THE RELEASE  of details of an environmental impact study into an urban development that would eat up large swathes of mangroves fronting the Bay of Panama has received negative reviews from some key entities.

The study of the proposed Mar del Sur project in Juan Diaz was released by the  Ministry of the  Environment.

The project would cover an area of 43.1 hectares, of which, more than half (24.4 hectares).

The study was presented to the Ministry in August and it sought the opinion of several institutions.

The National Civil Protection Agency (Sinaproc) in a note carrying the signature of the director, José Donderis, did not favor projects in the lower part of the Juan Diaz River basin due to the occurrence of floods in the area.

The Municipality of Panama stressed that although the development is half a kilometer from the  Panama Bay wetland it could "cause damage" to ecosystems.

The Ministry of Public Works said that the project borders the Juan Diaz River and that site does not have  a structure that serves as drainage during rains.