An ill-conceived plan to build a pipeline through prime wildlife habitat in Puerto Rico has been stopped. The Center for Biological Diversity joined a coalition of conservation and citizen groups opposing the 92-mile Vía Verde natural gas pipeline that threatened wetlands and hundreds of species, including the coquí llanero, a dime-sized frog that was recently protected. A year ago, with allies, we notified the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers — which was considering a wetlands permit for the project — that it was in violation of the Endangered Species Act.
Last week the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority announced it’s withdrawing its application to the Corps.
“We are cautiously celebrating this announcement and will let the streamers fly once the Corps officially pulls the application,” said Jaclyn Lopez, staff attorney at the Center’s office in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Read the press release.
