Although the Public Works Ministry says that the dredging of parts of the Boca Chica beach area is not harmful to the ecology, the Environment Ministry has ordered a stop to the activity. According to the Diario Libre, several people have been jailed for financing the project and Hoy newspaper says that the Attorney General for the Environment, Jose Antonio Trinidad Sena, pulled the plug on further dredging and arrested the owner of the Boat House restaurant. He also closed five other businesses in the area. Representatives for the Public Works Ministry said that the work had been approved by President Mejia and that environmental precautions were being properly observed. Trinidad Sena told reporters that the work was not cleared by any permits from his ministry, as is required by Law 64-00.