Vice President Kamala Harris (D) announced that the United States Department of Commerce has recommended $34.4 million for projects across Puerto Rico to make communities and the economy more resilient to climate change as part of the Investing in America agenda. Across Puerto Rico, eight projects will create jobs and boost economic and environmental outcomes for coastal communities.
Hurricane Maria in 2017 devastated several mangrove ecosystems in Puerto Rico, leading ecologists to start restoration efforts. Mangroves provide myriad benefits: storm protection, carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation and pollution filtering, among others.
In 2017, Hurricane Maria, a Category 5 storm, struck Puerto Rico. The hurricane dried up four basin mangrove forests in the island’s northeast, leaving behind an urgent need for restoration, according to Robert J. Mayer, a biology professor at the University of Puerto Rico at Aguadilla. “Not having these ecosystems exposes communities and primary infrastructure […]