Maya Train Terminal Clears Jungle Near Cancún

Cancún, Mexico — The Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) has authorized the clearing of jungle for the construction of a Maya Train freight terminal on a 261-hectare plot located on the outskirts of Cancún, a project expected to displace 12 species of at-risk fauna.

Following the evaluation of an Environmental Impact Statement (MIA) submitted in March by Tren Maya, a state-owned company established by the Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena), Semarnat gave the green light for the project's execution.

The project, known as the Cancún Multimodal Terminal, will be constructed on a 261-hectare plot situated south of the Cancún International Airport and east of the Maya Train’s passenger station of the same name.

The federal initiative's environmental viability was announced this past weekend. The project has been granted an 18-month construction period with a public investment of 7.76 billion pesos, a budget similar to the annual expenditure of the Benito Juárez municipality, where Cancún is located.

Through resolution SRA/DGIRA/DG-05101-25, Semarnat clarified to Tren Maya that there are 12 species of at-risk fauna inhabiting the proposed site, not six as the company had stated in its MIA. Among these is the ocellated turkey, an endemic bird of significant cultural value to the Yucatán Peninsula, which will be affected by the work.

In turn, the Tren Maya company proposed utilizing the wildlife crossings from the railway of section 4 to protect species; however, the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (Conanp) clarified that the company did not provide sufficient information on the efficacy of these tunnels.

Despite this, the environmental impact project was authorized. The terminal will connect with the rail line of section 5, which runs towards Playa del Carmen and the south of Quintana Roo, and section 4, which reaches Campeche via Mérida.

The Cancún Multimodal Terminal will feature 28 elements to provide freight train service, including: a hazardous waste warehouse, lodging for the National Guard, lodging for crew members, a tetra antenna, a customs inspection facility, a scale, public right-of-way warehouses, a vehicle access gatehouse, among others.

Semarnat clarified to Tren Maya that it must still obtain a special permit for the installation of two diesel storage tanks with a capacity of 240,000 liters for locomotive consumption. This permit remains pending issuance by the Agency for Energy and Environmental Safety (ASEA), according to the resolution issued in favor of the state-owned company.