Esta ley declara el sistema de cuevas y cavernas de Aguas Buenas como Área de Reserva Natural de Puerto Rico, para ser administrada bajo la Ley del Programa de Patrimonio Natural de Puerto Rico. Reconoce el valor ecológico, científico, arqueológico y recreativo del sistema, destacando su importancia hidrológica y la presencia de especies protegidas. La ley busca proteger este recurso natural de la urbanización descontrolada y asegurar su preservación para futuras generaciones, alineándose con la política pública ambiental de Puerto Rico.
(S. B. 968) (Reconsidered/Reconsidered) (No. 245) (Approved on October 19, 2002)
To declare the caves and caverns system of Aguas Buenas as a Natural Reserve area of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, to be administered under the provisions of Act No. 150 of August 4, 1988, known as the "Puerto Rico Natural Patrimony Program Act."
The Aguas Buenas system of caves and caverns is located between the municipalities of Aguas Buenas and Cidra. Near the beginning of the Cagüitas River there is a small hydrographic basin of a karstic formation which collects the water filtering to the subsoil and sliding in a parallel, superficial and subterranean way through the Aguas Buenas cave system to combine and form the Cagüitas River. The combined sight of the bowl, with the forest landscape and a karstic physiographic view, allows a clear appreciation of the hydrologic cycle. It is a place with abundant archaeological resources which have not been studied. The caves hold the only perennial subterranean water current known in the East section of the Island, which feeds the Río Grande de Loiza. It has several cool water springs high humidity, and a very important bat population. It is also the habitat of flora and fauna which are protected endangered species. All the above gives it a high ecological and scientific value and potential recreational and educational use.
Presently, the Aguas Buenas caves are being threatened dangerously by an uncontrolled urban development. An adequate management of this resource may offer an additional alternative for coping with economic, social and ecological problems in the area, and its classification as a non-renewable natural resource makes it necessary to intervene on behalf of its protection and its better use. Facing such situation we understand that taking the necessary steps to insure its protection, preservation and use for the benefit of the ecology, agriculture, science, education and recreation of the Puerto Rican people and, particularly, of the neighboring communities of Aguas Buenas and Cidra, identified with this cave system, is a priority.
The preservation, protection and adequate use of natural and historic resources is the public policy of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Concerning subterranean cavities and related resources, it is so expressed in Act No. 111 of July 1985, known as the "Act for the Protection and Conservation of Caves, Caverns and Sewers Act of Puerto Rico, and in Act No. 292 of August 1999, known as the "Karst Physiography Protection and Conservation Act of Puerto Rico.
As part of the Declaration of Public Environmental Policy, the State acknowledges the need to maintain an adequate balance among all the components of the natural environment and the typical changes in a people's development. To achieve a policy respectful of the Law, it is the State's responsibility to use all practical means, in harmony with other essential considerations of public policy, to improve and to coordinate the Island's resources for Puerto Rico to carry out the responsibilities of each generation as custodian of the environment for the benefit of subsequent generations; insuring clean water, pure air, natural environment and land, safe landscapes that are, healthy, productive, esthetic and culturally pleasing areas for all
Puerto Ricans; preserving the important historical, cultural and natural aspects of our patrimony, and maintaining, as much as possible, an environment that offers diversity and variety to individual selection.
It is public knowledge that a system of caves and caverns constitutes an area of natural value, as stated in the "Puerto Rico Natural Patrimony Program Act," Act No. 150 of August 4, 1988, and as such a very special treatment must be offered due to its delicate ecology and the eminent danger to the population of flowers and animals that live in the place, inter-relating among themselves and with the environment forming a system of composition, structure, environmental relationships, development and distinctive purposes belonging to the system.
To insure the protection, study and preservation of natural and historical resources and their use, permitting the definition and implementation of the Commonwealth's public policy to this national patrimony, preserving and strengthening its scientific, educational, recreational, ecological and hydrological value, equally putting the constitutional mandate of Section 19, Article VI into practice, which provides that "the most efficacious conservation of its natural resources, as well as the greater development and use of the same for the general benefit of the community, shall be the public policy of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico."
Facing this concern and facing the obligation of this Legislature to comply with the constitutional, environmental and moral premises of our people, we reaffirm once more our commitment to ensuring that future generations may enjoy what today is part of our people's identity.
Section 1.- To declare the caves and caverns system located between the municipalities of Aguas Buenas and Cidra, as a Natural Reserve area of
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and to place it under the care of the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources within the Natural Patrimony Program established by Act No. 150 of August 4, 1988, known as the "Puerto Rico Natural Patrimony Program Act."
Section 2.- For all purposes herein, the definitions contained in Act No. 150 of August 4, 1988, are hereby adopted.
Section 3.- This Act shall take effect immediately after its approval.
I hereby certify to the Secretary of State that the following Act No. 245 (S.B. 968) (Reconsidered) (Reconsidered) of the $4^{ ext {th }}$ Session of the $14^{ ext {th }}$ Legislature of Puerto Rico:
AN ACT to declare the caves and caverns system of Aguas Buenas as a Natural Reserve area of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, to be administered under the provisions of Act No. 150 of August 4, 1988, known as the "Puerto Rico Natural Patrimony Program Act, has been translated from Spanish to English and that the English version is correct.
In San Juan, Puerto Rico, today $6^{ ext {th }}$ of August of 2004.
Elba Rosa Rodríguez-Fuentes Director
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