannot afford to keep burning fossil fuels,” she said.
The organizations urged the Army Corps of Engineers to deny the dredging request and called on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to revoke NFE’s temporary authorization. They also demanded an Environmental Impact Statement, public hearings, and disclosure of an emergency evacuation plan before any operational changes or expansions.