Sustainable, Democratic Energy and Public Health

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Recovery & Resilience in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands
Find out more about the briefings in this series below:
June 2	Federal Support and Local Action
June 3	Resilient Housing and Communities
June 4	Sustainable, Democratic Energy and Public Health

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) held a series of one-hour online briefings about resilience initiatives in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands and their ongoing recovery from back-to-back natural disasters over the last several years. Every U.S. coast is facing climate adaptation challenges due to rising sea levels and other coastal hazards, but island economies are especially vulnerable. The Fourth National Climate Assessment points to the small size and relative isolation of the U.S. Caribbean islands (including Puerto Rico, Vieques, Culebra, St. Croix, St. Thomas, St. John, and Water Island), which means their “social, economic, and ecological systems are likely to be more sensitive to changes in temperature and precipitation than similar systems in the mainland United States.”

Day Three focused on local initiatives for energy democracy and public health, an ongoing effort. Ruth Santiago, community advocate and EarthJustice board member, discussed the campaign to remediate coal-ash sites and other harmful legacies of the island’s fossil fuel-based energy system and current efforts to upgrade the outdated and storm-damaged energy infrastructure. She also discussed the strength of Puerto Rico’s commitment to a renewable energy economy. Greg Guannel, Director of the Green Caribbean Center at the University of the Virgin Islands, discussed his work to update the U.S. Virgin Islands’ hazard mitigation plan for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, including strategies for resilient housing, infrastructure, natural systems for coastal protection, and a dedication to community involvement.

 

HIGHLIGHTS

 

Ruth Santiago, Community Advocate; Board Member, EarthJustice

• In September 2017, Hurricane Maria swept through Puerto Rico, causing widespread devastation of the island and its people. Puerto Rico’s electrical energy distribution system was significantly damaged.
• After the hurricane, some areas of the island were without power for up to 10 months. In these areas, the use of diesel-powered generators became popular. This led to the inhalation of toxic diesel fumes, shortages of fuel, and overall human suffering.
• The impacts of Hurricane Maria on Puerto Rico’s energy sector highlight the need for communities to be active participants in energy issues.
• The island has a legacy of coal-fired power plants and piles of coal-ash waste that continue to pose a health hazard.
• Currently, Puerto Rico mainly relies on imported natural gas for most of its power generation. Renewable energy, on the other hand, accounts for only 2.3-2.5 percent of energy generation.
• The Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA), the dominant energy provider in Puerto Rico, is calling for a 20-year plan for the island to rebuild the same electrical energy distribution system that was in place before Maria.
• PREPA is also recommending construction of new liquified natural gas (LNG) ports in Puerto Rico, as well as new methane gas infrastructure in both onshore and offshore locations. This action would protract the island’s reliance on natural gas, rather than redirect the territory towards renewable energy sources.
• Queremos Sol is proposing a different energy vision that relies on a combination of measures for energy efficiency, with solar power as the main source of energy. The organization believes that rooftop solar energy is technologically viable for Puerto Rico, aligns with the interest of Puerto Rican communities, benefits the local economy, and addresses issues of environmental justice, including jobs for former PREPA workers. Solar energy is also more cost effective than the plans proposed by PREPA.

 

Greg Guannel, Director, Caribbean Green Technology Center, University of the Virgin Islands

• In September 2017, Hurricane Maria hit the U.S. Virgin Islands. Just two weeks earlier, the islands had been struck by Hurricane Irma.
• The U.S. Virgin Islands are vulnerable to natural disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, droughts, and landslides, most of which are amplified by climate change. Storms, in particular, have been increasing in frequency and intensity since the 1970s.
• The U.S. Virgin Islands Hazard Mitigation and Resilience Plan outlines key strategies for recovery and risk reduction initiatives. Currently, this plan is being updated and is set to be released by the end of next year. It is a comprehensive perspective on how to tackle risk reduction in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
• While many hazard mitigation plans focus on physical infrastructure, energy, and transportation, the updated U.S. Virgin Islands Hazard Mitigation and Resilience Plan recognizes social infrastructure as equally vital for risk reduction.
• There are many people and communities that are vulnerable and suffering in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the plan aims to develop social infrastructure that can support people both before and after disasters.
• The U.S. Virgin Islands Hazard Mitigation and Resilience Plan is being developed with the knowledge that current land use practices on the islands create hazardous situations.
  • More than 45 percent of government, public safety, and public health facilities are in flood and tsunami zones; more than 40 percent of buildings are in extremely high wind zones; and all buildings are in earthquake zones. The plan promotes more strategic land use and building practices to reduce risk.
• The U.S. Virgin Islands Hazard Mitigation and Resilience Plan recognizes that loss of natural infrastructure is dangerous for the islands. Natural ecosystems are critical to the ecotourism industry that supports the island, and the loss of these systems greatly reduces the country’s economic resilience. Natural ecosystems are also key to mitigating the effects of natural disasters, and are a part of the cultural identity of the islands.
• The U.S. Virgin Islands Hazard Mitigation and Resilience Plan emphasizes that “resilience is what we do, not what we have,” meaning that constant maintenance of social and physical infrastructure is key to reducing risk. It is important to empower people with the knowledge of how to prevent degradation of infrastructure so that they can continue to rely on these systems during and after natural disasters.

 

Q&A Session:

 

Can you talk about federal energy policies and how Congress can help Puerto Rico utilize more indigenous resources?

Santiago: Puerto Rico does not have any fossil fuels, but it does have an abundance of sun. The U.S. Department of Energy commissioned a study through the University of Puerto Rico that recommends that the Puerto Rico electrical system be developed primarily with rooftop solar installations. I hope that Congress will implement policies and programs that would allow Puerto Rico to follow this recommendation. These recommendations are incorporated into Queremos Sol’s energy-democracy proposal, along with requests for better energy storage systems, energy efficiency programs, and energy education, with the vision of “prosumers” who are both producers and consumers of energy.

 

What is the potential and what are the barriers for wind energy technology in Puerto Rico?

Santiago: The potential for wind energy is nowhere near the potential for solar energy in Puerto Rico. The east coast of the island has some potential for wind energy, and there was a wind farm there. But it was taken out by Hurricane Maria and has not been rebuilt. On-site solar energy is a better option because the utility scale of wind energy projects requires a lot of investment in transmission infrastructure. It makes more sense to use the rooftops of the many existing homes and buildings to generate power on-site directly from the sun.

 

You discussed the value of natural infrastructure in the U.S. Virgin Islands and how natural systems are under threat. Are there projects to restore natural systems that are eligible for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) funding?

Guannel: There are a few projects that have been submitted relating to restoring mangroves and wetlands, and others that relate to replenishing aquifers. With our plan, we are trying to find better ways to articulate why we are doing some of this restoration. The U.S. Virgin Islands do not have an abundance of natural systems that would make enough of a difference in a hurricane (for example, large stands of mangroves), but there are other benefits to these systems, such as stormwater filtration and retention, and fisheries. We are trying to create a comprehensive view of the benefits of protecting natural systems. This is why outreach and education on these issues is so important.

 

You discussed the many benefits of natural systems. Do you have the right cost-benefit analysis tools to show the value of these systems?

Guannel: In terms of tools, we have a long way to go in analyzing wave and storm surge reduction technology, but for groundwater recharge and temperature reduction there are more resources. In general, we are getting there, but we need the right policies to include natural infrastructure in the discussion. There is always an emphasis on built infrastructure. There is always a drive to start construction after a disaster. At the same time, however, if we do not protect land for ecotourism, then we cannot rebound from disasters. If we continue to build this way and we lose these natural systems, then we will lose ecosystem services and become dependent on infrastructure.

 

You said that the U.S. Virgin Islands Hazard Mitigation Plan is needed in order to be eligible for funding under FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, but you also said the plan would not be ready until the end of next year. Does that mean the U.S. Virgin Islands will not be able to apply to BRIC until then?

Guannel: No, I should clarify: Hazard Mitigation Plans in general make states and territories eligible for BRIC funding. We do have a current plan in place allowing us to access funding now, and we are updating it. The updated version will be turned in next year.

 

As we are on the fourth day of hurricane season, could you share a few thoughts on how the work you do has better prepared communities to make it through hurricane season? How have resilience efforts better prepared you for this year’s hurricane season?

Santiago: In Puerto Rico, a lot of organizations have community hubs for resilience that work in every essential aspect of life to make communities better able to withstand and recover from disasters. These centers include community centers, hospitals, and schools. There is some reconstruction work on housing units on a community mutual aid basis, as well as rooftop solar and water filtration installation. There have been communication improvements as well.

Guannel: There is a fair amount of anxiety in communities—the hurricanes were very traumatic. However, there is also a growing sense of confidence. The government is helping, and there are stronger ties within the community; people know that we can rely on each other, which is extremely important. Sometimes I think it is more important than having power on a 24-hour basis. There is also an appreciation for the benefits that nature provides us. For strong communities, we are building resilience at the household level and from around us.

 

Highlights compiled by Maeve Arthur