Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - On Friday, July 19, the City of Puerto Vallarta closed down construction of the mini hydroelectric plant on the Los Horcones River after determining that the project was being built on land in Puerto Vallarta, not in Cabo Corrientes, and therefore lacks the proper permits permits and licenses.

In this regard, the Secretary General of the City Council, Francisco Vallejo Corona, explained that on instructions from Mayor Arturo Dávalos Peña, the polygon of territorial division between Puerto Vallarta and Cabo Corrientes was verified, and through the inspection of decrees published in 2012 by the State Congress on delimitation of the municipalities, it was determined that the works are being carried out within the territory of Puerto Vallarta, and not in the neighboring municipality of Cabo Corrientes as specified on federal and municipal permits.

Due to non-compliance with the provisions of the current municipal construction regulations, the Directorate of Urban Development and Environment inspected the site and, based on the lack of permits and Puerto Vallarta Ecology Regulation accreditation, the city's "Clausurado" sign was hung - right next to the Federal Environmental Protection Office's (Profepa) seal of closure.

"The problem is that the federal permits issued by Semarnat, National Water Commission, and the Energy Regulatory Commission, say that the mini hydroelectric plant is being constructed in Cabo Corrientes, however, once the analysis determined that it is within our municipal territory, we had an obligation to comply with the law," Vallejo Corona said.

The city offical emphasized that at no time were the rights of the company violated and that it has the right to appeal to the authorities it deems appropriate, but they have to prove that all of their documents are in order.

Sources: puertovallarta.gob.mx • contralinea.net