News from the Caño Martín Peña Location
2022
$163M Allocated to Begin Dredging the Caño Martín Peña
The Caño Martín Peña Ecosystem Restoration Project (dredging of the Caño) was selected for funding under the Infrastructure and Jobs Act (P.L. 117-58) as announced by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in January of 2022. The selection of the project means an allocation of $163 million to the USACE to move the project to construction stage. The first of the three contracts, which includes vegetation removal, is to be awarded during the second semester of 2022. This achievement is the result of multisectoral advocacy efforts, as well as support from Urban Water’s partners and collaborators.
2021
President’s Commission on White House Fellowship visit the CMP
Members of the President’s Commission on White House Fellowship visited the Caño Martín Peña communities on November 30, 2021. Fellows were able to learn about the history of the CMP, challenges overcome, and the importance of projects and initiatives including the Ecosystem Restoration Project. Fellows were also able to tour the CMP including getting an up-close look at current channel conditions.
Cantera Community Convening on the Ecosystem Restoration Project
The virtual convening was an opportunity for community leaders from the Cantera community to speak directly with project leaders and experts and share their questions, comments and concerns regarding the Caño Martín Peña Ecosystem Restoration Project. Attendees included leading members of Cantera’s Neighborhood Council, Enlace, Cantera Corporation, Urban Waters Ambassador, and the San Juan Bay Estuary Program. The conversation is part of an on-going effort in developing consistent communication with Cantera residents regarding the project.
CMP Restoration Project Honored with Analysis and Planning Award
The Annual awards banquet of the Louisiana Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects was held on September 24, 2021 in New Orleans. An Honor Award in the Analysis and Planning Category was won by Spackman Mossop Michaels for the Caño Martín Peña Restoration Project. http://www.lcasla.org/content/tag/Awards
2020
Cantera Community Rejoins the Caño Martín Peña Urban Waters Federal Partnership
Cantera is one of the eight communities adjacent to the Caño Martín Peña channel. Cantera community efforts are coordinated through the Cantera Corporation. It has been a priority for the CMP Urban Waters Federal Partnership and the San Juan Bay Estuary Program (SJBEP), to incorporate Cantera more directly in conversations regarding the future of the CMP to ensure the success and long-term sustainability of ecosystem restoration efforts. Representatives from the Cantera Corporation attended the CMP Urban Waters Federal Partnership Meeting on June 4th and met again on June 25th with Enlace, USACE, the CMP UW Ambassador and SJBEP to discuss CMP projects in greater detail and kick-off greater collaboration in the district. They will also be participating from monthly CMP Urban Waters Infrastructure Committee meetings.
Continuing Partnership Work During COVID-19 Times
The Caño Martín Peña Urban Waters Partnership adapted its engagement strategies to respond to current physical-distancing policies with the goal of not only continuing collaborative work towards progress in projects related to the Ecosystem Restoration of the Caño Martin Peña, but also expanding our support to communities and their resilience efforts via digital means.
2019
October 21
The RARE project entitled, Green Infrastructure in Puerto Rico, conducted in Caño Martin Peña and completed in February 2019, has been posted in EPA Science Matters
May 2
International Conference: Recovery, Ownership and Displacements: Reflections from Communities. https://www.claridadpuertorico.com (SPANISH)
2018
December 4
The Rockefeller Foundation and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative announced today that the Caño Martín Peña Land Trust is one of 10 winners, out of 1,826 applicants from the United States and its territories, from the “Communities Thrive Challenge” competition.
February 27
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that it has provided the San Juan Bay Estuary Program $152,400 in new funding to support Hurricane Maria relief efforts and estuary restoration. The funding, through EPA’s Urban Waters Program, will be used to assess water quality and debris impacts within the 97-square mile urban estuarine watershed and will enhance community preparedness for future storm events. “Restoration of the San Juan Bay Estuary and priority areas, such as the Caño Martín Peña, to its optimal health is crucial to the area’s resiliency, health, and economy,” said Pete Lopez, EPA Regional Administrator.
February 6
The Puerto Rico Professional College of Engineers and Surveyors and the College of Landscape Architects and Architects, in alliance with Proyecto Enlace of Caño Martín Peña and the G-8, announced today the start of the “My Resistant House” project, through which safe homes will be built for families affected by Hurricane Maria.
2017
September 20
Puerto Rico was still recovering from Hurricane Irma, a strong hurricane that almost made landfall September 6-7, 2017, when less than fourteen (14) days after, the Island received the direct impact of Hurricane María. Hurricane María was a powerful hurricane (Category 4-5 in the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale) that pummeled Puerto Rico on September 20, 2017. The island suffered many hours of continuous rain, flooding, tropical storm and hurricane strength gusts, coastal surges, landslides, and even tornados. Caño Martín Peña communities were severely affected by both extreme weather events.
May 1
$750,000 provided in the Federal Funding Agreement will enable the Caño Martín Peña project to proceed to the Preconstruction Engineering & Design (PED) phase, which is the long-awaited next step before construction. The Corps of Engineers will complete the engineering studies and designs for dredging approximately 2.2 miles of the eastern half of the Caño to a width of 100 feet and a depth of 10 feet, with slight variations in channel width and depth at the several bridges that cross the Caño.
2016
October 17th
Martin Pena Community Land Trust Receives UN Habitat Award (article in Spanish).
May 18
Caño Martín Peña Project Moves Forward After Key Decision by Army for Civil Works.
2015
December 9th
October 28th
EPA, USACE, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico signed a Memorandum of Understanding that ensures progress in the environmental restoration and dredging of the Martín Peña Channel.
October 26th
US Environmental Protection Agency, US Department of Justice, and the Municipality of San Juan reached an agreement to make important investments to the storm sewer systems directly benefiting the Caño Martín Peña and the San Juan Bay Estuary.