Authorities Shut Down Illegal Quarries in Isla Mujeres’ Mainland Zone

Isla Mujeres, Quintana Roo — Environmental authorities shut down a series of unlicensed quarries in the mainland zone of Isla Mujeres, sealing off extraction sites that were operating without the required permits.

The operation by the Procuraduría de Protección al Ambiente (PPA), the state’s environmental enforcement agency, followed citizen complaints and surveillance patrols that confirmed workers were removing sascab, a granular limestone used in construction, without the necessary documentation or mitigation plans.

Officials said the quarries lacked the environmental impact statement required by SEMA, the state’s ecology and environment department, as well as valid operating licenses for land use.

The uncontrolled extraction has destroyed native vegetation, wiped out local wildlife habitats and left the region’s limestone bedrock exposed, increasing the risk that pollutants could seep into the underground aquifers that supply the area’s drinking water, authorities said.

The PPA said it will keep the suspension seals in place while it determines legal responsibility, including possible fines for property owners. Operators will also be required to submit a soil restoration plan to repair the ecological damage.