Mexico: Presidential Bill for New Environmental Law

In brief

In late August 2026, the Office of the President of Mexico submitted to Congress a bill for a new General Law of Ecological Balance and Environmental Protection (Ley General del Equilibrio Ecológico y la Protección al Ambiente, the "Bill"). If approved, it would repeal the law in force since 1988.

The changes with the greatest impact on industry include the express elimination of automatic approvals (afirmativa ficta), new works and activities subject to federal environmental impact review, a regularization mechanism through a voluntary environmental damage study, and fines of up to 2,000,000 UMAs (approximately MXN 234.6 million).

The Bill is under review in the Chamber of Deputies, where public hearings began on 28 September. We expect it to pass, although it may be amended.

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