The latest news and updates on sargassum conditions, permit progress, and Reclaim Nature operations in Puerto Rico.
GOVERNING POLICY MANDATEOFFICIAL GOVERNMENT DOCUMENT
June 30, 2025
Executive Order OE-2025-037: Governor González-Colón Declares Sargassum State of Emergency in Puerto Rico.
On June 30, 2025, Governor Jenniffer A. González-Colón signed Executive Order OE-2025-037, declaring a state of emergency across Puerto Rico's sargassum-affected coastlines. The order cites sargassum-related risks to public health, maritime life, and the stability of the electrical system, and estimates that sargassum biomass moving toward the Caribbean could exceed 30 million metric tons. The actual recorded level reached 38 to 40 million metric tons, exceeding the emergency estimate. This Executive Order is the governing policy mandate under which Reclaim Nature operates.
1State of Emergency Declaration
Declares a state of emergency across all sargassum-affected coastal areas of Puerto Rico, including areas identified as critical for health, maritime operations, and electrical infrastructure.
2Expedited Process Activation
Exempts DNER and Puerto Rico government agencies from standard permitting, consultation, and certification requirements for projects identified under this order. Note: This exemption applies to Commonwealth agencies. Reclaim Nature's federal USACE permit process under Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act remains an independent federal requirement that Reclaim Nature is actively pursuing.
3Immediate Action Authorization
Actions necessary for project execution may be carried out immediately, without prior permits or additional administrative procedures, subject to minimum safety standards and applicable federal requirements.
4Interagency Collaboration Mandate
All Puerto Rico government agencies, public corporations, and offices, including the Tourism Company and AAFAF, are required to collaborate closely with DNER, facilitate administrative and operational resources, and identify and manage funding necessary to support this order.
5Emergency Procurement Activated
The General Services Administration, agencies, and municipalities are directed to activate emergency procurement procedures to acquire essential materials and services for sargassum response.
6Reporting Requirement
DNER must submit a detailed expenditure report to OGP and AAFAF within 30 days of completing each project undertaken under this order.
10Immediate Effect
The Executive Order takes effect immediately upon signing and remains in effect until amended or revoked by a subsequent executive order or by operation of law.
FEDERAL AGENCY ACTIONCaribbean Journal via NOAA NCCOS · September 30, 2025
NOAA Funds Expanded Sargassum Emergency Response for Puerto Rico Through 2026.
The National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science Harmful Algal Bloom Event Response Program is funding expanded sargassum response activities for Puerto Rico through the 2025 season and into 2026. The NOAA-funded program, led by Mar Caribe Consulting in partnership with DNER and the Puerto Rico Coastal Zone Management Program, is monitoring six priority coastal sites for sargassum volume, water quality impacts, and heavy metals levels in biomass. NOAA scientists are simultaneously developing recommendations for safe handling, material transfer, and alternate reuse strategies for collected sargassum. This federal investment directly supports the regulatory and scientific environment in which Reclaim Nature operates.
WHY THIS MATTERS TO RECLAIM NATURE
NOAA is one of three federal agencies whose authorization framework governs sargassum operations in Puerto Rico alongside USACE and USFWS. NOAA's active investment in heavy metals testing and alternate reuse strategy evaluation directly validates Reclaim Nature's commitment to arsenic and heavy metals testing before any processing pipeline is activated with qualified processing partners.
CURRENT CONDITIONS · MAY 2026The San Juan Daily Star · 4 days ago
DNER Deploys Specialized Sargassum Unit to Las Croabas, Fajardo
DNER Secretary Waldemar Quiles Pérez has dispatched technical personnel from the Specialized Sargassum Unit to the Las Croabas area in Fajardo following a significant sargassum influx. Teams are expected to arrive within 48 hours to assess conditions and begin removal operations. Las Croabas is one of Reclaim Nature's three Phase 1 permit sites in Fajardo.
RECLAIM NATURE CONNECTION
Las Croabas is Site 2 in Reclaim Nature's Phase 1 USACE permit application. DNER's own Specialized Sargassum Unit is tasked to this exact location, creating a direct coordination opportunity between government response and Reclaim Nature's permitted offshore interception infrastructure.
Source: The San Juan Daily Star. All credit to The San Juan Daily Star for original reporting. Article summary used for informational purposes only. Read the full article at sanjuandailystar.com.
GOVERNMENT RESPONSE · MAY 2026The San Juan Daily Star · 2026
DNER Specialized Sargassum Unit Deploys to Sardinera, Fajardo and San Juan Coastline
DNER Secretary Waldemar Quiles confirmed deployment of the Specialized Sargassum Division to Sardinera in Fajardo, Condado, Escambrón, and the San Juan Bay entrance following unprecedented sargassum accumulations. DNER reported coastal municipalities recording concentrations at all-time highs for this century. Sardinera is one of Reclaim Nature's three Phase 1 permit sites in Fajardo.
RECLAIM NATURE CONNECTION
Sardinera Beach is Site 3 in Reclaim Nature's Phase 1 USACE permit application. DNER's deployment to this exact location confirms the operational urgency driving Reclaim Nature's permitting timeline.
Source: The San Juan Daily Star. All credit to The San Juan Daily Star for original reporting.
FEDERAL RESPONSE · SEPTEMBER 2025NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science · 2025
NOAA Funds Expanded Sargassum Response in Puerto Rico Through 2026
Following Governor González-Colón's Executive Order 2025-037 declaring a state of emergency, NOAA's National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science funded an expansion of sargassum response activities through 2026 to supplement DNER's ongoing efforts. The 2025 season saw a record-breaking 40 million metric tons of sargassum flow through the tropical Atlantic with especially severe accumulations along Puerto Rico's coastline.
RECLAIM NATURE CONNECTION
NOAA's emergency response funding and Executive Order 2025-037 form the federal and Commonwealth policy foundation within which Reclaim Nature operates. This is the mandate Reclaim Nature was built to answer.
Source: NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science. All credit to NOAA for original reporting.
RESEARCH SPOTLIGHTMay 2024
Peer-Reviewed Research: Untangling the Sargassum Legal Regime in Puerto Rico.
León-Pérez, M.C., McLaughlin, R.J., Gibeaut, J.C., Carrubba, L., Colón-Rivera, R.J., et al. Marine Policy, 2024. Open Access.
A peer-reviewed study published in Marine Policy identifies the lack of clarity in Puerto Rico's sargassum legal framework as the primary barrier to effective mitigation, specifically calling out the permitting complexity surrounding boom placement and offshore barrier installation. The research, conducted through literature review, agency interviews, and a regulatory workshop, produced a permitting process flowchart co-developed with government agencies and academic representatives. This is the scientific foundation that Reclaim Nature's compliance-first permitting strategy is built on.
Why this matters to Reclaim Nature: This study was co-authored by Ricardo J. Colón-Rivera of DNER's Northeast Natural Reserves, who is also Reclaim Nature's primary DNER East Region coordination contact for the Fajardo permit sites. Reclaim Nature's permitting approach directly addresses the barriers and recommendations identified in this research.
Additional press coverage and announcements coming soon.
