The team of San Juan Bay Estuary He urged citizens to participate in the review process of their action plan for the next decade, which will delve into topics such as sustainable infrastructure, management in the face of natural disasters and strategies to involve the people in conservation.
The organization called on the people to a public hearing planned for Tuesday, June 16 at 4:00 p.m. in it College of Engineers and Surveyorsin Hato Rey. Those interested in deposing may also do so virtually via Zoom. To participate, you must register at the Web page of the Estuary.
“For the first time, we have incorporated specific goals to determine the resilience that the metro region provides in the face of hurricanes and other natural disasters,” he explained. Brenda Torres Barretoexecutive director of the Estuary.
The Estuary team hopes that the development of databases and the collaboration of citizen scientists will clarify the management capacity of the coastal area in the face of these disruptions. “If we don’t have energy, if we can’t move, can we still maintain these infrastructures? That’s what we’re evaluating with this new part of the plan.”added Torres Barreto.
He National Estuary Program (NEP) requires the development of comprehensive management and management plans for all estuaries in its program. Puerto Rico has the only recorded estuary outside the continental United States, and the only one located in a tropical region.
For the Estuary, it is instrumental to obtain the input of the Puerto Rican people, since “by having the perspective of professionals and citizens, (the plan) regains social, technical and scientific relevance, and also places us in the correct context,” said Torres Barreto.
On the other hand, he assured that the documents that make up the plan are strategic tools that will help citizens and agencies make informed decisions about water and its environment. The areas of action are: water infrastructure, Estuary ecosystems, integrated waste and materials management, adaptation of the estuary system and promote integrated management culture.
“Conservation does not depend only on environmental education or infrastructure, It is a set of actions that are related to each other. The Estuary plan ensures coordination between all parties”explained the environmental leader.
The call to participate in the preparation of the document is one of the ways in which the Estuary is making aquifer problems visible. Torres Barreto shared the importance that she sees in these processes: “I would love for other regions on the island to adopt a similar public management plan. With these documents, citizens can present them to their officials and demand solutions that help them create a sustainable future.”.
At 2:00 pm on Tuesday, the Estuary will hold an information session to explain the plan to the public. In addition, the College of Engineers will offer one and a half credits of continuing education to engineers who participate in the information session. “It is good for both parties. We receive feedback and they can learn about the problems and solutions we are facing with gray and green water,” highlighted Torres Barreto.
Plan documents are available at Estuary portal. People interested in commenting can do so through the same page, by email (info@estuario.org) or during the public hearing.