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La Carta En Español

To the Government of Spain,

We are writing to urge you to oppose the current proposal to dredge the mouth of the Villaviciosa River in Asturias, near the port of El Puntal. Not only is the project excessive in size and high in cost, it is also completely unnecessary, and will do far more harm to the local economy than good. Currently, boats are easily able to enter and exit the harbor, except on the most extreme tides of the year. Even on those days, which only happen on a small number of days per year, boats that want to access or leave the harbor are only delayed for a few hours during low tide.

The marine rescue chief in El Puntal, José Manuel Rodríguez, has proposed the project, claiming that it will improve access to the port and allow boats in and out, regardless of sea conditions. What Mr. Rodriguez has not mentioned is that the dredging project will only improve access for a short amount of time, due to the fact that the seawalls that currently exist at the mouth of the river are situated in such a manner that they form a sandbar at the east side of the channel. Scientific studies in such cases have proven that the sand will return again in a matter of years, requiring further dredging and costs to the citizens of Spain.

The sandbar that forms at the mouth of the Villaviciosa River is also a world-famous surfing location, an attraction that draws a large number of tourists to the area each year, as well as providing an important recreational resource for water enthusiasts that live in the region. The economic importance of such a resource should not be ignored. A similar dredging project in Mundaka Bay, which caused the surfing wave to disappear for three years, had a severe negative impact on the economies of the towns nearby.

This dredging project will most likely produce a similar result to that in Mundaka. The surfing wave will be damaged, and the nearby businesses that benefit from tourism will undoubtedly suffer. The costs of the project will far outweigh the benefit provided to the few boats that use this harbor.

In order to protect the interests of the citizens of your country, to ensure the continued economic health of the region, and to reduce harm to the ecosystem of the river, we humbly request your support in opposing this project.

Signed,

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