Felipe Calderón on Thursday promulgated reforms to the national wildlife protection law despite concerted lobbying efforts from the tourism development industry and 16 state governors.The reforms, approved by Congress in December, restrict construction and development activities in coastal mangroves.
The new regulations take effect Friday, which also happens to be World Wetlands Day.
The opposition to the reforms were on vivid display Thursday as governors from 16 coastal states took out full-page ads in several national newspapers calling on President Calderón to veto the bill.
There was speculation that Calderón - a member of the pro-business National Action Party - would capitulate to pressure from developers.
Hoteliers and developers are expected to file injunctions to protect investments they have already made in coastal properties, especially in Quintana Roo near the resort city of Cancún.
The new reform singles out tourism projects, specifying that "any activity that inhibits the capacity of mangroves to recharge its natural ecosystem, or cuts off their natural flow from rivers, dunes or adjacent maritime zones is strictly prohibited."
Projects that seek to protect, restore, investigate or conserve mangroves are exempt from the provisions of the new law.
Environmental activists lobbied for the bill´s passage, but were prominently featured in recent days bemoaning the fact that tourism industry lobbyists appeared to have the president´s ear.
