Sierra Club calls for protest over bill that could restrict public beach access.

Hernaliz Vázquez Torres, director of Sierra Club Puerto Rico (Madres de la Tierra)

By THE STAR STAFF

Sierra Club Puerto Rico, joined by more than 50 environmental and community organizations, is calling on the public to rally at the Capitol this Wednesday at 11 a.m., ahead of a public hearing on House Bill (HB) 25, legislation that critics say would restrict public access to Puerto Rico’s beaches.

“This is a call to the country to come to the Capitol and defend our beaches,” said Hernaliz Vázquez Torres, director of Sierra Club Puerto Rico. “Access to our coasts cannot be limited or turned into a privilege for a few. Beaches belong to the people, and the people must defend them.”

Vázquez said HB 25 proposes changes to the legal definition of the maritime‑terrestrial zone, a move she warned could have serious repercussions for public access to the shoreline, the protection of coastal ecosystems, and the safety of vulnerable communities exposed to storm surges and sea‑level rise.

“This measure not only threatens to restrict the public’s access to the coast, but it also weakens essential environmental protections and opens the door to dangerous construction in highly vulnerable areas,” she said. “That is why it is so important for people to show up and defend what rightfully belongs to them.”

The maritime-zone is defined as the area that extends to the point where waves reach under documented normal conditions, which, according to critics, excludes dry sand and dune areas, allowing for construction.

Vanessa Uriarte, co‑director of Amigos del Mar, said the demonstration aims to make clear the public’s opposition to any legislation that undermines the public nature of beaches or reduces protections for coastal communities and natural resources.

“We cannot remain silent while a measure advances that threatens our beaches, our ecosystems, and our future,” Uriarte said. “This call is about action, presence, and a firm defense of a common good that belongs to everyone.”

The protest is scheduled to take place immediately before lawmakers hold a public hearing on HB 25 at the Capitol.