Dominican Republic environmental management issues

Environmental organizations in the Dominican Republic have filed a formal complaint against Environment Minister Paíno Henríquez, alleging the destruction of mangrove ecosystems. The Sociedad Ecológica del Cibao, the National Committee to Fight Climate Change, and the Institute of Lawyers for the Protection of the Environment are seeking legal action under Law 64-00, which permits prison sentences of up to ten years for such destruction.

The lawsuit specifically targets the installation of two liquefied natural gas power plants within the buffer zone of the Estero Balsa National Mangrove Park in Montecristi. Plaintiffs claim the Manzanillo Gas & Power project destroyed approximately 575,000 square meters of coastal vegetation without necessary licenses. They are requesting a $50 million fine, the prosecution of the Minister, and urgent measures to halt construction and relocate the project.

Efforts to manage sargassum are expanding through legislative and international channels. The Senate is reviewing legislation to declare sargassum a national and regional environmental emergency. This is being paired with the ‘Santo Domingo Ministerial Declaration on the Sustainable Valorization of Sargassum’, which seeks Caribbean coordination to transform seaweed into resources for energy, agriculture, and industry via a circular economy model.

Diplomatic and scientific cooperation is also increasing. President Luis Abinader and the Italiano-Latino American Institute (IILA) are strengthening bilateral ties in sectors including science and technology. Notably, cooperation with the Italian Space Agency is being utilized to monitor sargassum levels. Locally, Fundación Grupo Puntacana has implemented a program employing fishermen to collect sargassum at sea using technology developed by MIT to protect tourism and create new value chains.