Mayan Train Hit by New Environmental Criticism

Mayan Train developer FONATUR has been forced to publish two consecutive responses to environmentally problematic observations reported by the media. The first one, published on Monday, responds to a report from Reforma published over the weekend that claimed the Mayan Train began construction illegally because it does not possess the necessary environmental permits. In response to the accusation, FONATUR made it clear that the rail lines that will serve as  basis for the first three segments of the train already exist. These segments of the train will travel a total route from Palenque, Chiapas to Izamal, Yucatan. FONATUR claims that these rail lines are part of the older transisthmic rail network, which were built before the 1988 law which required environmental permits for all infrastructure projects. This fact was used as an argument by FONATUR to obtain an extension from SEMARNAT on the deadline for the delivery of the necessary environmental impact report paperwork needed for permits to be issued, since more rehabilitation work needs to be performed on the existing rail lines before the full requirements and consequential impact of the project can be correctly assessed. In short, FONATUR admitted to be operating without the necessary permits but denies that this represented an illegal status for the project given this extenuating circumstance. 

The second response, published on Tuesday, was directed at a piece from El Financiero, which according to FONATUR contained incorrect figures regarding the amount of contracts that have been issued through closed tenders and private invitations. FONATUR claims the number is much smaller than reported and that these contracting methods also concern contracts of lesser monetary magnitude. This criticism related more to transparency, rather than environmentalism, but it took place in a week filled with similar complaints. Other reports include one from El Universal that describes the recent choice to establish diesel and not electricity as the fuel that will power the Mayan Train, despite the additional ecological impact that this represents, due to a matter of lower prices although, according to this same report, diesel supply in Mexico is not sufficient to satisfy the increased demand that this would represent.