SANTO DOMINGO - The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources announced yesterday that it halted work on the beaches of Uvero Alto , carried out by the Grand Sirenis Punta Cana hotel , owned by the Matute Hotel Group , due to violations of current environmental regulations related to the proper management of sargassum and the use of heavy equipment in protected coastal areas .
The actions carried out by the hotel were performed without a valid environmental permit to carry out interventions in the coastal area, in contravention of the provisions of Law 64-00 , on Environment and Natural Resources , explains a press release from the Environment Ministry.
"In light of these violations, the Ministry of Environment has initiated the process of bringing the offenders to justice , so that they may be sanctioned according to the seriousness of the acts," the press document states.
It adds that the report issued by the Directorate of Inspection indicates that, in response to a complaint received through the channels available at the institution, a verification visit .
"During the operation, carried out in coordination with the National Environmental Protection Service (SENPA) , it was possible to verify the total removal of the water table in some areas, which represents a direct alteration of the coastal hydrogeological balance ," the state agency explains.
absence of an accredited environmental manager was found , despite the fact that the guidelines require that all intervention related to the management of sargassum must be done under the supervision of a qualified environmental professional .
nesting areas of sea turtles were directly affected , specifically the hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) , a critically endangered species protected by national and international legislation."
According to the Environment Ministry, it also found accumulations of sargassum within the high tide zone , which is prohibited according to the technical guidelines of the Vice Ministry of Coastal and Marine Resources , because it represents a risk of contamination from decomposition , which affects native flora and fauna .
With this action, the Ministry of Environment reaffirms its commitment to the protection and preservation of natural resources throughout the national territory, the document concludes.
