Schumer, Velázquez Urge Federal Agencies to Fund Restoration of Caño Martín Peña in Puerto Rico

Washington, D.C. - Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-NY) are urging the Army Corps of Engineers to select Caño Martín Peña as one of the infrastructure projects to soon receive federal funding following the enactment of the Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act. In a letter sent to Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Michael L. Connor and Lieutenant General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Scott A. Spellmon, Schumer and Velázquez strongly urged the selection of the Caño Martín Peña Ecosystem Restoration Project.

They note how the funding will help alleviate the ongoing public health risks and environmental problems caused by the blocked Martín Peña Channel, which affects the lives of approximately 26,000 residents. The once 200 – 400 ft. wide navigable channel connecting San Juan Bay to the San Jose Lagoon is severely polluted from years of accumulated debris, mismanaged residential and commercial development, and continued discharge of raw human waste directly into the water.

“Last year, I visited the Caño Martín Peña and saw firsthand how the destruction of the area affects the lives of our fellow citizens in Puerto Rico. While I’ve successfully secured funding to study the best way to address this environmental injustice, I’m now calling on the federal agencies distributing the infrastructure investments we helped secure to provide the funding we need to restore the Caño to its full potential,” said Senator Schumer. “Rep. Velázquez and I will keep pushing the federal government to prioritize the revitalization of this area and ensure other infrastructure projects on the island receive the fair and equal consideration they deserve.”

“This is not only an environmental project, but a pressing issue of social and environmental justice. The people who live along this polluted canal have suffered long enough, and Maria and Irma underscored how quickly these problems can worsen with extreme weather,” said Representative Velázquez. “I’ve been fighting for years in pursuing every avenue possible to secure federal funding to finally restore the Caño Martín Peña, and the Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act presents a clear opportunity that cannot be passed over. I thank Senator Schumer for joining me in urging the Army Corps of Engineers to select this project for funding and for his longstanding commitment to the people of Puerto Rico. The people of Caño Martín Peña cannot wait any longer for environmental justice.”

Schumer and Velázquez helped secure $11.6 billion for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) construction funding in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, including $1.9 billion for Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration, for which the Caño Martín Peña Ecosystem Restoration Project is eligible. Sen. Schumer previously helped secure funding to study restoration efforts at the Caño and he visited the area last year to witness firsthand the devastation caused by pollution and flooding. During that visit, Schumer vowed to keep advocating for the full funding of the project.

The full text of the letter can be found below.

The Honorable Michael L. Connor
Assistant Secretary of the Army
Civil Works
108 Army Pentagon
Washington, D.C. 20310-0108

Lieutenant General Scott A. Spellmon
Commanding General and Chief of Engineers
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
441 G Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20314-1000

Dear Assistant Secretary Connor and Lieutenant General Spellmon:

As you finalize projects for funding under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (P.L. 117-58), we write to express our utmost support for the Caño Martín Peña Ecosystem Restoration Project (CMP-ERP) and strongly urge its selection as a construction project for full funding.

The CMP-ERP is critical to alleviating the ongoing public health risks and environmental problems caused by the blocked Martín Peña Channel, affecting the lives of approximately 26,000 residents. The once 200 – 400 ft. wide navigable channel connecting San Juan Bay to the San Jose Lagoon is severely polluted from years of accumulated debris, mismanaged residential and commercial development, and continued discharge of raw human waste directly into the water.

Aside from having a direct impact on the health of nearby residents, the current state of the Caño impacts critical infrastructure, like the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, which typically receives close to 9 million visits per year. The resulting blockage of natural water flow has degraded habitat in the San Jose Lagoon, and poses a public health threat exacerbated by the channel's frequent flooding of the surrounding communities.

We secured $11.6 billion for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) construction funding in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, including $1.9 billion for Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration, for which this project is eligible. Since 2007, the non-federal sponsor, Corporación del Proyecto ENLACE del Caño Martín Peña (ENLACE), has worked alongside USACE to develop the project and is prepared to move forward. Again, we urge you to select Caño Martín Peña for a New Start for construction and funding through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, to restore the ecosystem and simultaneously provide flood protection for the surrounding community.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. Should you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact us or our staff.

Sincerely,

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