Esta ley enmienda la Ley Núm. 142 de 4 de agosto de 2000 para fortalecer la protección del Valle del Coloso en Aguada, declarado Reserva Agrícola. Prohíbe la concesión de permisos para la construcción, instalación o mantenimiento de incineradores en la zona, con la excepción de aquellos de uso agrícola, como las calderas que utilizan bagazo en la Central Coloso.
(Approved January 4, 2003)
To amend Section 2 of Act No. 142 of August 4, 2000 through which Valle del Coloso in Aguada is declared an Agricultural Reserve with the purpose of prohibiting the granting of any permits for construction and/or consultation for placing the establishment, construction, installation or maintenance of any type of incinerator, except those of an agricultural use, in the area covered by the law.
The Valle del Coloso in Aguada has been acknowledged by the Commonwealth as an area of extraordinary agricultural value for the people of Puerto Rico. This acknowledgement through approval of Act No. 142 of August 4, 2000, did not prevent attempts to place projects for the disposal of solid waste, such as incinerators in the valley. To strengthen the protection of the Valle del Coloso in Aguada as an agricultural reserve, and to guarantee that in the same there will not be projects that conflict with the public policy established by this Act, it is important that the latter clearly prohibits the construction, operation and installation of these projects. However, the boilers are used as a type of incinerator operated in Central Coloso, where bagasse is used as a primary component. This type of incinerator is used as a way to save fuel in the operation of Central Coloso during harvest and grinding of the cane. Since it is a type of incinerator that
helps an agricultural operation, this Legislature understands that this type of incinerator, used in agricultural production, must be exempted from the prohibition set forth in this Act.
Section 1.- Section 2 of Act No. 142 of August 4, 2000 is hereby amended to read as follows: "Section 2.- Special Zoning Resolution Order The Planning Board must maintain these lands, in coordination with the Department of Agriculture undertaking all the necessary studies of the properties included within Valle de Coloso through the promulgation and adoption of a Special Zoning Resolution, for the purposes of reserving and assigning the properties of said Valley to agricultural production and development. The Special Zone shall include lands that presently have access to irrigation, those which in the future may have it, and those identified as having agricultural value. Likewise, the lands abutting to that identified as having agricultural value, and which serve as buffer zones, shall be incorporated in the Special Zoning. Said Special Zoning Resolution shall be promulgated not later than one (1) year after approval of this Act.
This Special Zoning shall effectively prohibit the establishment, construction, and installation of waste incinerators, of any sort, except those for agricultural use, provided that they are used for such purpose."
Section 3.- This Act shall take effect immediately after its approval.
I hereby certify to the Secretary of State that the following Act No. 58 (H.B. 1620) of the $4^{ ext {th }}$.Session of the $14^{ ext {th }}$ Legislature of Puerto Rico:
AN ACT to amend Section 2 of Act No. 142 of August 4, 2000 through which Valle del Coloso in Aguada is declared an Agricultural Reserve with the purpose of prohibiting the granting of any permits for construction and/or consultation for placing the establishment, construction, installation or maintenance of any type of incinerator, except those of an agricultural use, in the area covered by the law, has been translated from Spanish to English and that the English version is correct.
In San Juan, Puerto Rico, today $26^{ ext {st }}$ of February of 2004.
Elba Rosa Rodríguez-Fuentes Director