Understand its both federal, commonwealth, and municipality permitting at all levels that needs to be expedited for any private Sector Investment to become a quick recovery. Do you think thats needed . My view is that Economic Growth and fast tracking projects is not inconsistent with being good stewards of the environment. And we have a very robust patriots sess within title 5 within the working group we have set with the government to assure that we the residents f puerto rico let me follow up with you. The i see an example of why title 5 in this instance doesnt work. Mr. Grijalva Public Comments about the project are overwhelming in opposition. Its opposed by both mayors groups, representing all the mayors on the island. It was stalled in part because it couldnt get a permit to drain 2. 1 million gallons from a protected wetland. Farm earns residents are concerned about the effects on their health. That it could undermine recycling programs that are in place. It flooded during the hurricane. We have a before and after situation. Thats up on the screen. And released some of the hundreds of tons of toxic ash it could release in the future into surrounding neighborhoods. It requires a major loan from the federal government to go forward even though its fully privately funded. 67 megawatts of power. Is that what we can expect in terms of title 5 critical projects . There are many voice that is obviously in a democratic process voice their concerns with such a project. There are equal number of voices on a positive side. We dont look at this project necessarily as even a power project. It is really a Waste Management project. Fork fork has a critical, especially a crisis, in Waste Management and land phil use that has been identified by the e. P. A. That is why the e. P. A. Has been supportive of this program. I currently live in massachusetts and we have a plan mr. Grijalva the process in place right now are to assess risk factors. Untitle 5 we waive the process of risk factoring, how would you contemplate assessing risks . This process submitted through title 5 it came with its permitting in place. Mr. Bishop mr. Lamborn. Mr. Lamborn thank you, mr. Chairman. Thank you for having this important hearing. I appreciate your commitment to making puerto rico more successful. No one should question your commitment toe that to that. I share your disappointment all the invited witnesses were not here today. Mr. Zamota, i would like to ask you questions about Electricity Generation. I know you are provisional so far. Hopefully can you help us on these questions. Is it safe in assuming pretty much 100 of the electricity generated in puerto rico today oil . Om burning field 96 . There is approximately 4 that is renewables in puerto rico right now. Mr. Lamborn fuel oil is very expensive and very dirty. That is correct. Mr. Lamborn i like the plan. Think you said by 2040 50 renewables, 50 natural gas through liquefied form. Have you identified investors who are willing to make that Huge Investment in l. N. G. Terminal . There are a number of i vestors bullish on puerto ricos longterm prosects specs. We in the world and specifically my roll as coordinator, we receive a lot of proposals, a lot of questions about how people can bring Innovative CapitalSolutions Using private capital to benefit the recop strucks of the grid and the people of puerto rico. Mr. Lamborn i would urge you to keep pushing in that direction because i dont think nuclear or coal will be a solution. Renewables are great. To provide that much elech terrorist knit that short of time sun realistic. I welcome the discussion about l and n. L and g. Another issue, and the jones act. I want to commend one of our representatives who is here today, representative velazquez, for speaking out on this issue. I think its a problem for puerto rico. Id like to find a solution to the jones act problem in general, but does that affect l. N. G. Imports . In general were looking at a fuel mix that is real really provides a predictable cost curve in the out years for that fuel. We believe a proper gas mix in conjunction which renewables offers that opportunity for puerto rico. Our goal right now is to get that price at the meter below a certain point to drive increased demand. And that is going to act as an engine of Economic Growth. Mr. Lamborn would the jones act kind of play toward a liquefied natural gas imports . It can be a real restriction on shipping . Without going into specifics. We believe any measures that the Congress Takes to ensure that the cost of shipping fuels to puerto rico is reduced is a positive step towards rebuilding the economy. Mr. Lamborn i, for one, would be willing to look at that. I think we should look at that. Congress should look at that. Maybe just a very narrow exception to the jones act possibly. Just as we need to look at environmental regulation waivers. Everyones not going to be happy about either one of those things, but if we want to see puerto rico succeed and thrive, as the chairman was saying, i think those are the kinds of hard decisions we have to be willing to make. The last thipping i want to ask you about is, 800 million project and the Ranking Member referred to it, burning waste to create electricity. Is it my understanding that would be privately funded and would not need government subsidies of any kind . That is correct. Privately funded, some of the capital structure includes some federal loans, but there is no money from puerto rico and it relies on relatively new technology that is really respectful of the missions. Mr. Lamborn thank you for your great answers. If you want to weigh in on some of the things, please do so in the last 45 seconds. I wish to support your effort to relook at the jones act as the Congressional Task force has already outlined. It is an additional cost for the island. Maynard . N mr. I think some changes have to be made. Amendments to the jones law and a other laws as far as the recovery of puerto rico. Mr. Lamborn mr. Lamborn thank you. I appreciate what youre doing here. Mr. Chair, i yield back. Mr. Bishop mrs. Napolitano. Mrs. Napolitano this is duck tailing on the Ranking Members questions that the incinerator will be built in an area in an area previously contaminated by a Battery Recycling plant and it was flooded during the hurricanes. Has the area been tested for lead, arsenic and or contaminants . Mr. Zamot i dont have details on what work has been accomplished to date but we do know that the company that is planning that work has done extensive mitigation prework. Mrs. Napolitano how long has the plant been there that it has not been tested . Mr. Zamot maam, i dont have that information. Mrs. Napolitano would you mind sending the answers to this committee so we can understand that . How does the energy at the plant to prevent their landfill from being flooded by future hurricanes . Mr. Zamot maam, could you repeat the question . Mrs. Napolitano how do you prevent landfill from being flooded by hurricanes . Mr. Zamot that is an engineering question that i am not prepared to answer right now. I imagine that has been looked at in the permitting that the company has received to date. Mrs. Napolitano how and when does the company plan to bury the toxic ashes generated by the incinerator . Mr. Zamot that is being currently discussed with the current puerto rico administration. Mrs. Napolitano how many puerto rico municipalities refuse to send trash in the incinerator . Mr. Zamot the question to that is many because that represents a threat to current Waste Management in puerto rico which the e. P. A. Has identified as a critical need to address. Mrs. Napolitano how many hospitals in poik has seen their power restored puerto rico has seen their power restored . How many hospitals have seen their power restored . Mr. Zamot in puerto rico, maam, i dont know the answer to that but thats not a lot right now. I think we still have several hospitals that are operating on generator power. Mrs. Napolitano you mentioned the mayor mentioned the percentage is 75 to 80 without restored power. How much longer do you think its going to take . Mr. Zamot maam, we really dont have an answer to that question. If confirmed by the courts, i plan to work closely with the corps of engineers, with fema, and our assets on the ground. Mrs. Napolitano do you have an estimate . Mr. Zamot we dont have an estimate. Mrs. Napolitano and the question i have is the additional wave of people of people going to the states. Is the Oversight Board taking this into consideration . Ms. Jaresko yes, madam, of course. One of the efforts in the fiscal Plan Development is to create an environment where people will be able to stay, receive the social support they need as families, whether thats a proper education, access to health care or living conditions. And so every effort is being made in the fiscal plan to ensure that the environment is such that people wish to stay at home and have the ability to stay at home as well as businesses staying to generate jobs. Mrs. Napolitano but so far they havent been because they dont have power. Ms. Jaresko well, that certainly is the absolute number one critical problem for both people and businesses today. Mrs. Napolitano then another question has to do with the documented deaths. What assistance has the federal government providing puerto rico mayors to provide a more accurate count . Of the deaths . Mayor otero for example, in guaynabo we dont have any deaths but the government is the one giving the numbers. Right now there were over 50 deaths. Not during the hurricane. After the hurricane now its over 50. Mrs. Napolitano but the mayors have been reporting them . Mayor otero yeah, yeah. The mayors have been reporting them. But through the hospitals and science. Rensic mrs. Napolitano also, there re reports that residents have drank toxic water. Have Water Testing begun . Ms. Jaresko i apologize. Thats not information we have access to. Mrs. Napolitano why not . You are the mayors. Ms. Jaresko no. I am the head of the Oversight Board. Mrs. Napolitano but its important for us to know all these answers. Thank you, mr. Chair. Mr. Bishop mr. Wittman. And congratulations for being a voter. Mr. Wittman thank you, mr. Chairman. Id like to thank our witnesses for joining us today and please express to the people of puerto rico our thoughts and prayers. I know its a very challenging. We appreciate what youre doing here today to give us a perspective. Mr. Zamot, you laid out the framework on where you see things going with the restoration of power. There are two elements of that short term and long term. Give us a perspective because there are areas that are existing on generator power with intermittent fuel there, sometimes theyre up and down. Give us a perspective on your estimation there . And also the longer term. We know theres Capacity Generation and generation plants and electrical Distribution System. We know before it was antiquated. Give us your perspective why is the generation capacity . Is that relyable and up to speed now . Is it just a matter of modernizing and building the Distribution System . So if you can give me those two layers . Where are we giving that interim to get that distribution built . And where is the time frame where you think the Distribution System is and when they will be built and become functional . Mr. Zamot thank you, sir. Your first question. The corps of engineers and fema are doing the Damage Assessment right now. That will be accomplished we expect in the next two weeks. I can broadly tell you that the big issue right now is distribution took a massive hit on the island. We know transmission lines were affected. Some of the long haul transmission lines, three had significant damage. The real issue is on a very, very vast distribution network. So what were finding is the last mile problem is pretty significant. Actually getting folks power from community substations and the like. As far as your second question, what about generation . One of the issues we have in puerto rico is historically we had generation in the southwest but demand is predominantly in the northeast. We have a mismatch between where the generation is and where the population is. New Technology Allows us to actually do that in a better way while being respectful of the environment, noise. Those are solutions we are seeking with fema, the department of energy and private capital. Mr. Wittman in your estimation, how long do you think that will occur . Generation capacity, distribution capacity, in your best judgment . I understand in in your professional judgment, how long do you think that would be . And give us an idea of the phasing of that. Obviously it will be built in phases. Generation and distribution. Mr. Zamot sir, it would be difficult for me to give you a date. I will tell you this. Its absolutely critical of incorporating nearterm recovery activities with a longterm plan. What we need to do is essentially start, not just bringing some of the distribution and wires up to code which would be an improvement in puerto rico but now start making the tradeoffs, the costbenefit analysis and tactical situations. Ill give you a quick example. The hurricane coming from the southeast has a big transmission line going to the north. It is possible that repairing that transmission line will actually be costlier than actually having generation built close to that town and the metro area and those are decisions we would seek. Mr. Wittman timeliness is key here to get that system back up as quickly as we can. Obviously its food, water, shelter, electricity is part of the shelter element there so the timeliness of there is key. I think making sure theres an emphasis there and the urgency of what needs to happen with this and maybe like happens in the military realm, you can preposition some of that stuff. It seems to me you could buy supplies beforehand. Power poles are something we need. Wires. Can you prepurchase that and get to the island and when youre ready to go you dont have to wait for mobilization . Mr. Zamot thats a longterm fix. We need a better approach to repairing the island. Its not building and technology. Its also preparation to make sure we quickly recover from these types of events. Mr. Wittman mayor otero, having been in your shoes, i know thats where the rubber hits the road. Give me your perspective. What do we need to do here to help the citizens of puerto rico get back to the basic elements of food, water, shelter as quickly as we can . Mayor otero first of all, we have both problems. Generation. For example, in gawnaba, you have a lot of places ready but now we dont have generation. So if generation comes to the metropolitan area we will have 10 , 15 , 20 of our families in their places. As i told you, there is a cap in fema. Theres some laws that have to be amended for the health, for the families and they could go back to their homes. But if we keep on putting patches, we are going to be here next week as i told you or next year because we are in the caribbean. So we need to do permanent things over there in puerto rico. Mr. Wittman thank you. Mr. Bishop ms. Bordallo. Ms. Bordallo thank you very much, mr. Chairman. Mr. Sdemram ott, my questions are for you first. I want to thank you for your service as an air force officer. Many territories like puerto rico and guam given limited resources on the island are forced to make do with outdated infrastructure and legacy systems including substandard electric griz, transmission lines and power plants grids, transmission lines and power plants. Mr. Zamot, can you speak to the challenges this presents . Where are you today that you werent right directly after the hurricane . Are you, say, 5 better, 10 better . Mr. Zamot maam, it would be very difficult to answer that question. I think there is incremental improvement as far as understanding the magnitude of the damage. Ill give you an example. Initial reports were that the transmission sector of the grid actually took greater damage distribution. We are now, based on the very hard work of fema and corps of engineers, the distribution side, especially the last mile, was really where the ms. Bordallo so power is the top essential. Another question i have. This has to do with rebuilding better and hardening our infrastructure for natural resources. I think my colleagues have mentioned that. All u. S. Territories are prone to hurricanes, typhoons and cyclones. Guam is certainly no stranger. We have going through typhoons at 200 miles per hour. Now, when rebuilding after natural disasters, we must always seek to rebuild better. Thats what happened on guam. We dont have people now in shelters after typhoons. We call typhoons a blessing because we build better. No longer in wood and tin roof but we build in concrete. So can you give me some idea . Is fema giving funds to rebuild as was or are they are you going to be able to seek funds to build better so you can have concreed structures . Sdoim maam, the second case mr. Zamot maam, the second case. So we have a situation where were rebuilding to code under category b of the stafford act. We are working closely with fema, the department of energy and other agencies to make sure we can use a variety of public assistance grants to actually build resiliency into the system when we build it better. So it is clear thats going to be a mix of federal and private funding at some point. We are working on a Transformation Plan to do exactly that right now. We have a meeting with our team this week and we hope to have the initial Transformation Plan by middle of december. Ms. Bordallo and this is not just for san juan but for other outlying districts . Mr. Zamot yes, maam. Its actually a wholesale reimagining, if you will, of the grid. Number of best practices we have from industry tied in with the Puerto Rico Energy strategy which has already been developed. At least as of two weeks ago with the government with the governor sent as his priorities for rebuilding. Ms. Bordallo thank you. Im glad to hear that. Can you give me an estimate how many people have left puerto rico and are now