Senator Jorge Carlos Ramírez Marín, of the Green Ecologist Party of Mexico (PVEM), requested that the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) and the Agency for Safety, Energy, and Environment (ASEA) conduct a thorough and transparent evaluation of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Saguaro gas project in Puerto Libertad, Sonora.
The megaproject, one of the most ambitious initiatives to install a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) reception, transportation, liquefaction, and import plant in Puerto Libertad, Sonora, has generated significant controversy due to its potential environmental impact.
“Mexico must ensure that any energy development is carried out with environmental responsibility. The Gulf of California is a natural sanctuary that cannot be put at risk by commercial interests without a rigorous assessment,” the senator stated.
A megaproject with environmental and health risks
The Saguaro project contemplates the construction of an 800-kilometer gas pipeline from the United States to Sonora, as well as a 400-hectare liquefaction terminal, equivalent to the size of the Azteca Stadium 70 times. Therefore, this infrastructure would have an impact on the marine ecosystem.
“This project could compromise the health of coastal communities and distance Mexico from its international commitments to reduce greenhouse gases, as established by the Paris Agreement,” Ramírez Marín emphasized.
The Gulf of California is home to more than 12,000 species of flora and fauna, including 39 percent of the world’s marine mammals and a third of its cetaceans.
Experts warn that the entry of deep-draft vessels could alter their behavior, cause fatal collisions, and generate harmful noise pollution for species that depend on sound to communicate and reproduce.
Given these risks, the senator presented a Point of Agreement requesting that SEMARNAT and ASEA conduct a comprehensive review of the Saguaro project’s environmental and energy safety permits, conduct a detailed analysis of the cumulative effects on biodiversity and fishing communities, and monitor Mexico’s compliance with international environmental agreements, especially the Paris Agreement.
“We cannot compromise Mexico’s natural wealth for short-term interests. This project must be evaluated with complete transparency and accountability,” concluded Ramírez Marín.
Source: partidoverde
