Mexico's Environmental Laws. How can these three federal agencies help us protect the Oaxaca Coastline and the Manialtepec Laguna?

There are Regional Delegations of SEMARNAP , and as well there are State Delegations of PROFEPA . Connecting these two federal environmental protection agencies is the THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT INSTITUTE.

The National Environment Institute develops the policies that SEMARNAP and PROFEPA govern and enforce. The institute is the federal environmental protection agency that approves environmental impact studies presented by the public and private sectors for both environmental policies and programs. This is the federal agency that Vivo Resorts had to go through to get environmental permits and approval to develop their resorts on the Oaxaca Pacific Coast for Vivo's ocean front properties and any developments in the making at Laguna Manialtepec.

Something is amiss here.

I can not figure out how or why Vivo Resorts gained environmental impact study permits granted to build their Casa Rubia Resort physically right on top of a federally protected Pacific Ocean sea turtle nest. This "federally protected" sea turtle nest is going to dissapear completely in a few years as a direct result from the invasive human impact of this publicly advertised and publicly endorsed Canadian Corporate physical assault on this Mexico federally protected Pacific Ocean sea turtle nest. It is very disturbing to me that Vivo Resorts were granted permission to destroy this "federally protected" sea turtle nest by the very same federal agency that is appointed to protect it!

The people of Mexico are going to have to demand that their environmental agencies clean up their act! And they need to act NOW !
Start investigating and start taking names and kicking ass!

Foreign Corporations and Mexico Environmental Protection representatives who collaborate secretly together to commit environmental crimes that harm the environmental health of the whole planet should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and should be criminally incarcerated for the crimes they committ against the Pacific Ocean!
Imposed fines is not enough! Incarceration of these criminals should be enforced!

It was this abuse of process granting Vivo Resorts permission to invade and destroy a federally protected Pacific Ocean sea turtle nest on the Oaxaca Pacific Coast that opened the door wide open for Vivo Resorts to secretly punch a very large hole into the Manialtepec Lagoon and the "federally protected" Manialtepec Mangroves, which serve as the protective outer shell and main nutrient source of the Manialtepec Laguna. ( for satelite photos of the laguna to show where the large laguna hole was punched through the Manialtepec Mangroves of the Laguna go to our Fishermens and Fisherwomens Group Forum and read Dennis Millers report from the environmental crime scene at the Manialtpec Lagoon )

Because of this abuse of process granting Vivo Resorts permission to physically vandalize and destroy a federally protected sea turtle nest, Vivo Resorts now acts as if that they own the Mexican Environmental Protection authorties because of the permission they unlawfully achieved to build Vivo Resorts Casa Rubia physicaly on top of a "federally protected" Pacific Ocean sea turtle nest!

Where were the turtle protection people from Mazunte's Federal Turtle Sancuary when Vivo first came to town wanting to land directly on top of the federally protected sea turtle nest at Vivo Resorts Casa Rubia?
Did the turtle protection people speak up? Did they investigate? Did they get involved? Were they trying to save the turtles to no avail simply because other federal environmental agencies told them to go away and be quiet?

Something is amiss here.

People wake up! These are not only Mexico environmental issues, these are Pacific Ocean Marine Life issues and Global Oceanic Health issues that effect the Oceans of the World!

People of Mexico Stand Up and Demand Justice!

Prosecute these corrupt officials in the environmental protection agencies who are selling out the protection of the Pacific Ocean Marine Life to the highest bidder in the foreign real estate development industry!

Get rid of these criminals and make a public example of them to let the world know that you are not going to tolerate this foriegn corporate destruction of the Oaxaca Pacific Coastline! If this corruption is not stopped soon, they will allow all foriegn real estate developers, and these real estate developers will start pouring in from other countries besides Canada once they see that foriegn corporations can buy Mexico Environmental Agencies off, to come in and start corporately ruling over the Mexico Environmental Protection Agencies if the people of Mexico do not demand justice and stop these atrocities perpetrated by the individuals who are governed to protect the Oaxaca Pacific Coast's environment.

*Also, in addition to going after these corrupt environmental officials for criminal prosecution, I also urge the citizens of the State of Oaxaca to work diligently on getting Cary Mullins and his Canadian Vivo Resorts Corporation deported from Mexico ASAP for environmental crimes.
Let the Canadians take Cary Mullins back and deal with prosecuting him in his own backyard! The reason I say have Cary Mullins deported back to Canada for prosecution in Canada instead of Mexico is to save Mexico's financial resources from a lengthy prosecution of a foriegn corporation, unless Mexico has the financial resources to federally prosecute a Candian Corporation then I say he should be prosecuted for environmental crimes in both nations, Cananda and Mexico. That is left for further discussion as events unfold. Cary Mullins and Vivo Resorts should not be allowed to continue to conduct any business in Mexico period.

Here are the basics to inform the public of the structure of Mexico's environmental protection agencies and the laws they govern.You can learn more about Mexico's Environmental Laws at the Mexico Law website I included at the bottom of this post. Did you realize that Mexico's environmental protection laws and agencies were patterned and created from the American state of California?
California Environmental Protection Efforts are some of the best in the world! Especially in Northern California.
The difference is, we don't tolerate corruption in our Environmental Protection Agencies the way Mexico does.
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*THE LAW AND "SEMARNAP"
Presently there exist federal regulations on environment protection in Mexico. They are extensive and patterned in good part after the rules applicable in the state of California (U.S.A.). The federal law (General law on Ecological Equilibrium and Environmental Protection) is dated from December 23, 1987 (effective March 1, 1988). Its' regulatory law is dated June 6, 1988, with changes November 18 and 23 , 1988.

The Federal Government of Mexico, through the Secretariat of the Environment, Natural Resources and Fishing ( Secretaría de Medio Ambiental , Recursos Naturales y Pesca (SEMARNAP) , has sole jurisdiction over those acts that effect two or more states , acts that include hazardous waste, and procedures for the protection and control of acts that can cause environmental damage or serious emergencies to the environment. The Secretariat's main activities are to make environmental policy and enforce it; assist in urban planning; develop rules and technical standards for the environment; grant (or deny) license, authorizations and permits; decide on environmental impact studies; and grant opinions on and assist the states with their environmental programs. This Secretariat enforces the law, regulations, standards, rulings, programs and limitations issued by it through the National Environment Institute and the Federal Attorney Generalship of Environmental Protection ("PROFEPA").

The law covers environmental protection, natural resources conservation, environmental impact statements, risk determination, ecological zoning, and sanctions. The air, water, hazardous waste, pollutants, pesticides and toxic substances are covered by this law.

In the initial period of startup and application of this law and its regulations, a lack of experience by the authorities of Mexico and the miss-understanding of employees at plants in Mexico caused difficulties for companies. However, there is a better understanding now.

*THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT INSTITUTE

This institute is to develop, conduct and evaluate environmental policy; issue technical environmental standards and approve environmental impact studies presented by the public and private sectors; grant permits, concessions, licenses, resolutions and other; regulate handling of hazardous waste and materials and resolve appeals submitted to it. This National Environment Institute is also responsible for the design, implementation and assessment of the regulatory framework for both environmental policies and programs.

*PROFEPA (Federal Attorney Generalship of Environmental Protection / Procuraduría Federal de Protección de Ambiente")

This is the enforcement agency of Secretariat of the Environment, Natural Resources and Fishing (SEMARNAP) (the federal head ministry). Profepa is to monitor compliance; investigate claims; conduct inspections and environmental audits; resolve administrative appeals on environmental issues and promote the participation of the public in environmental law creation.

It is also responsible for ensuring strict observance of standards and regulations set by the Institute, as well as those contained in rules and laws enacted by the Mexican Congress. It performs audits and evaluations, imposes fines and other sanctions, it hears public complaints and demands related to insufficient compliance and it is to inform and teach the public of the environmental rules.

*CONSTRUCTION

An environmental impact study is to be done and approved prior to the construction of "new facilities".
http://www.mexicolaw.com/LawInfo08.htm#Construction


Vivo Resorts Casa Rubia was allowed to develop on top of a federally protected sea turtle nest. Turtle Hatchlings right outside of Vivo Resorts front door are decreasing in numbers rapidly and will soon be all gone to never return due to the physical assault and destruction of their nest by Vivo Resorts and the Environmental Authorities who gave Vivo Resorts the authorization to builld Casa Rubia on top of the federally protected turtle nest.