Isabela Mayor Miguel 'Ricky' Méndez Pérez warned that Senate Bill 1217, which would create the Mabodamaca Nature Reserve in the Puerto Rico town of Isabela, was not consulted with the municipality and lacks economic studies, delineation of parcels and guarantees for private property owners. The measure was filed by the Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP) and is similar to one filed last term by the Citizens’ Victory Movement (MVC).
It covers 204.5 cuerdas of land (a cuerda is a land measure of about 0.97 acre) in the Bajuras ward and 9 nautical miles offshore. The Municipality of Isabela asked the Senate to halt approval of the bill until the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DRNA) presents the cadastral maps, a socioeconomic impact study is prepared, and the law is amended to give the municipality formal participation, with decision-making power, in the reserve’s Management Plan.