[inaudible conversations] thank you. The committee will come to order. The committee is meeting to receive testimony of the status of puerto ricos construction and recovery after recent Natural Disasters. Beginning with of the hurricane in 2017, a series of earthquakes that occurred and that just this past september for any Opening Statements and the ranking minority member over their designees this will allow us to better hear from our witnesses sooner and help members keep to their schedules. Therefore i ask unanimous consent all of their members Opening Statements be made a part of the hearing record and submitted by 5 p. M. Today or whichever comes first. Hearing no objection, so ordered. The chair may also declare a recess subject to the call of the chair and without objection, the member from new york is authorized to question the witnesses in todays hearings. After permanent members have had that opportunity. As described in the statements, documents or motions submitted and h nrc, members physically present should provide a hard copy to distribute by email. Members are responsible for their own microphones and members may be muted by staff to avoid inadvertent background noise and finally, members or witnesses experiencing technical problems. I now want to recognize the vice Ranking Member, the vice chair if he has any Opening Statements. Hearing none the, let me turn to the vice Ranking Member of the committee. Thank you, mr. Chairman. I appreciate the committee doing the hearing and actually taking the time to the update. I think its important what we are doing today. I think puerto rico has faced many [inaudible] i think we are having some technical problems. We are not able to hear the commissioner. Can you hear me now . Now i can. Many because of the heroes and for example we are talking about the money coming from hud to do an update that is one of the main issue was we are facing because in the situation sometimes [inaudible] with a lack of maintenance during all those years and may require doing an upgrade and that means not just equipment updated by decades but also in terms of the administrations and counsel. One of the issues for the local Companies Since 2017 have not only [inaudible] many of them saw firsthand what was going on. After fiona, a few members of congress as well saw what happened but the results of been slow. The first were announced only lead 2020. Getting the money out is a situation where one third have been dispersed. Why is that, i think the government officials can get that money out. With that i will yield back. Let me recognize you for any Opening Statement or comment that you may have. Thank you and i think everybody for being here today and i do look forward to continue work to ensure that puerto rico has a stable footing and also look forward to the day when we are all in person back in the hearing room again and we are not doing remote testimony or voting. As we see again the trouble that we often face with technology. I believe that obtaining Financial Stability and repairing infrastructure and ensuring access to affordable and Reliable Energy for the residents of puerto rico set the island on a solid and prosperous path forward. I appreciate the ongoing and tireless work here in congress on behalf of the residents of puerto rico. Devastatingly, landfall september 201st, 2022 crossing the Southwest Corner of the island it brought 85 miles per 85mile perhour winds and heavyn the island. Almost unimaginable rainfall. Totaling 32 inches and 72 near the southern coastal city. If we can figure out how to move that from puerto rico to california, that would solve a lot of our problems but we dont have a lot of that technology yet. The storm with the already fragile grid that have been passed but never repaired or upgraded in 2017. Early october and i traveled with of the resident commissioner to puerto rico and met with the governor that im glad to see here today. To learn about the Recovery Efforts underway and to assist damages in several municipalities firsthand. It was reassuring the amount of progress that had been made and less than three weeks after fiona made landfall but to restore the critical infrastructure, homes and communities after the devastating storm and flooding. Federal agencies need to continue working with the puerto rico government and municipalities to recover from the Natural Disasters that have impacted puerto rico. We should strive to increase the resiliency of the islands so that when the future Natural Disasters quicker recoveries and less damage. The Power Authority has been plagued for decades with issues leading to inefficiencies of operations. For the electricity transmission and distribution system. Thereve been several challenges and we need to Work Together to ensure a grid that provides affordable and reliable electricity to the people of puerto rico. As i said before i support and all of the approach. In any way that we can i yield back. Let me recognize myself i want to begin by thanking my colleagues for taking the time to join us for this whole Committee Oversight hearing in the postdisaster reconstruction and power grid development. In the last five years puerto rico has been affected one after another and the litany is there and everybody is aware of the latest being september 2022. The to the compounding effects of Climate Change especially the increase in the frequency and the intensity of hurricanes storms. In puerto rico we will also discuss the legislative proposal designed to provide. We will hear from local government officials although the administrator was unable to join us today i want to thank the Biden Administration for its Rapid Actions to ensure the resources it needs to recover from previous Natural Disasters. After Hurricane Maria, the impacts congress appropriated a disaster for the territory but the reconstruction process moved slowly, very slowly. For almost three years the Previous Administration was giving dollars for projects on the island. Further although they provided significant support the agencys response to the structural issues including the territories financial situation. The Community Organizations and small businesses. In june, 2021 the energy grid was transferred from the Power Authority to private operator which was tasked with rebuilding the grid and since then puerto rico has been, has not seen an improvement in the frequency in their duration. The local government was conducting oversight to operate, maintain and modernize the electric grid. Additional accountability is necessary. The residents of puerto rico deserve a Reliable Electric Service to increase the resilience of the government of puerto rico has significant infrastructure investments. This includes prioritizing projects to modernize the grid to a more reliable system for residents thats decentralized and less reliant on fossil fuels. They dont have the funding to go it alone and at the federal disaster that had been appropriated is so far did not provide the resiliency to the most vulnerable populations. Im seeking to include in the post emergency supplement 5 billion for the department of energy to provide the storing systems for low income households and households with people with disabilities. I want to thank the secretary granholm for supporting the proposal and amidst the blackouts caused by the hurricane the preliminary study from the lab of Renewable Energy found the high exposure four times the amount of energy that it needs for solar power. Now i want to welcome all the witnesses. Thank you for joining us today. We welcome your insight and recommendations. Now i will turn but first let me remind all the witnesses the fiveminute rule will be more aggressively monitored. We have a lot of witnesses and its a voting day. Going back to the districts of their homes and so in order to maintain as much participation by members. I hope everybody sticks to that rule and i would remind members as we go forward. Now let me introduce the witness. Sir, thank you so much for the time to be here and you are recognized for five minutes. Thank you for holding this hearing about the recovery of puerto rico. Im pleased to report they are emerging from a challenging period with strength and optimism evidenced by the islands economics as the economy recovers we are working to ensure the Energy System is reliable and resilient in seeking fair treatment in medicare as well as congress and the Biden Administration have committed to significant resources to the islands recovery after the 2017 hurricanes, the subsequent earthquakes, the pandemic and the most recent hurricane. As of today, 70 . Out of 12,000 eligible families, more than a 60 families have had their homes rebuilt or received housing vouchers. In addition over 2300 residences were under construction or preconstruction. Fema has obligated over 91 of the funding allocated for emergency work projects at almost 20 has already been dispersed. We now have 2,132 projects under construction for a total cost of 800 million and over 1600 1600projects over 1. 4 billion e in the permitting process and should Start Construction soon. The electric system is one of the highest priorities. We are committed to moving away from fossil fuels towards Renewable Energy and converting the fragile and integrated grid into a resilient and interdependent one that consists of the businesses without reconstructions underway. With multiple substations repaired, thousands of streetlights were replaced and solar customers connected. Also, 90 Energy Products are in the design plays, 51 have been approved, 40 projects under construction. 1000 mw and utility projects including 200 megawatt Battery Storage are in design and construction and about to finish a process for additional Renewable Energy project that will generate 1000 mw and Battery Storage. In addition, we are installing solar and Battery Systems in all homes rebuilt under the are 3 program and al located 500 million of funding for assisting low income households in acquiring solar panels and batteries. Moreover work has begun to deploy 1. 3 billion in dr funds for microgrids and Energy Storage systems and remote communities and First Response agencies. However given Hurricane Fionas recent impact on porto rico our electric system has suffered additional damage. After i requested Emergency Assistance to stabilize our power system, fema agreed to provide resources to assist puerto rico in its Power Generation capacity and improving transmission and distribution of energy, the plan proposes to install temporary generation, highcapacity generators and to perform shortterm repair work in our generation plants and electric grids. This will allow puerto rico to concentrate all efforts on advancing the transformation and modernization of its electric system while our people have stable service. I ask this committee and congress, providing 100 match for Energy Related fema projects, giving authorization to fema to adjust estimates of approved projects given the recent increasing cost of Construction Materials and supplychain disruptions, the stafford act to authorize fema to consolidate a single award of federal assistance, with other members of congress to out locate 5 billion in directed funding for residential solar Energy Systems on the island. Finally i must remind this congress that even after the successful restructuring, puerto rico will remain integral to our century long status question as a result, the people of puerto rico voted and show statehood, congress should call for a vote on the political future of puerto rico and commit to implement in the will of the majority. After all, that is what democracy is all about. I thank you for favorably reporting hr 8393 out of this committee and urge congress to approve it, thank you. I will pass it to myself at this point and ask the Ranking Member if he has any questions for the governor. Thank you, mister chairman and thank you, governor, for being here for your testimony. We know both Electricity Generation and transmission distribution were affected by Hurricane Fiona, the wind and rain knockdown powerlines, supply lines were interrupted as we noted when we were in puerto rico. Based on the information that you have, was the power loss primarily the result of downed powerlines or lack of Electricity Generation or some combination of the two . Where would you say the most emphasis is to be placed . It is a combination of the two. Luma estimated the damage to transmission and distribution grid could amount up to 4 billion but at a minimum it will be 2 to 3 billion for repairs that need to be done. You are talking about mostly lines failing, falling polls that need to be replaced, switches, breakers, transformers damaged, among other damage. In the case of generation, some of the generating unit suffered damage because of the excess humidity they were exposed to and i understand the amount of the damage, involves a number luma estimated for repair of the distribution grid but it is substantial. Fema at my request came to puerto rico after fiona and made an assessment with the corps of engineers and epa. They visited us, 35 facilities, substations, critical substations and they confirmed, 2 weeks ago they gave me a report with pictures and everything, the damage about had taken place and fema has agreed to come in and assist in increasing Power Generation for period of time which could range between one year, and a year and 1 2. This is important because right now because of units failing, generation units damaged, we are barely supplying the demand that our people, our constituents have. We cannot repair the units or give them regular maintenance as they should. Are you talking about or youre fired units . Im talking about all of them. Fema already agreed to make repairs, what we flew over which is a bunker did plant, and another plant that is mostly or should be an lng plant, the san juan plant, and in the case of a bunker c oil burning plants. San juan i have to move on, governor, you brought a lot of points i would like to discuss more. We talked about lng exports and you said youve got to places where you can import or bring ships in with lng but because of the jones act and because we dont have lng, you are having to buy the gas from sierra leone or maybe you told me another country. Mostly trinidad and tobago, far from what you mentioned. We could be using domestic produced gas coming out of the gulf, but also when we look at having an electric system that is more affordable, more reliable and cleaner than the bunker oil, theres been a lot of emphasis on offshore wind, solar, but to give that base power it seems like there would be more of an emphasis on building gas plants and figuring out how to get domestic gas there from the gulf of mexico, provides clean reliable, affordable power when we are rebuilding the system. You have a lot more discussion about that. Let me quickly respond because it is something you should know with all respect. The Energy Bureau of puerto rico just authorized a request for proposals to heaven puerto rico a 300 mega lng plant privately financed. It hasnt trusted the authority to handle the process request for proposals and i envisioned that process will start at some point early next year so we will be seeking a private lng plant at that level. Thank you very much. For your knowledge. This hard and fast rule has been broken as we speak. I recognize my colleague from arizona. You are recognized. Thank you for being here today, about puerto ricos resilience and disaster reconstruction and proud to work with you on this issue during my recent visit in the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona. Being present on the ground and same situation firsthand it is an important step understanding how to be most helpful moving forward and to note the continued question of puerto ricos statuses hundred federal assistant programs for years and continue to do so until it is resolved surpassing the status act out of this committee was a step in the right direction and we should Work Together to bring it to the 4. A couple questions. Number one. Hurricane fiona was only the latest in a series of hurricanes and Natural Disasters impacting puerto rico in recent years. What changes did the government of puerto rico make to improve Disaster Response after Hurricane Maria . The fema administrator is the one that has priced us because of our response to fiona. Coordination she saw in puerto rico between our First Responders and fema can be used as a model for the rest of the nation. She also said th