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RS 54

Para ordenar a la Comisión de Turismo, Recursos Naturales y Ambientales del Senado del Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico a solicitar los expedientes digitales completos de los deslindes de la zona marítimo terrestre aprobados en los últimos veinte (20) años de los cuarenta y cuatro (44) municipios costeros del archipiélago.

2025-2028 Session

Puerto Rico Senate must compile 20 years of digital maritime boundary demarcation records from 44 coastal municipalities to improve transparency and coastal zone governance.

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Bill Summary · RS 54

Legislative bill overview

Bill RS 54 directs Puerto Rico's Senate Tourism, Natural Resources, and Environmental Commission to request complete digital records of all maritime-terrestrial boundary demarcations (deslindes) approved over the past 20 years across all 44 coastal municipalities in the Puerto Rico archipelago. The bill focuses on gathering and organizing existing government records related to coastal zone management.

Why is this important

Coastal zone management is critical for Puerto Rico given its island geography, tourism economy, and vulnerability to climate change impacts. Access to comprehensive, digitized maritime boundary records could improve transparency in coastal development decisions, facilitate environmental planning, and help address disputes over coastal land use. These records are foundational for enforcing coastal protection regulations and managing competing interests between development and conservation.

Potential points of contention

  • Resource burden: Compiling 20 years of digital records across 44 municipalities may require significant administrative effort and IT resources, with unclear funding allocation
  • Purpose ambiguity: The bill requests records without specifying what actions the Commission will take with them, raising questions about whether this is preliminary to enforcement, policy change, or transparency efforts
  • Stakeholder conflicts: Complete disclosure of maritime boundary decisions could expose contentious past approvals involving private developers, environmental groups, and municipal governments, potentially reopening resolved disputes

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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