Mexico City, Mexico — The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources has authorized the destruction of forest for the first phase of the Maya Train project.
Phase One of the Maya Train will run from Palenque, Chiapas to Izamal, Yucatán. The length of the track will be 631 kilometers with 13 railway stations along the way. For this, the government has authorized 800 hectares of jungle forest to be cleared to make way for the project.
In the 587-page document, 16 construction work conditions regarding environmental impact have been set out. The ministry has determined that the development of the project does not compromise the functional integrity of the ecosystems in the Regional Environmental System, nor will it generate relevant environmental impacts.
The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources has mentioned a reforestation program. “Any modification to the microclimate will be restored” and the climatic conditions will regain their original state.
The train will pass through protected areas such as the Catazajá and La Libertad Lagoon System in Chiapas and Tabasco as well as the Ring of Cenotes (Ramsar site) in Yucatán and the Los Petenes Biosphere Reserve in Campehe.