The Senate has under study a recently submitted bill that would exclude eight million square meters from the Parque Nacional Cabo Cabrón, a national park located in Samana, on the northeastern coastline, as per Hoy newspaper today. Hotel construction is banned by Environmental Law 64-00 law within national park areas. President Mejia passed this law two days after taking office. The new bill seeks to override this. This would be the fourth park that the Mejia administration seeks to mutilate. The other three are the National Park of the East, the Jaragua National Park (Southwest) and the Mirador del Este Park (for building Pan American Games sports venues). The use of land within the national parks for hotel development has met with widespread opposition from the press, environmental groups, and even the National Hotel & Restaurant Association. Francisco Jimenez Reyes, spokesman for the environment group of the Senate has opened the floor to discussions. (14 March 2001)
