NPP touts 29 environmental measures filed to date

Rep. Elinette González Aguayo

By The Star Staff

The chairwoman of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Natural Resources, Elinette González Aguayo, announced Tuesday that the New Progressive Party (NPP) delegation in the lower chamber has filed 29 measures aimed exclusively at improving the environment during the current four-year term.

“The members of the NPP delegation in the House of Representatives have been actively submitting legislation, including both bills and resolutions, to support the environment,” González said. “Their efforts focus on improving the quality of our waterways, addressing the problem of discarded tires, protecting natural reserves, and modernizing pumping stations in Puerto Rico. We have also worked on dredging the La Plata River, which is the most ambitious environmental project currently underway in the United States.”

“Out of the 49 bills submitted to address environmental issues, 29 originate from our delegation,” added González, who represents District 11 (Dorado, Vega Alta and Vega Baja). “[…] The vision and commitment of our speaker, Carlos ‘Johnny’ Méndez, are centered on protecting our natural reserves, allocating greater resources to the Department of Natural Resources (DNER), and overseeing key environmental impact projects such as those on the La Plata River and the Martín Peña Canal in San Juan, among other significant concerns.”

Some of the submitted bills include House Bill (HB) 19, authored by the House speaker, which establishes regulations for the sale of used tires in Puerto Rico for the first time. HB 108, proposed by Rep. Wanda del Valle Correa, seeks to establish parameters for noise pollution in schools. HB 281, introduced by Reps. Carmen Medina Calderón and Jerry Nieves Rosario, empowers the DNER to respond more promptly to cases of coastal erosion. Additionally, HB 414, authored by Ensol Rodríguez Torres, aims to create a youth unit within the DNER to assist the Ranger Corps.

Among the resolutions are Resolution 6, which investigates the protocols at the Carraizo Dam; Resolution 100, filed by the speaker and González, which seeks to examine matters related to mangroves on the island; Resolution 127, authored by Rep. Omayra Martínez Vázquez, which aims to explore mechanisms for closing sanitary landfill systems; Resolution 128, authored by Rep. Tatiana Pérez Ramírez, which seeks to improve sediment removal from water reservoirs; Resolution 15, proposed by Rep. Ángel Morey Noble, concerning the pumping system in Guaynabo; and Resolution 168, by Reps. José “Che” Pérez Cordero and Odalys González González, focusing on investigating biomedical waste that impacts the environment in Añasco.