---
Rep. Pedro Julio “Pellé” Santiago Guzmán, along with Reps. Elinnette González Aguayo and Félix Pacheco Burgos, presented an overview of the work to date on the dredging of the La Plata River, including the status of the third phase, which is vital because the body of water has historically affected communities in the municipalities of Toa Baja, Toa Alta and Dorado during periods of heavy rainfall.
The New Progressive Party lawmakers also presented a series of initiatives that seek to ensure that the work in the third phase is completed on time. They include: creating a program of public, executive and/or onsite visits every month beginning in March; close and constant collaboration with Natural and Environmental Resources Secretary Waldemar Quiles Pérez, who heads the agency designated to oversee the project; visiting the U.S. capital in March with the objective of speaking with congressmen about the importance of the work; and sending a letter to the director of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Gen. William Graham, to request periodic data on the work.
The third phase is divided into three projects: the first includes dredging 1.66 miles of the river, raising levees on 2.88 miles, and creating four new concrete culverts. The second project focuses on building 1.31 miles of levees and further dredging on 1.45 miles of the river. Finally, the third project involves relocating a 72-inch pipeline that provides drinking water service from Arecibo to the metropolitan area of San Juan.
“This is one of the largest infrastructure projects in the entire nation,” said Santiago, who represents District 10 (Toa Baja and Cataño). “After decades of discussions, the United States Army Corps of Engineers has finally approved the channelization of the La Plata River. We are talking about improvement work on about 4.8 miles of channel, as well as about 6.22 miles of embankment levees that will be reconstructed. In addition, work will be done to provide greater protection against erosion around several bridges, eight culverts, and the relocation of a 72-inch potable water aqueduct system, as well as mitigation of environmental habitat loss. In total, this work has a budget allocation of around $500 million in federal funds.”
The legislator thanked Gov. Jennifer González Colón for helping secure the funds needed to finish the job.
“This project (third phase) was announced in June 2020 and had not materialized; now it will be a reality,” he said. […] “We are talking about an impact on over 160,000 people in the municipalities of Toa Baja, Toa Alta and Dorado.”
