Resources

A record of the public comments regarding the Findings meeting for Phase 3 of "PR#127-Guayanilla-Peñuelas" – Infrastructure Reuse and Investment Strategies – June 13, 2012. 

Assessment, planning and development of Brownfields of a former petrochemical zone.

The project PR # 127 arose from a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA granted DISUR $175 000 as part of its Area Wide Brownfields Planning Pilot Program, aimed at communities in the United States and Puerto Rico. DISUR is one of 23 organizations chosen to carry out this pilot program. The municipalities of Peñuelas, Guayanilla and Ponce, the Environmental Quality Board (EQB) and the impacted communities are partners of the project. The funds are used for planning the evaluation, cleanup, rehabilitation and reuse of properties in a 3,500 acre zone impacting nine communities in the municipalities of Peñuelas and Guayanillla, along Puerto Rico Highway 127. This plan will provide an opportunity for a new stage of development that promises wellbeing for residents and a positive future for economic development in the area.  As part of its design, project planning includes community conversations in which residents of the Brownfields impacted neighboring communities and the project team share knowledge and ideas for future development projects in the area. There have been two community meetings to keep residents informed of the results of the work in the ongoing project phases and to hear the communities' views and suggestions. The first meeting was held on September 14, 2011, and the team discussed projects that residents of the nine affected communities had proposed as alternatives for the reuse plans for the Brownfields in the area. At the second meeting, held on December 14, 2011, DISUR presented the results of the second phase of the planning project: Strategies for Environmental Assessment and Cleanup of the Land. The team shared the information and recommendations on what should happen to conduct environmental assessment and cleanup of industrial land consisting of 11 Brownfields. In addition, the group shared an interactive map showing the exact location of the properties. The project PR # 127 has five phases, culminating in December 2012 with a final reuse plan, next steps and the identification of financial resources to carry out the plan. The third phase of the project is currently underway and will culminate with a community meeting on June 13, 2012 in Guayanilla’s barrio Los Indios.

Identifying and developing the tourism market has become a key to boosting the economy. The "Witch City" of Guayama is characterized by its beautiful landscapes. The charm of its scenery has inspired famous poets and composers, but beyond that, this south Puerto Rico town jealously guards its rich historical legacy. To give knowledge about its enchanting features is to develop tourism in this rural-coastal town. The Punta Pozuelo Boardwalk is one of the major projects for the purpose of tourism, which in turn will stimulate the economy of the south. But beyond the economic benefits, tourism also brings a dynamic cultural exchange. The entrepreneurial project is characterized by its breathtaking view over the Bay of Jobos, and last but not least, it will have other interesting elements that highlight the area's appeal, namely a passive park to the delight of young and old, as well as gazebos and commercial spaces. In addition, sports fans can enjoy kayaks to the limit with the facilities for their use. The site will have ample parking and an iconic monument/look-out tower. The promotion of the charms of this town will result in a direct impact on the economy.

On May 1, 2012, DISUR and the Worcester Polytechnic Institute of Massachusetts presented a report titled: Electronic Recycling Center in Peñuelas, Puerto Rico: Its Viability, Sustainability, and Opertation. DISUR financed the report with a mini-grant for solid waste from the Environmental Finance Center (EFC) of Syracuse University in New York. The study was delivered to DISUR's project team PR#127-Guayanilla-Peñuelas, a planning project managed by DISUR for the reuse of 1,300 acres of Brownfields in the former petrochemical area of Guayanilla and Peñuelas. Attached here is the presentation in both Spanish and English.