| Montreal, 19/12/2002 – A citizen submission alleging a shoe-parts manufacturer has caused environmental and health problems in a Mexico City neighborhood has been dismissed by the Secretariat of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC).
Ángel Lara García filed a citizen submission (SEM-02-005) with the CEC on 25 November 2002. He asserted that Mexico was failing to effectively enforce its environmental law by allowing the manufacturing facility of ALCA, S.A. de C.V. to release highly toxic contaminants into the neighborhood of Santa Isabel Industrial.
The CEC decided on 17 December 2002 that the submission did not provide sufficient information to support these claims. Consequently, the Secretariat could not review the submission. Within 30 days of the determination, Mr. Lara García may resubmit a citizen submission that meets the criteria of Article 14 (1) of the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation.
The CEC was established by the governments of Canada, Mexico and the United States to address regional environmental concerns, help prevent potential trade and environmental conflicts, and to promote the effective enforcement of environmental law.
Please visit the Citizen Submission on Enforcement Matters page for more information. | 
