SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A Puerto Rico Man was charged and pleaded guilty today for violating the Clean Water Act for construction and filling activities on a property in the las Mareas area of Salinas, Puerto Rico.
According to court documents, Orlando Rivera-Alejandro placed fill material in Mar Negro, within the waters of the United States, and within the Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (JBNERR). Between January 2020 and March 2022, Rivera-Alejandro built multiple structures on top of the filled area, including a gazebo and a concrete boat ramp. He also constructed a dock and numerous concrete-filled PVC poles within Mar Negro, discharging concrete directly into Mar Negro during the construction. Rivera-Alejandro did not seek or receive approval to fill the area or to engage in construction within Mar Negro. At no point was Rivera-Alejandro permitted to do so.
As a part of the plea agreement, Rivera-Alejandro has agreed to pay a $50,000 fine and remove all structures and alterations to the property and to engage in remediation of the environmental harm, damage, and changes that altered the property from its natural state. Rivera-Alejandro is scheduled to be sentenced on September 1, 2026.
