Jenniffer González announces approval of $2.5 Billion in flood control funding for Puerto Rico

Washington, D.C.- Puerto Rico's Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González Colón announced today the approval of the allotments of funds for her priority flood control projects in Puerto Rico presented to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, funded under the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (PL 115-123) adding up to $2,531,945,000 for 13 projects in and around the Island.

González Colón had requested from every mayor in Puerto Rico what were their needs for public works that would address flood risks, to be considered by the Corps of Engineers in assempling their priorities list. To this end the Congresswoman carried out meetings with the local leaders both in Puerto Rico and in the nation's capital as well as on site visits with USACE representative, to present the projects and their need.

The Resident Commissioner held a series of meetings with local, regional and national Corps of Engineers leaders including Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works R. D. James; Corps Commanding General LTG Todd Semonite; the Deputy Commanding General for Civil Works and Emergencies MG Donald E. "Ed" Jackson; Jacksonville Cistrict Commander Col. Jason A. Kirk and others. The last meeting on the matter of these projects was held on June 27th to discuss both these allocations and what others would be now before the agency and the congressional appropriators for future consideration.

In the course of this work she accompanied Corps officials and other federal agency leaders to inspect the project sites to evaluate the urgent need to protect citizens' lives and property.

"In this Island there are Corps flood control projects that have gone unfinished for years, which contributed in many cases to the flood damage we experienced, which could have been contained had there been the funding for full completion. Today I am happy that we could achieve the inclusion of full funding for critical projects in this multi-billion dollar investment. Our goal is to protect the citizens and make our communities more resilient in the face of natural disasters, and having this initial $2.5 Billion investment is also significant as a tool for economic recovery of these communities", González Colón stated.

"This is not over: getting the Island included in this funding allocation was a key step in enabling the Corps of Engineers to get these projects started in Puerto Rico. Now it's time to continue working with the municipalities and the federal agencies to see these brought to completion and to address those that are still pending in the next appropriations", the congresswoman added.

Under the appropriation for Long Term Construction Projects, out of $14 Billion appropriated nationwide, Puerto Rico will initially receive $2,505,345,000 .

"Finally we have achieved the appropriation of $500,000,000, the largest yet, for the Río de La Plata project in Toa Baja and Dorado. This investment will protect the lives and property of the community", according to González who visited the La Plata site with USACE to include it in the priorities letter.

"Río Grande de Arecibo was another priority for which we achieved an allocation of $82,892,000. For the flood control works Río Grande de Loiza, there will be $250,000,000 spent in the area of Caguas and Gurabo. For Río Guanajibo in Mayagüez, $60,000,000 were included pursuant to conversations with the Mayor of Mayagüez; there are also $60,000,000 for Rio Nigua in Salinas; and the largest of these allocations is the one for Río Puerto Nuevo in San Juan, a $1,552,453,000 project that has long awaited secure funding to protect the capital city's people. This one is very special for me, having started my career in elected office as state representativefor that district", she added.

Inder the heading of Long Term Projects Investigations, there were allocated 112 millones nationwide for risk and viability studies, of which Puerto Rico will participate with Florida and the Virign Islands in the Atlantic South Study that will receive $16,000,000; a Puerto Rico coastal storm risk study for $3,000,000; a $400,000 study for Río Culebrinas in en Aguada which the Resident Commissioner submitted to USACE; a $1,200,000 study for Río Grande de Manatí flod control project in Ciales, which she visited with the Deputy Secretary of HUD and the Corps representatives to evaluate the need; $3,000,000 for the Rio Guayanilla Flood Control study, addressed in numerous meetings with officials and the Mayor of Guayanilla; and a risks study in the San Juan Metro Area for $3,000,000.

Generally nationwide there were also $423 million allocated for coastal flood mitigation, under which will be covered work at the lower Río Grande de Manatí in the town of Barceloneta.

As mentioned this is only part of the various appropriations the Resident Commissioner was able to pass in Congress. There are still more such projects proposed and advocated by the Congresswoman, the mayors and the Governor fo Puerto Rico, being considered and evaluated.

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