DOE Rejects Road Through Wildlife Corridor

The Department of the Environment (DOE) has denied environmental clearance for a proposed 2.2-mile road through the Northeastern Biological Corridor, which would have connected the Honey Camp area to the Neuland community road in the Orange Walk and Corozal Districts.

The decision follows a July 30th review by the National Environmental Appraisal Committee, which assessed the Environmental Impact Assessment submitted by Tunich-Nah Consultants and Engineering on behalf of Honey Hub Limited, the company proposing the road.

The NEAC cited the corridor’s legal protection status, warning that clearing roughly 13 acres of forest would fragment wildlife habitat and increase the risk of animal injury or death. The committee also found the EIA failed to confirm adequate fill material was available for construction, raising concerns about further land clearing if additional sources are needed.

The proposed road would also negatively affect Santa Martha Village, whose residents depend on the existing road network for transportation and livelihoods. While the new route would have cut travel distance by about five miles, the EIA did not show that benefit outweighed the potential harm to the community.

The DOE has accepted the committee’s recommendation and notified Honey Hub Limited, encouraging the company to pursue an alternative route outside the protected corridor.