Holbox, Q.R. — Two real estate projects have been closed on the island of Holbox. Both projects were temporarily closed for failing to have prior environmental impact authorization. The properties were shut down after inspections last week by Profepa (Federal Attorney’s Office for Environmental Protection).
In a statement released Thursday, the federal agency reported that their office in Quintana Roo carried out surveillance operations in Holbox, with the aim of verifying that real estate developments respect the current environmental regulations.
During the inspections, projects on mangrove ecosystems were detected without environmental impact authorization in two properties within the Yum Balam Flora and Fauna Protection Area.
According to the July 24 report by Profepa (Procuraduria Federal de Proteccion al Ambiente), inspectors conducted surveillance patrols in the town of Holbox, Quintana Roo on July 16 and 17.
During the surveillance tours, Profepa inspectors detected the following:
On July 16, a property in Punta Ciricote was inspected. Open roads were observed among the mangrove vegetation, as well as areas devoid of vegetation and signs indicating the land was being subdivided.
On July 17, the search was conducted at a property located on Pedro Joaquín Coldwell Street, where the construction of a temporary materials warehouse was detected. In addition, machinery, tools and 46 concrete piles for what will apparently be the foundations for buildings were observed.
These real estate developments require prior environmental impact authorization because they are located within coastal ecosystems and within the Yum Balam Flora and Fauna Protection Area.
As a result of the investigations, a temporary total closure of activities was imposed as a security measure at both real estate developments, due to the fact that none of the inspected properties displayed the environmental impact authorization issued by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat).
With these actions, Profepa works to protect and conserve coastal ecosystems and seeks to encourage real estate developers with projects in coastal ecosystems to process the corresponding authorizations from the federal environmental authority.
This is essential to ensure that their projects do not affect the biodiversity and ecosystem services that these ecosystems provide and to avoid incurring the penalties applicable in each case.
