Joe Biden announces $60 million in aid for Puerto Rico

• President Biden announces economic aid for Puerto Rico.
• More than $60 million will be sent to help mitigate hurricane damage.
• This comes after Hurricane Fiona.

US President Joe Biden, announced during his visit to Puerto Rico this Monday, more than $60 million for aid projects to mitigate flooding in the event of hurricanes on the island, according to ithe EFE news agency and El Universal.

These funds, granted through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, are intended to secure levees and strengthen walls against flooding in Puerto Rico, according to a White House official. This comes after the passage of Hurricane Fiona which left a lot of damage.

WHAT WILL THEY DO WITH THE MONEY?

They also seek to create a new flood warning system to help Puerto Rico prepare for future storms, after Hurricane Fiona left large areas flooded on September 18. Many people had damage to their property and homes.

President Joe Biden, in his first official visit as president to Puerto Rico, also announced a new effort by the US Government, led by the Department of Energy, to make Puerto Rico’s energy grid safer and more resistant to this type of natural phenomenon.

WHAT DAMAGE DID FIONA LEAVE?

Fiona damaged more than half of the transmission lines and distribution feeders, causing a general blackout on the island, where nearly 10% of the population is still without power two weeks after the hurricane. The president arrived at the Mercedita international airport in the southern city of Ponce at 2:00 p.m. local time (6:00 p.m. GMT).

He will be informed of the damage caused by Fiona and will visit the Centro Sor Isolina Ferré Aguayo school. Accompanied by the first lady Jill Biden, he will meet there with families and community leaders affected by Hurricane Fiona, which has caused at least 25 deaths. Filed Under: Joe Biden Puerto Rico

 COMMUNITY SERVICE

In Ponce, they will participate in a community service project to package food and essentials and thank federal and local officials who have assisted in recovery and rebuilding efforts. The president will also receive an update on recovery efforts on the island, which, when Fiona hit, was still in the process of rebuilding from the damage caused by Hurricane Maria five years ago.

The administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Deanne Criswell, will accompany the President and First Lady on this trip. Since he took office, Biden has made it a priority to support Puerto Rico’s long-term recovery and increase the island’s ability to withstand future storms, the White House official said. Filed Under: Joe Biden Puerto Rico

WHAT DID HE DO LAST FEBRUARY?

Last February, the Biden-Harris administration released $1.3 billion so Puerto Rico can protect itself against future climate disasters and removed certain restrictions that restricted the island’s ability to access nearly $5 billion in additional funds for recovery and reconstruction.

The damage caused by Hurricane Fiona a few days ago has not yet been quantified, although the governor of the island of Puerto Rico, Pedro Pierluisi, described it as «catastrophic», requesting the declaration of a major disaster from the US president, who approved the same. Filed Under: Joe Biden Puerto Rico