Environment Ministry bans vehicle parking near shorelines during Holy Week

Santo Domingo.- The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources has issued Resolution No. 026/2025, prohibiting the parking of motor vehicles within 60 meters of the high tide line on all Dominican beaches and coastal dunes during Holy Week. This measure, signed by Minister Paíno Henríquez on April 11, aims to protect marine ecosystems from potential environmental harm caused by oil, fuel, and other toxic spills during the high-traffic holiday period.

To ensure enforcement, the resolution mandates the formation of a compliance committee involving the Environmental Oversight Directorate, the Vice Ministry of Coastal and Marine Resources, the Legal Directorate, and the National Environmental Protection Service (SENPA). Violators will face sanctions under Law 64-00 on the Environment and Natural Resources.

The resolution is grounded in Decree No. 112-95, which declares beach protection a matter of national interest. It reinforces existing laws that prohibit ecologically harmful activities such as garbage disposal, sand extraction, and unauthorized coastal development. The Ministry urges vacationers to follow the rules and help preserve marine life, coastal landscapes, and natural biodiversity.