Cabo Rojo

Any of the alternatives presented by the developer for extracting water for the project would threaten water security and natural resources in southwestern Puerto Rico, agencies and experts agree.

VERDICT: FALSE

The proposed construction of Esencia comes as home prices and sales in the western municipality of Puerto Rico rise, even as residents struggle to secure a place of their own at an affordable cost.

The hotel operators and investors behind the Esencia project in Cabo Rojo have faced lawsuits and complaints over environmental controversies and corporate disputes in multiple countries.

The three investors behind the Esencia project in Cabo Rojo attended both days of public hearings on the Environmental Impact Statement filed with the Office of Management and Permits.

Eileen Vélez Vega has joined Kimley-Horn, an engineering firm with contracts with two public corporations whose boards of directors she chaired. The firm also worked on the proposed Esencia project for Cabo Rojo.

The noncompliance of existing plans, court orders and laws in southwestern coastal areas in Buyé, Joyuda, and La Parguera, shows how complex the implementation of the Climate Change Adaptation Plan would be.