NY officials announce $280K deal for Puerto Rico water and power aid

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani met with nonprofits in Puerto Rico as officials announced a $280,000 partnership to help the U.S. territory address emergencies.

The partnership between the Hispanic Federation and the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York comes amid ongoing struggles with power outages and water shortages in Puerto Rico, which continues to recover from Hurricane Maria and other disasters.

The Hispanic Federation stated the funds will be used to equip 10 community-run resiliency hubs with increased water storage capacity, with some also receiving rain collection systems, kitchen infrastructure, and solar power with battery storage.

The Federal Home Loan Bank of New York is contributing $210,000, while the Hispanic Federation raised an additional $70,000, according to officials.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul emphasized the importance of climate change and environmental justice for community wellbeing, as she and Mamdani participated in a four-day annual conference in Puerto Rico.

The announcement follows the cancellation of solar projects in Puerto Rico by the Trump administration, which had aimed to provide solar and battery storage systems to low-income families and those with medical needs.

The U.S. Department of Energy redirected funds initially allocated for solar projects to maintain Puerto Rico’s power grid, which was severely damaged by Hurricane Maria in 2017.

The decision sparked outrage on the island as federal support for solar projects declined, leading to legal action by six Puerto Rico residents against the U.S. Energy Department and its secretary, Chris Wright.

The lawsuit highlighted the impact on residents like Ileana Ríos, a 63-year-old diabetic individual who regularly loses power and needs to refrigerate her insulin, and her son, who relies on an electric nebulizer for asthma.

The lawsuit requests that a judge order the U.S. Energy Department to reinstate the grant program, among other demands, as the funding loss has disrupted nonprofits and caused months of uncertainty.