P. O. Box 750
Isla de Culebra, PR 00775
1-877-77CORAL / 1-877-77(2-6725)
(o) 787-556-6234 (f) 530-618-4605
@email: info@coralations.org
Hon. José Chico Vega
Presidente
Comisión de Desarrollo Económico, Planificación, Comercio, Industria y Telecomunicación
Cámara de Representantes - Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico
P. de la C. 1649: Ley para la Reestructuración y Unificación del Proceso de Evaluación
Otorgamiento de Permisos
May 23, 2009
Thank you very much for this opportunity to speak to the Hon Representatives on 1649, la “Ley para la
Reestructuración y Unificación del Proceso de Evaluación y Otorgamiento de Permisos” crafted in part to
mitigate the economic crisis in Puerto Rico.
CORALations is an award winning, non-profit coral reef conservation organization based on the island of
Culebra, Puerto Rico. We currently maintain a membership base of over 600 people from Puerto Rico,
Culebra and the US Virgin Islands. As the Project Coordinator and now Director of CORALations, I have
worked in Puerto Rico for the past 15 years and with the community of Culebra for over 10 of those,
including collaborations with the University of Puerto Rico’s Coral Reef Research Group, the Culebra
Fishermen’s Association, Culebra’s municipal government, local churches, visiting service groups, local
schools, and high-risk youth. We manage and provide educational nature tourism opportunities designed
to benefit locally owned and managed businesses. We have won collaborative awards with academia and
the Culebra Fishermen’s Association for contributions toward the designation of the first no-take Marine
Protected Area in Puerto Rico's waters. A “Coastal America Spirit Award” was presented to then Resident
Commissioner, the Honorable Luis Fortuño by the President of the United States, with recognition in part
to our and the Culebra Fishermen’s Association’s contributions to the creation of this reserve. We have
been recognized by the “U.S. Executive Coral Reef Task Force,” which will be ho