President Joe Biden went to Puerto Rico on Monday to see the damage done by a recent storm. Biden promised an additional $60 million in funding to help the island rebuild, on top of billions of dollars already set aside for the island's recovery from hurricanes.
He said that when the storms come again, they won't have the damage they caused before. The people of Puerto Rico are strong. You haven't gotten the help in a timely way because you have had to bear so much.
The Puerto Rican Grid Recovery and Modernization team was announced in Biden's speech. As soon as possible, the team will work on repairing the grid and spur the transition to renewable energy. The majority of the island's power comes from fossil fuels. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the island's single coal-fired power plant is the sole source of the remainder.
$60 million will be given to help with the reconstruction. The bipartisan infrastructure law will help strengthen flood walls and improve warning systems for future storms. After Hurricane Maria, Biden said that Puerto Rico would get every single dollar promised.
FEMA made a $2 billion pledge to Puerto Rico in the middle of last year. After Hurricane Maria, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development approved $20 billion for the island, but the Trump administration stopped the aid due to political corruption. The previous administration said that the island had to submit budget plans to the fiscal control board in order to get funding. Billions of dollars were freed up for infrastructural improvement in the Biden administration's first year of removing those restrictions. More than $8 billion in funding was promised to Puerto Rico and was unlocked in this way.
Puerto Rico's infrastructure was damaged when HurricaneFiona hit the island last month. The roads and homes were washed away by the flooding. About $3 billion in damages was estimated by officials, but that number could change over time. More than 100,000 customers on the island are still without power after the storm knocked out power for the entire island. Many communities are still without water.
Puerto Rico has never fully recovered from Hurricane Maria, which has added to the damage from the recent event. It was the second longest power outage in the world and the longest in U.S. history. Puerto Rico was vulnerable to the storm due to its poor energy infrastructure and high rates of poverty. Biden promised to support the island's people and local government for better climate resilience after acknowledging that Puerto Rico was not adequately helped in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.
During his visit after Hurricane Maria, former President Trump had a different tone to it. He told people waiting in line to have a good time after throwing paper towel rolls to those in need.
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