Legal Challenge Mounts Against Proposed Puerto Viejo Pier Citing Marine Ecosystem Neglect

A legal filing asks SETENA to annul the Puerto Viejo Neighborhood Pier project, citing incomplete marine studies and threats to endangered coral ecosystems.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 4, 2026, 3:29 AM EDT

Source: The Tico Times

The "Land-Only" Study in a Marine Zone

The core of the legal challenge against SETENA resolution No. 1879-2024 is the allegation that the environmental review was fundamentally flawed by its scope. Despite being a maritime project, the supporting studies reportedly focused almost exclusively on land conditions. Attorney Wálter Brenes Soto contends that the file omitted essential marine data, including seabed mapping, bathymetry, and benthic ecosystem assessments.

This lack of subaquatic analysis means that authorities granted approval without a scientifically backed understanding of how driving steel piles into the coastal zone would affect the seafloor. The appeal specifically disputes the consulting firm's rationale that the site was already "altered" enough to justify a lighter review. Opponents argue that prior human activity does not exempt a new, large-scale infrastructure project from the requirement to conduct a comprehensive biological assessment of the underwater impact zone.

Threats to Living Coral and Endangered Species

A major point of contention is the status of the coral reefs in Puerto Viejo. The project's proponents have suggested that the reefs in the area were largely destroyed by the 1991 Limón earthquake. However, the appeal cites recent research from the University of Costa Rica’s Center for Research in Marine Sciences and Limnology (CIMAR) showing that the reef systems are active and recovering.

The filing identifies several living species at risk, including Porites astreoides, Millepora complanata, and Diploria strigosa. Most critically, the appeal highlights the presence of Acropora palmata (Elkhorn coral), which is listed as critically endangered. Beyond coral, the challenge notes that the environmental review failed to account for the presence of sea turtles, dolphins, and manatees that frequent these waters, potentially violating national and international conservation standards.