President of the United States Joe Biden will be giving an additional fund worth $60 million to rehabilitate of Puerto Rico caused by Hurricane Fiona last month. The speech was done in the city of Ponce, as revealed by a report from Gizmodo.
The president also funded the country for the recovery from the hurricanes named Irma and Maria, but the additional fund's purpose is to "rebuild it all," as per Biden. He also stated that the purpose of his visit is to show Puerto Ricans that all of America is with them, as reported by Fox News.
He added, "Rebuild it in a resilient way so you don't-when the storms come again, which they will, they're not having the damage they caused before." He encouraged the attendees by describing the country as a vital place with strong people.
Hurricane Fiona's Effect
The damages of the hurricane that happened to the island last month were severe as homes, vehicles, and roads were destroyed because of the strong rainstorms and flash floods. As per Associated Press, the officials estimated that almost $3 billion worth of infrastructure was damaged by the hurricane.
Aside from the damages, some parts of the country still experience power and water outages as of the moment affecting almost 100,000 Puerto Ricans. The damage that the latest hurricane has done to the country has been amplified as Puerto Rico is still recovering from Hurricane Maria and Hurricane Irma.
Puerto Rican Grid Recovery and Modernization
Aside from the funding, the president also announced the team for Puerto Rican Grid Recovery and Modernization which will be headed by Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm. This team will be working on repairing the island and will start the full transition to renewable energy.
Based on the United States Energy Information Administration, the majority of the island's power comes from petroleum, natural gas, and its single coal-fired powerplant. Meanwhile, only 3% comes from renewable sources.
One of the president's goals for the United States is to achieve 100% carbon pollution-free power by 2035. Adding to this is the net-zero emission across the economy of the country by 2050.
By looking at the plans of the president for his nation, the decision of developing a Puerto Rican Grid Recovery and Modernization team is not surprising. At the end of his speech, Biden promises the Puerto Ricans to continue his support for better climate resilience.
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Written by Inno Flores
