2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWELVE - Conservation (§§ 1-16 — 8162) › Subtitle 3 - Water Protection (§§ 231 — 417) › Chapter 24B - “Adopt-a-Beach” Program (§§ 257 — 257b) › § 257b - Director—Powers and functions

(a) In coordination and with the approval of the Secretary, [the Director] shall prepare and implement the norms, procedures, rules and regulations that govern the Program, including his/her working plan.
(b) Shall attend to and supervise the development of the Program and shall design a system for the effective growth thereof.
(c) Shall arrange for professional and technical advice to keep up to date on the new views on the topic.
(d) Shall carry out studies and investigations on the management of beaches and related areas, and shall examine the different options, methods and the most advanced techniques to execute the provisions of this chapter.
(e) Shall advise the Secretary regarding the guidelines, criteria and procedures needed for a massive and accelerated program of cleanliness and enhancement; and shall prepare a new policy in coordination and with the approval of the Secretary, for the cleaning and enhancement of our beaches, and the supervision and pursuit of said efforts, addressed to the conservation of the flora and fauna, and the protection and management of the beaches of Puerto Rico.
(f) Shall make an inventory of the critical areas in terms of cleaning and beautification, and, in coordination with the Secretary, shall examine the specific places in order to determine in which the cleaning and beautification provided in this chapter would be feasible and necessary.
(g) Shall arrange for appropriations and gifts, or other types of resources from any source, for the faithful compliance of the provisions of this chapter. Shall coordinate the type of resources that the persons, communities, schools or enterprises that participate in the Program, will offer. These could include: installing a sign at the beginning and the end of the strip of beach adopted, bearing the logo of the Program and the name of the group or corporation in charge of said strip; provide receptacles and plastic bags for the deposit of solid waste; removal of solid waste collected in the adopted strips; removal of debris and other hazardous waste; and any other such activity.
(h) Shall offer incentives, in coordination and with the approval of the Secretary, to those firms or persons who participate in the Program, for them to contribute to the enhancement of the beaches and neighboring areas in the measure it is possible, and clean, and keep the beaches clean. Establish in coordination with the Secretary, an “adopt-a-strip-of-beach” program, a commitment of the group or corporation to perform the cleaning, planting and monthly maintenance activities; devote their time to the program; the presentation of a plan for the planting, cleaning and maintenance activities of the adopted areas.
(i) Promote and sponsor a massive broadcasting program with the approval of the Secretary, to create an awareness in the citizenry of the problem of garbage and debris on our beaches, and shall exhort and motivate the community and private entities to participate in cleaning them up.
(j) Examine the possibility of creating new sources of employment in the execution of this chapter.
(k) Promote and publicize the program with coastal municipalities for them to join efforts in the adoption of beaches, and therefore, in the protection and conservation of this natural resource. This collaboration shall be on a voluntary basis for the coastal municipalities that so wish, and the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources of Puerto Rico shall provide such collaborating municipalities the same alternatives and incentives granted to private companies and community organizations for the adoption of a beach.
History —Aug. 15, 1999, No. 250, § 4; July 1, 2009, No. 34, § 1.