Regional clean-water funding includes Puerto Rico — a NAPREC perspective
EPA announced a regional Clean Water State Revolving Fund allocation supporting wastewater and stormwater upgrades, including Puerto Rico. Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.
Senate introduces the 2023 nutrition-assistance fairness bill — a NAPREC perspective
S. 949 proposed moving Puerto Rico into SNAP and was referred to the Senate Agriculture Committee. It formed a Senate counterpart to efforts to change the island’s nutrition assistance structure. Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.
EPA orders wetlands restoration in Rincón — a NAPREC perspective
EPA announced enforcement over unpermitted wetland fill and ordered its removal, with natural regeneration using native vegetation. Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.
Climate-health research includes Puerto Rico — a NAPREC perspective
EPA’s research funding announcement included Puerto Rico work on drought and rural communities operating their own drinking-water systems. Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.
Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund launches — a NAPREC perspective
DOE launched a $1 billion fund to strengthen Puerto Rico’s energy resilience, with attention to vulnerable residents. The fund was established using fiscal 2023 appropriations and consultation with local communities and federal partners. Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.
Senate confirms Gina Méndez-Miró to the federal district court — a NAPREC perspective
The U.S. Senate confirmed Gina Méndez-Miró as a district judge for Puerto Rico by 54–45. The official roll call records a concrete federal judicial appointment affecting the territory. Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.
Emerging-contaminant funding announced — a NAPREC perspective
EPA announced more than $18.9 million for Puerto Rico to address emerging drinking-water contaminants in small or disadvantaged communities. Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.
Bipartisan bill proposes a Caribbean counternarcotics strategy — a NAPREC perspective
Senators and territorial representatives introduced a bill seeking a formal Caribbean counternarcotics strategy. The proposal focused on trafficking affecting Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Florida. Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.
New Congress opens with a Puerto Rico SNAP proposal — a NAPREC perspective
Representative Jenniffer González-Colón introduced H.R. 253 to transition Puerto Rico to SNAP. Its referral to the Agriculture Committee began another legislative effort to address nutrition-program disparities. Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.
Updated classifications describe urban and rural Puerto Rico — a NAPREC perspective
The Census Bureau released urban and rural classifications based on 2020 data and updated criteria. Its corrected release identified 91.9% of Puerto Rico’s population as urban and 8.1% as rural. Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.
Census estimates continued population losses in 2022 — a NAPREC perspective
The Census Bureau estimated Puerto Rico’s 2022 population at 3,221,789, down 1.3% from the previous year. The release attributed the decline to net migration losses and more deaths than births. Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.
House passes H.R. 8393 by 233–191 — a NAPREC perspective
The House approved the Puerto Rico Status Act by 233 votes to 191. The roll call records a major milestone for a federal status process. A House vote alone does not make a bill law or admit a new state. Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.
EPA responds to Puerto Rico environmental-justice concerns — a NAPREC perspective
EPA announced initial actions following community visits, addressing pollution concerns and assistance for community-run drinking-water systems. Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.
Federal grid-recovery team outlines coordination goals — a NAPREC perspective
In remarks in San Juan, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm described the federal grid-modernization and recovery team’s coordination role after Hurricane Fiona. The remarks addressed delays in using previously authorized recovery funds. Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.
Clean-school-bus rebates reach Puerto Rico — a NAPREC perspective
EPA announced nearly $10 million in rebates for Puerto Rico’s Department of Education to purchase more than 25 cleaner school buses. Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.
USDA outlines recovery help for farms after Fiona — a NAPREC perspective
USDA publicized financial and technical assistance for Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands producers affected by Hurricane Fiona. The announcement covered recovery options for crop, livestock, land, and infrastructure losses. Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.
President visits Puerto Rico after Hurricane Fiona — a NAPREC perspective
PBS’s October 3 broadcast covered President Biden surveying Hurricane Fiona’s damage in Puerto Rico. The visit brought federal attention to the island’s immediate recovery needs after flooding and widespread outages. Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.
Guaynabo petroleum facility settlement announced — a NAPREC perspective
EPA announced a settlement requiring approximately $1.3 million in compliance measures at a Guaynabo petroleum-storage facility, plus a civil penalty. Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.
Watershed assistance announced after Hurricane Fiona — a NAPREC perspective
NRCS announced emergency watershed assistance for Puerto Rico agencies and municipalities after Fiona. Eligible work included reducing immediate threats from damaged waterways and related erosion and flood hazards. Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.
Hurricane Fiona makes landfall amid a widespread blackout — a NAPREC perspective
Hurricane Fiona struck Puerto Rico’s southwest coast, bringing flooding and landslides as power failed across the island. The disaster interrupted an already unfinished recovery from earlier storms. Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.