Reglamento 8917

Planning Regulation No. 36, titled "Special Joint Regulation for Project Evaluation and Permitting During Emergency States," was issued by the Government of Puerto Rico on February 15, 2017. Its primary purpose is to establish expedited procedures and alternative terms for granting permits, recommendations, consultations, and certifications. These provisions apply specifically to projects necessary for resolving declared states of emergency or those related to Presidential Declarations. The regulation is adopted in accordance with Act 76 of May 5, 2000, which allows public agencies to be dispensed from standard permitting processes during emergencies. It also draws legal basis from other key acts, such as the Puerto Rico Planning Board Organic Law and the Permitting Process Reform Act, alongside specific Executive Orders from January 2017. The overarching goal is to ensure the effective use, conservation, and development of resources, while guaranteeing public health, security, and well-being in Puerto Rico during crises. Under this regulation, government agencies involved in permit processing are exempt from their usual terms and procedures, adhering instead to these special provisions. The document outlines general provisions, programming priority, emergency waiver requests, environmental evaluation, and oversight mechanisms.