Transcript
News from Congresswoman
NYDIA M. VELÁZQUEZ
Representing New York’s 7th Congressional District • Brooklyn, Manhattan & Queens
Ranking Member, House Small Business Committee
For Immediate Release
September 3, 2015
CONTACT: Velázquez Press Office, (202) 225-2361
Serrano Press Office, (202) 225-4361
Velázquez and Serrano Seek to Block Arecibo Incinerator
Washington, DC –Reps. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) and José E. Serrano today wrote the U.S.
Department of Agriculture to oppose financing for the construction of a waste-to-energy generation and
resource facility in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. The Members of Congress wrote that the local community has
not been allowed appropriate input on the proposed incinerator and that the project raises significant
environmental concerns.
“Residents of Arecibo deserve projects that enhance their quality of life, not degrade their environment
and create health risks,” Velázquez said. “The federal government should not be financing the
development of dangerous facilities without a full assessment of the environmental effects and an open,
inclusive discussion that takes into account local community needs.”
“As a consistent supporter of a clean environment for my constituents and the American people, I am very
concerned about the lack of a full environmental impact assessment for the proposed incinerator. The
views of the residents of Arecibo have not been taken into account. As a result, I must oppose the federal
financing of this facility because its environmental and health consequences have not been fully
disclosed, and because they will likely outweigh any potential benefits,” said Congressman José E.
Serrano.
The full text of the letter is below.
September 3, 2015
The Honorable Tom Vilsack
Secretary
U.S. Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, DC 20250
Dear Secretary Vilsack:
We are writing to express our opposition to the firm Energy Answers’ proposed waste-to-energy
generation and resource facility in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA)
Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is currently considering whether or not to provide financing to this project
and has recently released a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The draft EIS does not
adequately address or assess the potential environmental and health impacts that the proposed facility, if
approved, would pose to the Arecibo community. Moreover, the RUS’ outreach to the local community
on this project has been inadequate, leaving the community without a meaningful process in which they
can share their feedback and concerns.
Arecibo, Puerto Rico, a region that is poor and whose population is mostly comprised of ethnic
minorities, is home to a number of polluting industrial facilities. Specifically, the region has 11 Superfund
locations, a medical waste incinerator, the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority Cambalache Power
Plant, the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority Barrio Islote Sewer Treatment Plant, and the
Arecibo Municipal Landfill, among others. These industries have had serious impacts on the health and
well-being of Arecibo residents. For example, as a result of pollution caused by a battery recycling plant
in Arecibo, the local air exceeded legal lead limits and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
declared Arecibo a nonattainment zone. Children in Arecibo still suffer the effects of lead contamination
caused by the plant. Given this history and the anticipated impacts of the proposed facility, it is no
surprise that local government entities and members of the community strongly oppose this project. The
people of Arecibo deserve investments that will improve their quality of life, not contribute to its
deterioration.
While Arecibo is home to a wide-range of industries, the region also contains unique natural resources
that would be adversely affected if the facility were to be built. Among the natural ecosystems in the
region are:
1. Caño Tiburones Natural Reserve: The proposed facility is located within the western tip of
the Caño Tiburones Natural reserve, which is the largest wetland in Puerto Rico. In the
reserve, fresh water from the karst and salty ocean water interact to create a unique habitat
consisting of estuarine, palustrine, and lacustrine wetlands with around 200 bird species and
more than 100 flora species. Caño Tiburones is recognized as an important migratory bird
habitat.
2. Cambalache State Forest: The proposed facility is located a few miles to the west of this
forest, which is an important part of the karst ecosystem in the region, including an
underground water system. Important populations of endemic birds and trees are protected
within Cambalache State Forest.
3. Río Abajo State Forest: The proposed facility is eight miles to the north of Río Abajo State
Forest, which spans 5,780 acres. Río Abajo contains about 175 types of trees, 47 of which are
designated as endangered species. Further, there is an important program underway in Río
Abajo, aimed at restoring the Puerto Rican parrot. The effort is a joint partnership between
the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Sources, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Forest Service.
4. Dos Bocas Reservoir: Dos Bocas is one of the most important reservoirs in Puerto Rico, as it
serves a key source of potable water for the San Juan metropolitan region.
5. Indian’s Cave and the Bishops Watering Hole: The proposed facility is just a few hundred
meters away from these natural resources which, in addition to being important components
of the region’s ecosystem, are key historic and cultural sites as well.
These unique natural resources would be threatened if the project was approved, causing damage not only
to local ecosystems, but to the Puerto Rican tourism industry.
We also have deep concerns about the way that RUS has proceeded with the public hearing process as
related to the proposed facility and the draft EIS. Particularly troubling is the fact that the RUS
representatives who presided over the hearing on the draft EIS did not speak Spanish, nor was
simultaneous translation provided for them, thereby rendering the community unable to have their
concerns addressed and responded to at the hearing. While we assume these hearings will be translated at
a later point so that they can be reviewed by these officials, the failure of the RUS to provide such
services violates the spirit of a public hearing process and greatly diminishes the rights of the U.S.
citizens who live in Arecibo.
Finally, while Energy Answers is seeking financing for the project through RUS loan programs, the
organizations that represent the island’s seventy-eight municipalities, the Puerto Rico Mayors Association
and the Puerto Rico Mayors Federation, have stated their opposition to the project and have testified that
they will not send their waste to Energy Answers under any circumstances. Given this opposition, the
ability of RUS to recoup any funds invested in the project is uncertain. Moreover, it is unclear why RUS
would be an appropriate funding source altogether, as the energy generated by the proposed plant would
not be targeted to the surrounding community and would only meet an extremely small portion of the
island’s energy needs.
With these concerns in mind, we urge your agency to reject this proposal, as the project would not create
sufficient benefits to offset the significant environmental, health, and economic consequences that it
would create. Please do not hesitate to contact us or our staffs if you have any questions or would like to
discuss this matter further.
Sincerely,
Nydia M. Velázquez
Member of Congress
José E. Serrano
Member of Congress
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