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Costa Rica Proposes Strict Penalties for Illegal National Park Entries

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Thursday, April 17, 2025

Costa Rica is cracking down on illegal entries into its national parks and protected areas, citing dangers to visitors and environmental harm. Franz Tattenbach, Minister of Environment and Energy (MINAE), has called on lawmakers to approve a bill imposing fines of up to ¢2.3 million (approximately $4,400) on individuals and tour operators who access these areas without authorization. Over 500 unauthorized entries into Costa Rica’s 30 national parks and reserves, have been reported so far this year. High-risk areas like Poás, Turrialba, Rincón de la Vieja, and Arenal volcanoes are frequent targets, where illegal tours bypass safety protocols. Unscrupulous operators promote these “exclusive” experiences on social media, often lacking insurance, safety equipment, or trained guides. “These operators abandon clients if intercepted by authorities, leaving them vulnerable in hazardous areas,” Tattenbach said. Poás Volcano National Park, closed since March 26 due to seismic activity and ash emissions, remains a hotspot for illegal tours. The proposed bill, under discussion by MINAE and the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC), would introduce fines ranging from ¢1.3 million to ¢2.3 million ($2,500 to $4,400) for unauthorized entry, targeting both operators and participants. If a rescue operation is required, involving the Costa Rican Red Cross or MINAE personnel, an additional fine of ¢2.3 million ($4,400) could be imposed. Current laws penalize illegal entry under Article 58 of Forestry Law 7575, with three months to three years in prison, but enforcement is inconsistent. The new bill aims to strengthen deterrence. “These hikes involve steep slopes, toxic gases, and the risk of volcanic eruptions, which can be fatal,” Tattenbach warned, citing the 2017 Poás eruption that closed the park for over a year. Illegal entries also threaten Costa Rica’s biodiversity, which includes 5% of the world’s species. Unauthorized trails disrupt ecosystems and increase risks of poaching, according to Jorge Mario Rodríguez, Vice Minister of Environment. The Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa Rica (OVSICORI) monitors volcanic activity to inform park closures, but illegal tours undermine these safety measures. Increased Surveillance SINAC, the Costa Rican Fire Department, Red Cross, and Police Force will intensify surveillance going forward, targeting high-risk national parks and roadways to prevent unauthorized access, wildlife extraction, hunting, and trade in protected flora and fauna. “These operations safeguard our natural heritage and ensure visitor safety,” Tattenbach said. SINAC’s year-round efforts have intercepted numerous illegal tours in 2025. Visiting Parks Safely: MINAE and SINAC urge visitors to use authorized operators and purchase tickets via the SINAC website or park entrances. Guided tours, available through platforms like Viator or Get Your Guide, offer safe experiences in parks like Manuel Antonio or Corcovado. Tourists should check park statuses before planning visits, as closures due to volcanic activity or weather are common. “Respecting regulations protects both you and Costa Rica’s natural treasures,” Rodríguez said. Preserving Ecotourism: As the proposed bill awaits Legislative Assembly review, MINAE urges compliance to maintain Costa Rica’s status as a global conservation leader. For updates on the bill or park regulations, visit MINAE’s Website The post Costa Rica Proposes Strict Penalties for Illegal National Park Entries appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate.

Costa Rica is cracking down on illegal entries into its national parks and protected areas, citing dangers to visitors and environmental harm. Franz Tattenbach, Minister of Environment and Energy (MINAE), has called on lawmakers to approve a bill imposing fines of up to ¢2.3 million (approximately $4,400) on individuals and tour operators who access these […] The post Costa Rica Proposes Strict Penalties for Illegal National Park Entries appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate.

Costa Rica is cracking down on illegal entries into its national parks and protected areas, citing dangers to visitors and environmental harm. Franz Tattenbach, Minister of Environment and Energy (MINAE), has called on lawmakers to approve a bill imposing fines of up to ¢2.3 million (approximately $4,400) on individuals and tour operators who access these areas without authorization.

Over 500 unauthorized entries into Costa Rica’s 30 national parks and reserves, have been reported so far this year. High-risk areas like Poás, Turrialba, Rincón de la Vieja, and Arenal volcanoes are frequent targets, where illegal tours bypass safety protocols. Unscrupulous operators promote these “exclusive” experiences on social media, often lacking insurance, safety equipment, or trained guides. “These operators abandon clients if intercepted by authorities, leaving them vulnerable in hazardous areas,” Tattenbach said.

Poás Volcano National Park, closed since March 26 due to seismic activity and ash emissions, remains a hotspot for illegal tours. The proposed bill, under discussion by MINAE and the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC), would introduce fines ranging from ¢1.3 million to ¢2.3 million ($2,500 to $4,400) for unauthorized entry, targeting both operators and participants. If a rescue operation is required, involving the Costa Rican Red Cross or MINAE personnel, an additional fine of ¢2.3 million ($4,400) could be imposed.

Current laws penalize illegal entry under Article 58 of Forestry Law 7575, with three months to three years in prison, but enforcement is inconsistent. The new bill aims to strengthen deterrence. “These hikes involve steep slopes, toxic gases, and the risk of volcanic eruptions, which can be fatal,” Tattenbach warned, citing the 2017 Poás eruption that closed the park for over a year.

Illegal entries also threaten Costa Rica’s biodiversity, which includes 5% of the world’s species. Unauthorized trails disrupt ecosystems and increase risks of poaching, according to Jorge Mario Rodríguez, Vice Minister of Environment. The Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa Rica (OVSICORI) monitors volcanic activity to inform park closures, but illegal tours undermine these safety measures.

Increased Surveillance

SINAC, the Costa Rican Fire Department, Red Cross, and Police Force will intensify surveillance going forward, targeting high-risk national parks and roadways to prevent unauthorized access, wildlife extraction, hunting, and trade in protected flora and fauna. “These operations safeguard our natural heritage and ensure visitor safety,” Tattenbach said. SINAC’s year-round efforts have intercepted numerous illegal tours in 2025.

Visiting Parks Safely: MINAE and SINAC urge visitors to use authorized operators and purchase tickets via the SINAC website or park entrances. Guided tours, available through platforms like Viator or Get Your Guide, offer safe experiences in parks like Manuel Antonio or Corcovado. Tourists should check park statuses before planning visits, as closures due to volcanic activity or weather are common. “Respecting regulations protects both you and Costa Rica’s natural treasures,” Rodríguez said.

Preserving Ecotourism: As the proposed bill awaits Legislative Assembly review, MINAE urges compliance to maintain Costa Rica’s status as a global conservation leader. For updates on the bill or park regulations, visit MINAE’s Website

The post Costa Rica Proposes Strict Penalties for Illegal National Park Entries appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate.

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Puerto Rico community builds solar independence as 2025 hurricane season looms

Casa Pueblo's renewable energy network in Adjuntas powers critical infrastructure and saves lives during storms when the national grid fails.

By Kiara Alfonseca | Edited by Patricia GuadalupeIn the small mountainside town of Adjuntas, Puerto Rico, a self-sustaining community is no longer waiting for government officials to offer protection during the hurricane season.Solar panels top houses across the region, powering a school, a fire station, and homes for the elderly. On eight acres of farmland, a local organization roasts and sells coffee beans, houses artisan goods for sale, and hosts ecotourists throughout the year. Casa Pueblo — a group trying to break the region’s reliance on the U.S. — is to thank for the community’s growing energy independence.“We need collective salvation, and that model of dependency upon FEMA and the government is degenerating with time, but climate challenges are increasing the risk of potential consequences,” Arturo Massol-Deyá, the executive director of Casa Pueblo, told palabra.It’s an undeniable fact that haunts many Puerto Ricans as the hurricane season rolls in: The frequency and intensity of major storms are increasing due to climate change, says Jorge E. González-Cruz, a professor of Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences at the University at Albany in New York.Casa Pueblo staff, Mennonite Central Committee staff, and Sol de la Montaña staff come together to install solar panels at a family home in Adjuntas, Puerto Rico, May 2024. This partnership hopes to support solar projects that provide energy security to vulnerable island families.Photo courtesy of Casa PuebloThis year’s predictions of above-normal hurricane activity in the Atlantic Basin are a grim reminder of the devastating storms that have left death and destruction in their path in seasons past. Hurricane María, the 2017 storm that led to more than 3,000 deaths in the region, was a wake-up call about the increasing impact of climate change and Puerto Rico’s ability to withstand it. And in the years since, storm after storm has cost millions of dollars in infrastructure damage and more lives lost for residents to reckon with when the clouds depart.The consequences of these storms have been magnified by Puerto Rico’s vulnerable power grid, which completely collapsed during María. Since then, island-wide blackouts have been a regular occurrence, even on days with sunny, clear skies. These power outages threaten lives, putting critical services like health care and emergency response at risk.This, combined with the uncertainty of FEMA funding and disaster relief under a Trump administration that has vowed to dismantle the agency, has Puerto Ricans on edge.Casa Pueblo’s solar energy powers a fire station.Photo courtesy of Casa PuebloGonzález-Cruz, who has spent years studying Puerto Rico’s electrical grid, says he’s seen major improvements in the grid’s reconstruction. However, if presented with another major storm — “God forbid,” he adds, and expects the recent work done to the grid will mitigate only some of the potential damage.It’s unclear whether Puerto Rico’s current infrastructure is ready for the next storm, but residents aren’t waiting around to find out.In Adjuntas, a growing chorus of residents has already found a savior in Casa Pueblo’s solar energy storage in past storms. Their energy storage allowed patients in need to access urgent medical care, like dialysis, during extreme weather events. One firefighter told Massol-Deyá that Casa Pueblo’s energy allowed first responders to receive a call about a woman stuck in the floodwaters in the neighboring city of Ponce. A working radio service or a solar-powered generator during a storm could be the difference between life and death. “We have to keep pushing,” said Massol-Deyá. “We have to do more and keep helping more people, because it’s not happening top down.”The Adjuntas town square surrounded by buildings with solar panels installed by Casa Pueblo.Photo courtesy of Casa PuebloFighting development Casa Pueblo’s success has inspired other communities to take action. On the southwestern side of the island in Cabo Rojo, the Institute for Socio-Ecological Research (ISER Caribe) has been hosting community conversations to establish a micro-grid of its own: “We know the importance of this type of infrastructure that is community-led for communities and managed and operated for communities,” institute co-founder Braulio Quintero tells palabra.“We have to decentralize power — not just electrical power, but the decision-making power.”The mission feels particularly urgent for a community facing massive change. The development of a 2,000-acre luxury resort residential area in Cabo Rojo has sparked protests and criticism about its threat to hundreds of acres of coastal forests and the species in them, the privatization of Puerto Rico’s beaches, and ongoing challenges against gentrification.“There are impacts of coastal development and how it affects coastal ecosystems and marine ecosystems, yet we see a government that is not accepting the realities of climate change and is proposing ineffective measures that will likely put people … in danger,” Quintero said, referring to recently proposed legislation that would allow development closer to the island’s shores.Marcha del Sol, organized by Casa Pueblo and other supporters, demanding energy independence in Adjuntas, 2019.Photo courtesy of Casa PuebloThe climate consequences on populated, highly developed regions are well-researched. Studies have shown that urbanization exacerbates climate impacts like flooding, high winds, erosion, and surface runoff, and intensifies heat.It’s a problem that residents in Santurce, an urban area right outside the capital city of San Juan, know well. It’s why the Coalition for the Restoration of Santurcean Ecosystems (CRES) is restoring the region’s native ecosystems. Their area is one of the most populated in Puerto Rico, slathered in concrete and dotted with hotels. This high level of development puts the region at risk of climate impacts, but research shows that trees and vegetation can act as natural barriers to mitigate these damages.CRES executive director Yvette Núñez Sepúlveda brings thousands of volunteers and students each year to restore natural barriers by planting flora and fauna throughout the coastal city and educating the community about the native plants that can withstand major storms.“It’s already documented how the Caribbean is the first area in the world to receive the drastic change of the climate, and we are also experimenting, as the first to receive this impact, how we can manage and restore, and mitigate all these impacts,” she said.Because of ongoing insecurity surrounding government funding for nonprofits, her team currently relies on donations and helping hands. But much like Casa Pueblo, financial sustainability is the next step toward building self-sufficiency.Part of this natural restoration is about creating gardens and plant nurseries where residents can produce food. Puerto Rico imports up to 90% of its food, and Sepúlveda hopes residents can begin to break the cycle of reliance on outside sources. “We believe in networks, human networks, human ecosystem networks. It’s important for us to have these conversations — and not just in Puerto Rico,” Sepúlveda mentioned. “We are trying to build this kind of network, so we can share stories as Caribbeans and also share with other parts of the world how we can help each other.”If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Cuts to Rhode Island energy-efficiency plan bad for residents, study says

Funding for Rhode Island’s energy-efficiency programs could be cut by more than $42 million next year in an effort to rein in residents’ soaring power bills. That rollback would deprive the state of more than $90 million in benefits and potentially eliminate hundreds of jobs while creating only modest up-front…

Funding for Rhode Island’s energy-efficiency programs could be cut by more than $42 million next year in an effort to rein in residents’ soaring power bills. That rollback would deprive the state of more than $90 million in benefits and potentially eliminate hundreds of jobs while creating only modest up-front savings, a new analysis finds. Rhode Island Energy, the utility that administers the state’s energy-efficiency offerings, has proposed to slash spending on that front by 18% compared to last year and more than 30% compared to the budget originally projected in the nonbinding three-year plan introduced in 2023. If approved, the cuts will save the average household $1.87 per month, according to Rhode Island Energy. The result of these changes, according to climate action nonprofit Acadia Center, would be more expensive electricity and more exposure to volatile natural gas prices in the long run. “Energy efficiency is a tool for suppressing supply costs, for suppressing infrastructure costs in the long-term,” said Emily Koo, Acadia Center’s program director for Rhode Island and one of the authors of the group’s analysis. ​“I am not seeing our leaders think beyond the immediate.” Rhode Island has traditionally been a leader in energy-efficiency programming. Over the past 15 years, the state has repeatedly placed among the top 10 states in the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy’s annual energy-efficiency scorecard. Since 2009, the state has spent more than $2 billion on efficiency incentives and services, yielding more than $6 billion in environmental and social benefits. Now, however, the dynamics of energy markets are creating new obstacles. Nationwide, electricity costs have gone up at twice the rate of inflation over the past year, and gas prices have increased by more than four times the inflation rate. Rhode Island, like other New England states, has the added difficulty of already having some of the highest electricity rates in the country. Add in cold Northeastern winters, and the state is girding for an expensive season ahead. As in neighboring states, regulators, elected officials, and utilities in Rhode Island are scrambling for ways to provide some relief for residents and businesses. These efforts have increasingly looked to the bill fees that fund renewable energy incentives and energy-efficiency programs as possible targets for quick, if small, bill reductions. In Maine, for example, leaders from both sides of the aisle have sought to lower incentives for customers and community solar developments that send power back to the grid, and in Massachusetts, utility regulators ordered energy-efficiency administrators to cut $500 million from a planned $5 billion three-year budget. Now, Rhode Island Energy is proposing rollbacks of its own, saying that its latest plan prioritizes customer affordability. The company has the support of the Rhode Island Division of Public Utilities and Carriers, which points to the growth in accounts with overdue utility bills to bolster its argument that the changes will provide needed relief to consumers. “There is simply a financial limit as to how much cost the ratepayers can bear,” the department wrote in its public comments on the proposal.

Should Portland expand or reduce fuels held at the energy hub on the Willamette River?

The city of Portland has unveiled four options for regulating development at the controversial fuel hub on the Willamette River in Northwest Portland.

The city of Portland has unveiled options for regulating development at the controversial fuel hub on the Willamette River in Northwest Portland. The effort to chart a future path for the Critical Energy Infrastructure Hub, a 6-mile stretch along U.S. 30 between the Fremont Bridge and the southern tip of Sauvie Island, has been years in the making, dating back to Portland’s ban on fossil fuel terminal construction a decade ago. It also comes in response to mounting concerns about the earthquake risks of fuel spills at the hub. And it follows intense pushback from environmentalists and some city residents over the city’s approval of Zenith Energy, a company seeking to convert from fossil fuel loading and storage to renewable fuels – such as biodiesel and renewable diesel – and sustainable aviation fuel. The four proposals released this week range from allowing for the expansion of renewable and aviation fuels at the hub to prohibiting all fuel storage expansion and reducing existing storage tank capacity at the terminals. More than 90% of Oregon’s fuel supply comes through the hub, which is home to Zenith and 10 other fuel terminals and more than 400 active storage tanks with the capacity to hold at least 350 million gallons of fuels, mostly gasoline, diesel, liquified natural gas and renewable fuels such as biodiesel and ethanol.Though the proposals would affect all the companies, Zenith is the flashpoint because it’s undergoing a state air quality permit renewal subject to public comment and city and state scrutiny. Zenith also could potentially expand the volume of the fuels it now handles because renewable fuels produce less pollution, allowing the company to store more of them without going over the proposed permit limits. The city chose the alternatives based on feedback from neighborhood and environmental groups, industry and labor representatives including Zenith and seismic experts from Portland State University, said Elliott Kozuch, a spokesperson with the city’s community and economic development service area. Numerous studies have shown the fuels could spill and explode if the soil under the tanks liquifies during a Cascadia-sized earthquake. And though renewable fuels, also called biofuels, release fewer hazardous air pollutants, they’re chemically similar to fossil fuels and hence carry similar risks of spillage and explosion.City officials believe the process to regulate development at the hub is needed to update Portland’s Comprehensive Plan – a long-range policy document that guides how the city will grow and develop – and strengthen the ban on fossil fuel expansion, Kozuch said. The city also hopes to promote safety upgrades to keep residents safe in the event of a mega-earthquake, Kozuch said.Portland in 2016 banned new fossil fuel terminal construction or expansion at the hub, after Canadian company Pembina Pipeline Corp. announced plans to construct a propane-export terminal in the city. It also limited fuel tanks to 2 million gallons. The prohibition was appealed to the state Land Use Board of Appeals several times and readopted by the City Council twice more with clarifications in 2019 and 2022. In the meantime, a fight ensued over Zenith, with the city in 2021 denying the company’s land use approval but the following year giving it the green light for five more years of crude oil storage as long as it transitions to all-renewable fuels by 2027. A lawsuit is now challenging that approval while the new City Council has directed the mayor to launch an investigation into how the city handled Zenith’s approval. The alternatives for the energy hub’s future mirror those tensions.Alternative 1 allows for the expansion of renewable and aviation fuel – although it requires additional city oversight and a higher standard for safety. This alternative would also expand the current prohibition on expansion of fossil fuel storage capacity to cover expansion of fossil fuel loading infrastructure such as pipes and valves. Alternative 2 allows for a limited expansion via a volume cap on storage capacity of renewable and aviation fuels. It also requires terminals to install spill mitigation measures and ground improvements to reduce risk in the event of an earthquake before expansion is permitted. Alternative 3 prohibits all fuel expansion – including the expansion of storage tank capacity and loading infrastructure – thus removing the exemptions for renewable and aviation fuels. Alternative 4 is the most stringent of all, calling for a drawdown of the amount of fuel held at the hub. Not only does it prohibit all fuel expansion, but it also requires all fuel terminals to reduce their storage by 17%. To Nancy Hiser, a Linnton resident and community advocate who has for years warned about the dangers of an earthquake-caused spill at the terminals, only the fourth alternative is acceptable. “Every gallon of fuel held at the hub adds risk to my community and everyone in Portland. Reducing the fuel held there reduces our danger,” said Hiser, who is among a group of community advocates that has been meeting with city officials since May to push for the fuel reduction. “The other three alternatives will allow an increase in the amount of fuel held at the hub, and therefore, will only increase our current risk.”The public can submit comments on the alternatives through Oct. 17. Residents can also learn about the project via four virtual events and an in-person open house. Following public hearings and testimony, the city’s Planning Commission will vote to forward the draft with any amendments to the Portland City Council, which will hold additional public hearings prior to the plan’s adoption. If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Problem Solvers Caucus proposes bipartisan energy deal

The Problem Solvers Caucus, a group of moderate Republicans and Democrats, is taking a swing at an energy deal that has eluded Congress in recent years. The caucus on Thursday morning released a framework for a deal that’s meant to speed up energy projects. A spokesperson confirmed that so far, no actual legislation has been...

The Problem Solvers Caucus, a group of moderate Republicans and Democrats, is taking a swing at an energy deal that has eluded Congress in recent years. The caucus on Thursday morning released a framework for a deal that’s meant to speed up energy projects. A spokesperson confirmed that so far, no actual legislation has been drafted. Speeding up the approval process for energy projects — which has come to be known as “permitting reform” — has been a hot topic in Washington for several years, as industries including energy have pushed for cutting back environmental reviews in favor of faster projects. Members of both sides of the aisle have expressed support for speeding up projects they approve of, with Democrats pushing for faster approval of renewables and powerlines while Republicans have championed faster fossil fuel approvals. But they have yet to get an agreement across the finish line. "By cutting through red tape, we can meet energy demand, lower costs, strengthen national security, and create high quality jobs, while being responsible stewards of the environment. The urgency is real, and the appetite for change is bipartisan," said the framework provided by the caucus. The Problem Solvers’ Caucus is made up of the most moderate members of both parties. While the agreement is a sign that there could be a path forward on the issue, it does not necessarily mean that the deal will get enough buy-in to cross the finish line. The Senate in particular, where 60 votes are needed, could prove difficult, as key members have said they will not move a deal forward if the Trump administration continues to block new renewable energy development. The new bipartisan proposal seeks to speed up approvals for energy projects in general by restricting who can sue to prevent them and setting a statute of limitations for suing over a project to as little as 150 days. While any energy project can prompt a lawsuit, fossil fuel projects are frequently challenged by environmental advocates. It seeks to bolster the buildout of power lines, which could be crucial for getting more renewable energy onto the grid, by requiring the Energy Department to act on applications within 90 days, as well as by allowing some individual lines to be designated as being in the national interest.  It would also bolster nuclear energy by ending mandatory Nuclear Regulatory Commission hearings if “no stakeholders raise objections.” It also seeks to limit state authority to block projects that run through their waters, which blue states have used in the past to block fossil fuel projects such as pipelines. And it seeks to speed up the approval for geothermal energy, which involves drilling into the Earth’s surface to access hot water reservoirs.

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